EP0920511A1 - Expression vectors, cells, and methods for preparing thrombopoietin polypeptides - Google Patents
Expression vectors, cells, and methods for preparing thrombopoietin polypeptidesInfo
- Publication number
- EP0920511A1 EP0920511A1 EP97935253A EP97935253A EP0920511A1 EP 0920511 A1 EP0920511 A1 EP 0920511A1 EP 97935253 A EP97935253 A EP 97935253A EP 97935253 A EP97935253 A EP 97935253A EP 0920511 A1 EP0920511 A1 EP 0920511A1
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- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- amino acid
- seq
- thr
- residues
- polypeptide
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
- C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
- C12N15/00—Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor
- C12N15/09—Recombinant DNA-technology
- C12N15/11—DNA or RNA fragments; Modified forms thereof; Non-coding nucleic acids having a biological activity
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C07K—PEPTIDES
- C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
- C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
- C07K14/52—Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
- C07K14/524—Thrombopoietin, i.e. C-MPL ligand
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
- A61P7/00—Drugs for disorders of the blood or the extracellular fluid
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
- A61K38/00—Medicinal preparations containing peptides
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C07K—PEPTIDES
- C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
- C07K2319/01—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif
- C07K2319/02—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif containing a signal sequence
Definitions
- He atopoiesis is the process by which blood cells develop and differentiate from pluripotent stem cells in the bone marrow. This process involves a complex interplay of polypeptide growth factors (cytokines) acting via membrane-bound receptors on the target cells. Cytokine action results in cellular proliferation and differentiation, with a response to a particular cytokine often being lineage-specific and/or stage-specific. Development of a single cell type, such as a platelet, from a stem cell may require the coordinated action of a plurality of cytokines acting m the proper sequence.
- cytokines polypeptide growth factors
- the known cytokines include the interleukins, such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IL-8, etc.; and the colony stimulating factors, such as G-CSF, M-CSF, GM-CSF, erythropoietin (EPO) , etc.
- the interleukins act as mediators of immune and inflammatory responses.
- the colony stimulating factors stimulate the proliferation of marrow-derived cells, activate mature leukocytes, and otherwise form an integral part of the host ' s response to inflammatory, infectious, and immunologic challenges.
- erythropoietin which stimulates the development of erythrocytes
- erythropoietin which stimulates the development of erythrocytes
- Several of the colony stimulating factors have been used in conjunction with cancer chemotherapy to speed the recovery of patients' immune systems.
- Interleukin-2 a-interferon and c-interferon are used in the treatment of certain cancers.
- An activity that stimulates megakaryocytopoiesis and thrombocytopoiesis has been identified in body fluids of thrombocytopenic animals and is referred to in the literature as "thrombopoietin" (recently reviewed by McDonald, Exp . Hematol . 16 .
- TPO TPO is subject to proteolysis and has been isolated in heterogeneous or degraded form (de Sauvage et al . , Nature 369:533-538, 1994; Bartley et al . , Ceil 27:1117-1124, 1994) . Molecular species as small as 25 kD have been found to be active in vi tro (Bartley et al .
- the present invention provides expression vectors replicable in a eukaryotic host cell .
- the vectors comprise the following operably linked elements: (a) a transcription promoter; (b) a first DNA segment encoding a secretory leader; (c) a second DNA segment encoding a thrombopoietin (TPO) polypeptide consisting of C-X-B, wherein C is a human thrombopoietin cytokine domain polypeptide; X is a peptide bond or a linker consisting of one or two amino acid residues, subject to the limitation that X, alone or m combination with C or B, does not provide a dibasic amino acid pair; and B is a polypeptide consisting of residues 1 to y of SEQ ID NO : 3 , wherein y is an integer from 5 to 18 and wherein up to 35% of ammo acid residues of B are individually replaced by other am o acid residues; and (d
- the expression vector is replicable in yeast.
- the secretory leader is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha- factor secretory leader.
- B does not comprise an Arg-Arg dipeptide.
- residue number 4 of B is Thr or Asp; y is at least 10 and residue 10 of B is Arg or Glu; and y is at least 14 and residue 14 of B is Val or Ala.
- y is at least 14, residue 4 of B is Thr or Asp, residue 10 of B is Arg or Glu, and residue 14 of B is Val or Ala.
- X is a peptide bond or a single ammo acid residue.
- a cultured eukaryotic cell containing an expression vector as disclosed above, wherein the cell produces and secretes the TPO polypeptide.
- the cell is a yeast cell.
- a thrombopoietin polypeptide characterized by an amino acid backbone consisting of C-X-B, wherein C is a human thrombopoietin cytokine domain polypeptide;
- X is a peptide bond or a linker consisting of one or two amino acid residues, subject to the limitation that X, alone or in combination with C or B, does not provide a dibasic amino acid pair;
- B is a polypeptide consisting of residues 1 to y of SEQ ID NO : 3 , wherein y is an integer from 5 to 18, and wherein up to 35% of the residues of B are individually replaced by other amino acid residues.
- a method of making a TPO polypeptide comprising culturing a eukaryotic host cell transfected or transformed with an expression vector as disclosed above, wherein the linked first and second DNA segments are expressed by the host cell to produce the TPO polypeptide, and recovering the TPO polypeptide.
- a method of increasing platelet number a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a TPO polypeptide as disclosed above combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.
- allelic variant is used herein to denote an alternative form of a gene that arises through mutation, or an altered polypeptide encoded by the mutated gene. Gene mutations can be silent (no change in the encoded polypeptide) or may encode polypeptides having altered amino acid sequence.
- An "expression vector” is a DNA molecule, linear or circular, that comprises a segment encoding a polypeptide of interest operably linked to additional segments that provide for its transcription. Such additional segments include promoter and terminator sequences.
- An expression vector may also include one or more origins of replication, one or more selectable markers, an enhancer, a polyadenylation signal, etc. Expression vectors are generally derived from plasmid or viral DNA, or may contain elements of both.
- operably linked indicates that the segments are arranged so that they function in concert for their intended purposes, e.g. transcription initiates in the promoter and proceeds through the coding segment to the terminator.
- Replication of expression vectors in a host organism can be autonomous or through integration into the host genome.
- a polypeptide characterized by an amino acid backbone of a given sequence contains the recited amino acid sequence but does include additional amino acid residues.
- Such a polypeptide may, however, further include carbohydrate chains or other post-translational modifications.
- secretory leader is a polypeptide that directs and facilitates the passage of a protein through the secretory pathway of a host cell.
- Secretory leaders are sometimes referred to as prepro sequences.
- Secretory leaders are characterized by a core of hydrophobic amino acids and are typically (but not exclusively) found at the amino termini of newly synthesized proteins. Very often the secretory leader is cleaved from the mature protein during secretion in one or more cleavage events. Such secretory leaders contain processing sites that allow cleavage of the secretory leaders from the mature proteins as they pass through the secretory pathway.
- a “promoter” is the portion of a gene at which RNA polymerase binds and mRNA synthesis is initiated.
- "Thrombopoietin” (or “TPO") is a protein characterized by the ability to specifically bind to Mpl receptor from the same species and to stimulate platelet production m vivo . In normal test animals, TPO is able to increase platelet levels by 100% or more within 10 days after beginning daily administration.
- Full-length TPO comprises an amino-term al cytokme domain and a carboxyl-terminal ( "C-terminal " ) domain. Referring to SEQ ID NO:2, the cytokine domain is bounded by cysteme residues at positions 7 and 151.
- thrombopoietin polypeptide encompasses full-length thrombopoietin molecules and biologically active portions thereof, that is fragments of a thrombopoietin that exhibit the qualitative biological activities of the intact molecule (receptor binding and in vi vo stimulation of platelet production) .
- SEQ ID NO : 1 A representative cDNA encoding full length human thrombopoietin is shown SEQ ID NO : 1 .
- SEQ ID NO : 2 the DNA of SEQ ID NO : 1 and the encoded ammo acid sequence (SEQ ID NO : 2 ) represent a single allele of the human TPO gene and that allelic variation is expected to exist.
- Allelic variants of SEQ ID NO : 1 can be obtained by cloning from cells, tissues, or nucleic acids prepared from different individuals and sequencing the resulting clones.
- thrombopoietin cytokine domain polypeptide refers to this core polypeptide (residues 7-151 or SEQ ID NO : 2 and corresponding regions of allelic variants of SEQ ID NO : 2 ) , which may further comprise short N-termmal (e.g , residues 1-6 of SEQ ID NO : 2 ) and/or C-termmal (e.g., residue 152 of SEQ ID NO: 2) extensions that do not destroy the essential biological activity of the molecule. Considerable sequence variation is allowed withm these short extensions.
- the C-termmal domain of human TPO extends from residue 155 (Ala) to residue 332 (Gly) of SEQ ID NO: 2.
- This domain comprises potential O-and N-lmked glycosylation sites. All or part of this domain can be deleted without complete loss of biological activity.
- the two domains are separated by an Arg-Arg dipeptide (residues 153 to 154 of SEQ ID NO: 2) .
- this dipeptide is a processing site that is cleaved during maturation of TPO (e.g., de Sauvage et al . , ibid.)
- studies carried out by the assignee of the present invention indicate that significant cleavage does not occur at this site.
- a portion of a thrombopoietin C-terminal domain includes from one amino acid of a TPO C-terminal domain up to and including a complete TPO C-terminal domain.
- the portion of the C-terminal domain will be a contiguous segment of a naturally occuring TPO C-terminal domain, having as its first (amino- terminal ) amino acid residue the first amino acid residue of the corresponding complete TPO C-terminal domain (i.e. the amino acid residue corresponding to residue 155 of SEQ ID NO: 2) .
- the portion of the C- terminal domain used within the present invention is preferably from 5 to 18 amino acid residues in length, more preferably at least 9 residues in length, most preferably from 14 to 18 residues in length.
- the present invention provides improved methods for preparing thrombopoietin polypeptides, together with expression vectors and cells that are useful within the methods.
- the invention is based in part on the discovery that certain amino acid changes in TPO polypeptides result in increased secretion by eukaryotic host cells.
- secretion of TPO polypeptides is enhanced by deleting or replacing the Arg-Arg dipeptide that separates the cytokine domain from the C-terminal domain of the native molecule.
- the TPO polypeptides are not cleaved at this Arg-Arg dipeptide as has been postulated in the literature (e.g., de Sauvage et al .
- TPO polypeptides characterized by the elimination of the dibasic amino acid pair immediately C-terminal to the cytokine domain.
- TPO polypeptides are thus characterized by the structure C-X-B, wherein C is a human thrombopoietin cytokine domain polypeptide, X is a peptide bond or a linker consisting of one or two amino acid residues, and B is derived from a portion of a thrombopoietin C-terminal domain, subject to the limitation that X, alone or with C or B , does not form a pair of basic amino acid residues.
- the dibasic sequence that occurs at the junction of the cytokine and C-terminal domains of wild- type thrombopoietins is not present. It is preferred that such dibasic sequences are not present elsewhere in the molecule as well, particularly in B.
- TPO polypeptides of the present invention will most commonly comprise a naturally occuring human TPO cytokine domain amino acid sequence linked via a peptide bond to a portion of a C-termmal domain of a mammalian
- B consists of from 5 to 18 contiguous residues of the C-terminal domain beginning with the amino-terminal residue of the C-terminal domain, wherein up to 35% of the amino acid residues of B may be individually replaced by other ammo acid residues.
- the TPO cytokine domain may also include from one to about 15, preferably no more than 10, more preferably no more than 7, amino acid substitutions. Amino acid substitutions are made in non-critical amino acid residues, that is those residues whose substitution do not materially affect the biological activity of the molecule.
- these authors disclose methods for simultaneously randomizing two or more positions in a polypeptide, selecting for functional polypeptide, and then sequencing the mutagenized polypeptides to determine the spectrum of allowable substitutions at each position.
- Other methods that can be used include phage display (e.g., Lowman et al . , Bioche . 3 . 0.10832-10837, 1991; Ladner et al . , U.S. Patent No. 5,223,409; Huse, WIPO Publication WO 92/06204) and region-directed mutagenesis (Derbyshire et al . , Gene . 46 . .145, 1986; Ner et al . , DNA 7:127, 1988).
- expression vectors encoding the polypeptides can be transformed into cultured cells to assay the effects of mutations on polypeptide secretion.
- substitutions include the replacement of charged residues with uncharged residues.
- Other preferred substitutions include the replacement of valine (residue 168 of SEQ ID NO: 2) with alanine, the replacement of arginine (residue 164 of SEQ ID NO: 2) with glutamic acid, and the replacement of threonine (residue 158 of SEQ ID NO: 2) with aspartic acid.
- substitutions may be made individually or in any combination. It is preferred that not more than 25% of the residues of B are replaced as compared to the corresponding naturally occuring sequence.
- Exemplary C- terminal domain sequences are shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 through SEQ ID NO: 7. While not wishing to be bound by theory, the Thr-Thr dipeptide may provide an attachment site for an 0- linked carbohydrate chain.
- B comprises a Thr-Thr dipeptide.
- the N- terminal 5 amino acid residues of B are Ala-Pro-Pro-Thr-Thr (SEQ ID NO : 8 ) .
- Secretion levels can be further enhanced by the addition of an N-linked carbohydrate addition site (Asn-X- Ser/Thr) .
- an N-linked carbohydrate addition site Asn-X- Ser/Thr
- the presence of such sequences may lead to undesired hyperglycosylation in certain host cells (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae) .
- the expression vectors of the present invention which are replicable in a eukaryotic host cell, comprise a transcription promoter and a transcription terminator operably linked to a first DNA segment encoding a secretory peptide and a second DNA segment encoding a TPO polypeptide as disclosed above.
- the second DNA segment thus encodes a TPO polypeptide consisting of C-X-B, wherein C, X, and B are as defined above.
- B is a polypeptide consisting of residues 1 to y of SEQ ID NO : 3 , wherein y is an integer from 5 to 18 and wherein up to 35%, preferably not more than 25%, of said residues of B are individually replaced by other amino acid residues.
- a "DNA segment encoding a TPO polypeptide consisting of C-X-B" means that the nascent polypeptide consists of the recited elements, reading from the ammo- terminal end to the carboxyl -terminal end.
- the term “encoding” is thus used to refer to the direct product of transcription and translation of the DNA segment. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that such a polypeptide may undergo post-translational processing wherein additional moieties, such as carbohydrate chains, are added to it. The exact nature of such post- translational modifications will be determined in part by the type of host cell in which the polypeptide is produced.
- Plasmid pZGmpl-1081 comprising a mouse TPO DNA sequence
- Plasmid pZGmpl-124 comprising a human TPO cDNA
- These mouse and human cDNAs are useful as probes for isolating other TPO-encoding DNAs, including genomic DNAs, allelic variants, and DNAs from other species.
- Suitable host cells for use within the present invention include any type of eukaryotic cell that can be engineered to express heterologous DNA, can be grown in culture, and has a secretory pathway.
- a DNA sequence encoding a secretory leader is used in combination with a DNA sequence encoding a TPO polypeptide.
- the secretory leader may be that of a TPO or that of another secreted protein, such as tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) or the Saccharo yces cerevisiae mating pheromone - factor.
- the respective DNA segments are joined in the correct reading frame so that the joined segments encode a fusion protein.
- the joined secretory leader and TPO polypeptide will typically define a proteolytic cleavage site at their junction so that the secretory leader is removed from the TPO polypeptide during secretion.
- a fusion protein can be recovered and subsequently processed to release the TPO polypeptide.
- Sa ccharomyces are a preferred host within the present invention.
- Yeast cells have a long history of use in the production of products for human consumption and are relatively inexpensive to culture.
- Methods for transforming yeast cells with exogenous DNA and producing reco binant proteins therefrom are disclosed by, for example, Kawasaki, U.S. Patent No. 4,599,311; Kawasaki et al . , U.S. Patent No. 4,931,373; Brake, U.S. Patent No. 4,870,008; Welch et al . , U.S. Patent No. 5,037,743; and Murray et al . , U.S. Patent No. 4,845,075, which are incorporated herein by reference.
- Transformed cells are selected by phenotype determined by a selectable marker, commonly drug resistance or the ability to grow in the absence of a particular nutrient (e.g. leucine) .
- a preferred vector system for use yeast is the POTl vector system disclosed by Kawasaki et al . (U.S. Patent No. 4,931,373), which allows transformed cells to be selected by growth in glucose-containing media.
- Suitable promoters and terminators for use in yeast include those from glycolytic enzyme genes (see, e.g., Kawasaki, U.S. Patent No. 4,599,311; K gsman et al . , U.S. Patent No. 4,615,974; and Bitter, U.S. Patent No.
- Kl ⁇ yveromyces fragilis , Us tilago maydi s , Pichia pas tori s , Pichia guillermondii and Candida mal tosa are known in the art. See, for example, Gleeson et al . , J. Gen. Microbiol . 132 :3459-3465, 1986; Cregg, U.S. Patent No. 4,882,279; and Stroman et al . , U.S. Patent No. 4,879,231.
- a host strain that is selected for a high level of TPO polypeptide secretion is preferred.
- a parent strain that is genotypically suited to fermentation and protein production is mutagenized by conventional methods, such as ultraviolet irradiation or chemical mutagenesis using, for example, ethyl methane sulfonate or nitrosoguanidine .
- Surviving cells are screened for protein secretion levels using conventional assay methods, such as a filter colony assay, wherein cells are overlayed with nitrocellulose, which is subsequently probed with an antibody in a Western blot format. Additional assays, such as activity assays, may also be used.
- Other fungal cells are also suitable as host cells.
- Aspergil l us cells may be utilized according to the methods of McKnight et al . , U.S. Patent No. 4,935,349, which is incorporated herein by reference.
- Methods for transforming Acremom um chrysogenum are disclosed by Sumino et al . , U.S. Patent No. 5,162,228, which is incorporated herein py reference.
- Methods for transforming Neurospora are disclosed by Lambowitz, U.S. Patent No. 4,486,533, which is incorporated herein by reference .
- Methods for introducing exogenous DNA into mammalian host cells include calcium phosphate-mediated transfection (Wigler et al .
- Patent No. 5,385,831 which are incorporated herein by reference.
- Preferred cultured mammalian cells include the COS-1 (ATCC No. CRL 1650), COS-7 (ATCC No. CRL 1651), BHK (ATCC No. CRL 1632), BHK 570 (ATCC No. CRL 10314), 293 (ATCC No. CRL 1573; Graham et al . , J. Gen. Virol. 3 . 6: 59-72, 1977) and Chinese hamster ovary (e.g. CHO-Kl; ATCC No. CCL 61) cell lines. Additional suitable cell lines are known in the art and available from public depositories such as the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Maryland.
- promoters from SV-40 or cytomegalovirus are preferred, such as promoters from SV-40 or cytomegalovirus . See, e.g., U.S. Patent No. 4,956,288.
- suitable promoters include those from metallothione genes (U.S. Patents Nos . 4,579,821 and 4,601,978, which are incorporated herein by reference) and the adenovirus major late promoter.
- Drug selection is generally used to select for cultured mammalian cells into which foreign DNA has been inserted. Such cells are commonly referred to as “ transfectants” . Cells that have been cultured in the presence of the selective agent and are able to pass the gene of interest to their progeny are referred to as “stable transfectants . " A preferred selectable marker is a gene encoding resistance to the antibiotic neomycin. Selection is carried out in the presence of a neomycin- type drug, such as G-418 or the like.
- Selection systems may also be used to increase the expression level of the gene of interest, a process referred to as "amplification.” Amplification is carried out by culturing transfectants in the presence of a low level of the selective agent and then increasing the amount of selective agent to select for cells that produce high levels of the products of the introduced genes.
- a preferred amplifiable selectable marker is dihydrofolate reductase, which confers resistance to methotrexate .
- Other drug resistance genes e.g. hygromycin resistance, multi-drug resistance, puromycin acetyltransferase
- hygromycin resistance e.g. hygromycin resistance, multi-drug resistance, puromycin acetyltransferase
- eukaryotic cells can also be used as hosts, including insect cells, plant cells and avian cells. Transformation of insect cells and production of foreign proteins therein is disclosed by Guarino et al . , U.S. Patent No. 5,162,222; Bang et al . , U.S. Patent No. 4,775,624; and WIPO publication WO 94/06463, which are incorporated herein by reference.
- the use of Agrobacterium rhizogenes as a vector for expressing genes in plant cells has been reviewed by Sinkar et al . , __ . Biosci. (Bangalore) 11:47-58, 1987.
- Transformed or transfected host cells are cultured according to conventional procedures in a culture medium containing nutrients and other components required for the growth of the chosen host cells.
- suitable media including defined media and complex media, are known in the art and generally include a carbon source, a nitrogen source, essential ammo acids, vitamins and minerals. Media may also contain such components as growth factors or serum, as required.
- the growth medium will generally select for cells containing the exogenously added DNA by, for example, drug selection or deficiency in an essential nutrient which is complemented by the selectable marker carried on the expression vector or co- transfected into the host cell .
- TPO polypeptides prepared according to the present invention are selectively recovered using methods generally known in the art, such as affinity purification and separations based on size, charge, solubility and other properties of the protein.
- affinity purification and separations based on size, charge, solubility and other properties of the protein.
- the medium is harvested and fractionated.
- Preferred methods of fractionation include affinity chromatography, such as on an immobilized Mpl receptor protein or ligand-binding portion thereof or through the use of an affinity tag (e.g. polyhistidine, substance P or other polypeptide or protein for which an antibody or other specific binding agent is available) .
- affinity tag e.g. polyhistidine, substance P or other polypeptide or protein for which an antibody or other specific binding agent is available
- a specific cleavage site may be provided between the protein of interest and the affinity tag.
- Other chromatographic methods can also be employed, such as cation exchange chromatography, anion exchange chromatography, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography
- TPO polypeptide prepared according to the present invention can be used therapeutically wherever it is desirable to increase proliferation of cells in the bone marrow, such as in the treatment of cytopenia, such as that induced by aplastic anemia, myelodisplastic syndromes, chemotherapy or congenital cytopenias .
- TPO polypeptides are also useful for increasing platelet production, such as in the treatment of thrombocytopenia.
- Thrombocytopenia is associated with a diverse group of diseases and clinical situations that may act alone or in concert to produce the condition. Lowered platelet counts can result from, for example, defects in platelet production, abnormal platelet distribution, dilutional losses due to massive transfusions, or abnormal destruction of platelets.
- chemotherapeutic drugs used in cancer therapy may suppress development of platelet progenitor cells in the bone marrow, and the resulting thrombocytopenia limits the chemotherapy and may necessitate transfusions.
- certain malignancies can impair platelet production and platelet distribution.
- Radiation therapy used to kill malignant cells also kills platelet progenitor cells.
- Thrombocytopenia may also arise from various platelet autoimmune disorders induced by drugs, neonatal alloimmunity or platelet transfusion alloimmunity .
- TPO polypeptides can reduce or eliminate the need for transfusions, thereby reducing the incidence of platelet alloimmunity.
- Abnormal destruction of platelets can result from: (1) increased platelet consumption in vascular grafts or traumatized tissue; or (2) immune mechanisms associated with, for example, drug-induced thrombocytopenia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), autoimmune diseases, hematologic disorders such as leukemia and lymphoma, or etastatic cancers involving bone marrow.
- TPO drug-induced thrombocytopenia
- IDP idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
- Other indications for TPO include aplastic anemia and drug- induced marrow suppression resulting from, for example, chemotherapy or treatment of HIV infection with AZT.
- Thrombocytopenia is manifested as increased bleeding, such as mucosal bleedings from the nasal -oral area or the gastrointestinal tract, as well as oozing from wounds, ulcers or injection sites.
- TPO polypeptides are formulated for parenteral, particularly intravenous or subcutaneous, delivery according to conventional methods. Intravenous administration will be by bolus injection or infusion over a typical period of one to several hours .
- pharmaceutical formulations will include a TPO polypeptide in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, such as saline, buffered saline, 5% dextrose in water or the like. Formulations may further include one or more excipients, preservatives, solubilizers, buffering agents, albumin to prevent protein loss on vial surfaces, etc.
- TPO polypeptides can be combined with other cytokines, particularly early- acting cytokines such as stem cell factor, IL-3, IL-6, IL- 11 or GM-CSF.
- cytokines particularly early- acting cytokines such as stem cell factor, IL-3, IL-6, IL- 11 or GM-CSF.
- the cytokines may be combined in a single formulation or may be administered in separate formulations. Methods of formulation are well known in the art and are disclosed, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gennaro, ed . , Mack Publishing Co., Easton PA, 1990, which is incorporated herein by reference.
- Therapeutic doses of TPO will generally be in the range of 0.1 to 100 ⁇ g/kg of patient weight per day, preferably 0.5-50 ⁇ g/kg per day, with the exact dose determined by the clinician according to accepted standards, taking into account the nature and severity of the condition to be treated, patient traits, etc. In certain cases, such as when treating patients showing increased sensitivity or requiring prolonged treatment, doses in the range of 0.1-20 ⁇ g/kg per day will be indicated. Determination of dose is within the level of ordinary skill in the art. TPO polypeptides will commonly be administered over a period of up to 28 days following chemotherapy or bone-marrow transplant or until a platelet count of >20,000/mm 3 , preferably >50,000/mm 3 , is achieved.
- TPO polypeptides will be administered over one week or less, often over a period of one to three days.
- a therapeutically effective amount of a TPO polypeptide is an amount sufficient to produce a clinically significant increase in the proliferation and/or differentiation of lymphoid or myeloid progenitor cells, which will be manifested as an increase in circulating levels of mature cells (e.g. platelets or neutrophils) .
- Treatment of platelet disorders will thus be continued until a platelet count of at least 20,000/mm 3 , preferably 50,000/mm 3 , is reached.
- TPO polypeptides can also be administered in combination with other cytokines such as IL-3, -6 and -11; stem cell factor; erythropoietin; G-CSF and GM-CSF.
- cytokines such as IL-3, -6 and -11; stem cell factor; erythropoietin; G-CSF and GM-CSF.
- daily doses of other cytokines will in general be: EPO, ⁇ 150 U/kg; GM- CSF, 5-15 ⁇ g/kg; IL-3, 1-5 ⁇ g/kg; and G-CSF, 1-25 ⁇ g/kg.
- Combination therapy with EPO for example, is indicated in anemic patients with low EPO levels.
- TPO polypeptides are also valuable tools for the in vi tro study of the differentiation and development of he atopoietic cells, such as for elucidating the mechanisms of cell differentiation and for determining the lineages of mature cells, and may also f nd utility as a proliferative agent in cell culture.
- TPO polypeptides can also be used ex vivo, such as in autologous marrow culture. Briefly, bone marrow is removed from a patient prior to chemotherapy and treated with TPO polypeptides, optionally in combination with one or more other cytokines. The treated marrow is then returned to the patient after chemotherapy to speed the recovery of the marrow.
- TPO polypeptides can also be used for the ex vivo expansion of marrow or peripheral blood progenitor (PBPC) cells. Prior to chemotherapy treatment, marrow can be stimulated with stem cell factor (SCF) or G-CSF to release early progenitor cells into peripheral circulation.
- SCF stem cell factor
- G-CSF G-CSF
- progenitors can be collected and concentrated from peripheral blood and then treated in culture with one or more TPO polypeptides, optionally in combination with one or more other cytokines, including but not limited to SCF, G-CSF, IL-3, GM-CSF, IL-6 or IL-11, to differentiate and proliferate into high-density megakaryocyte cultures, which can then be returned to the patient following high-dose chemotherapy.
- TPO polypeptides optionally in combination with one or more other cytokines, including but not limited to SCF, G-CSF, IL-3, GM-CSF, IL-6 or IL-11, to differentiate and proliferate into high-density megakaryocyte cultures, which can then be returned to the patient following high-dose chemotherapy.
- Two expression vectors were constructed to compare expression in the yeast S . cer ⁇ visiae of truncated human TPO polypeptides differing m the presence or absence of the Arg-Arg dipeptide at positions 153-154 of SEQ ID NO: 2.
- the two vectors were derived from plasmid pDPOT (ATCC #68001; disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,128,321). Both vectors included a TPO expression casette comprising the S . cerevisia e triose phosphate isomerase ( TPI1 ) gene promoter (see U.S. Patent No. 4,599,311, incorporated herein by reference), S. cerevisiae MF ⁇ l pre-pro sequence, TPO sequence, and S .
- the vectors further included a Schizosa ccharomyces pombe triose phosphate isomerase (POT) gene, allowing selection in media containing glucose, an ampicillin resistance gene for selection in E . col i , and a leu2-d selectable marker.
- POT Schizosa ccharomyces pombe triose phosphate isomerase
- Vector pD85 encoded the wild- type human TPO sequence from amino acid residue 1 to residue 172 of SEQ ID NO : 2 wherein residue 168 (Val) was replaced with Ala.
- Vector pD79 encoded a variant TPO 1-172 sequence wherein the codons for arginine residues 153 and 154 were deleted, and the valine codon (residue 168) was replaced with an alanine codon (amino acid positions refer to SEQ ID NO : 2 ) .
- a full-length human TPO DNA was modified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to add five codons of the MF ⁇ l pre-pro sequence at the 5' end and a stop codon at the 3' end.
- PCR was carried out using primers ZC7623 (SEQ ID NO: 9) and ZC7627 (SEQ ID NO: 10) .
- PCR was run using Taq polymerase and ⁇ 20 ng of template DNA with 25 cycles of 94°C, 1 minute; 53°C, 1 minute; and 72°C, 1.5 minute.
- the modified TPO sequence was isolated as a 479 bp Hind III- Xba I fragment and was ligated into pUCi ⁇ that had been cleaved with the same enzymes.
- the resultant plasmid was designated pHB76.
- the TPO sequence in pHB76 was modified to introduce Bbe I and Sal I sites at the 5' and 3' ends, respectively, of the sequence encoding the cytokine domain.
- PCR was carried out using primers ZC7868 (SEQ ID NO: 11) and ZC7870 (SEQ ID NO: 12) .
- PCR was run using Taq polymerase and ⁇ 20 ng of template DNA, with nine cycles of 95°C, 1 minute; 68°C, 4 minutes ; followed by one cycle of 95°C, 1 minute; 68°C, 10 minutes.
- the TPO sequence was recovered as a 482 bp Hind III-Eco RI fragment and was ligated into pUC19 that had been cleaved with the same enzymes.
- the resultant plasmid was designated pTP0GN2.
- the variant TPO sequence was then constructed by combining a 457 bp Hind III -Sal I fragment from pTPOGN2 and a synthetic fragment constructed from oligonucleotides ZC8488 (SEQ ID NO:13) and ZC8489 (SEQ ID NO : 1 ) in a three-part ligation with Hind III + Xba I digested pUC19.
- the resultant plasmid was designated pTP0GN6.
- a 539 bp Hind III -Xba I fragment encoding the last few residues of the ⁇ - factor pre-pro peptide and the truncated TPO polypeptide was isolated from pTP0GN6.
- This fragment was joined in a four-part ligation with pDPOT (cleaved with Bam HI and treated with alkaline phosphatase) , a 1230 bp Bgl II-Hind III fragment comprising the TPIl promoter and MF ⁇ l pre-pro sequences, and a 680 bp Xba I -Bam HI fragment comprising the TPIl terminator.
- the resultant plasmid was designated pD79.
- a control plasmid encoding residues 1 to 172 of human TPO (SEQ ID NO : 2 ) was constructed by joining, in a four-part ligation, pDPOT (cleaved with Bam HI and treated with alkaline phosphatase) , the 1230 bp Bgl II-Hind III TPIl -MF ⁇ l fragment, a 540 bp fragment encoding last few residues of the ⁇ -factor pre-pro peptide and the truncated TPO polypeptide, and the 680 bp Xba I-Bam HI TPIl terminator fragment.
- the resultant plasmid was designated pD85.
- Plasmids pD79 and pD85 were transformed m Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain JG134 (MAT ⁇ ⁇ tpi l : : URA3 ura3 - 52 I eu2 - ⁇ 2 pep4 - ⁇ l [ cir°] ) essentially as disclosed by Hinnen et al . (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75:1929-1933, 1978) . Transformants were selected for their ability to grow on medium containing glucose as the sole carbon source . Transformants were grown for about 60 hours in liquid medium containing 1% yeast extract, 1% peptone, and 5% glucose. The cells were separated from the culture medium by centrifugation.
- TPO dilution buffer RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 2 M L-glutamine, 1 mM sodium pyruvate, 50 ⁇ g/ l penicillin, 50 ⁇ g/ml streptomycin, 100 ⁇ g/ml neomycin, 0.00033% ⁇ -mercaptoethanol , 25 mM Hepes .
- BaF3 is an mterleukm-3 dependent pre- lymphoid cell line derived from mur e bone marrow (Palacios and Steinmetz, Cell 41 : 727-734, 1985; Mathey- Prevot et al . , Mol. Cell. Biol . 6 : 4133-4135, 1986).
- Cells were exposed to test samples m the presence of 3 H- thymidine for 16 to 19 hours at 37°C. The amount of 3 H- thymidine incorporated into cellular DNA was quantitated by comparison to a standard curve of human TPO. 10 U/ml was defined as the amount giving half -maximal stimulation in the mitogenesis assay. Results of two experiments are shown Table 1.
- TPO polypeptides consisting of the cytokine domain of human TPO (residues 22 to 152 of SEQ ID NO : 2 ) linked to a C-termmal segment by either a peptide bond or an Arg-Arg dipeptide was constructed.
- Table 2 shows the structures of the encoded polypeptides: Arg-Arg indicates presence (+) or absence (-) of the dipeptide; amino acid numbers for the C- term al segment refer to SEQ ID NO : 3.
- Table 2 shows the structures of the encoded polypeptides: Arg-Arg indicates presence (+) or absence (-) of the dipeptide; amino acid numbers for the C- term al segment refer to SEQ ID NO : 3.
- Plasmid pTPOGN ⁇ was constructed in a three-part ligation using pUC19, which had been linearized by digestion with Hind III and Xba I; a 457 bp Hind Ill-Sal I fragment of pTPOGN2 (Example 1) comprising coding sequence for a portion of the ⁇ - factor secretory leader and part of the human TPO cytokine domain; and a Sal I -Xba I adapter constructed from oligonucleotides ZC8486 (SEQ ID NO: 15) and ZC8487 (SEQ ID NO:16).
- Plasmid pD83 was constructed in a four-part ligation using the following fragments: Bam Hi-digested, alkaline phosphatase-treated pDPOT; a 1230 bp Bgl II-Hind III fragment of pHB105-4 (a plasmid containing the S . cerevisiae TPIl promoter and ⁇ - factor secretory leader joined to the coding sequence for the cytokine domain of human TPO in the plasmid backbone of pMVRl (disclosed U.S. Patent No. 5,155,027)], which contained the S .
- cerevisiae TPIl promoter and ⁇ - factor secretory leader a 540 bp Hind III -Xba I fragment of pTPOGN8 , which contained a portion of the ⁇ -factor secretory leader coding sequence and the coding sequence of a TPO variant consisting of the cytokine domain joined at its C-termmus to the 18-res ⁇ due polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 17; and a 680 bp Xba I -Bam HI S . cerevisiae TPIl terminator fragment .
- Piasmids shown in Table 2 were constructed by first inserting the Bglll-EcoRI fragment of pD83, comprising TPIl terminator and vector sequences, nto pUC19 (cut with Sail and EcoRI ⁇ with one of the pairs of oligonucleotides shown Table 3. The resulting piasmids were designated pTPOMIl, 2, 3, 4, and 5 as shown in Table 3.
- Bgll-Sall Two pD83 fragments, Bgll-Sall, comprising the TPIl promoter, MFal secretory leader, 5' TPO coding region, and vector sequences; and EcoRI-Bgll, comprising vector sequences, were joined to Sall-EcoRI fragments from pTPOMIl-5 (comprising 3' TPO coding sequences, the TPIl terminator, and vector sequences) to construct pD117, pD119, pD121, pD123, and pD125, respectively.
- Piasmids were transformed into S . cerevi siae JG134 or M35.
- M35 was derived from pD79-transformed JG134 by UV mutagenesis of an overnight culture.
- Cells were diluted 1:1000, and 50 ⁇ l of the dilution was plated on YEPD (1% yeast extract, 2% peptone, 2% D-glucose, 0.004% adenine, 0.006% L-leucine) . Plates were exposed to UV light for 20 seconds in a darkroom, placed in a light impenetrable box, and incubated for two days at 30°C. Each plate was then replica-plated onto a fresh YEPD plate, covered with nitrocellulose, and incubated overnight at 30°C.
- YEPD 1% yeast extract, 2% peptone, 2% D-glucose, 0.004% adenine, 0.006% L-leucine
- nitrocellulose was then removed and washed of any adhering yeast cells.
- the nitrocellulose was developed via standard Western technique using 5% milk in IX PBS for blocking and a rat anti-human TPO antibody. Colonies exhibiting a high level of secretion the primary screen were further assayed by Western blotting and an activity assay.
- GN35 was cured of pD79 by transforming with a 2 -micron-based plasmid containing a prokaryotic kana ycin resistance gene and the S . cerevisiae TPIl gene.
- Transformants resistant to 2 mg/ml G418 were selected and cultured in YEPD containing G418, then in YEPGGE (0.004% adenine , 0.006% L-leucine, 1% yeast extract, 0.4% D- galactose, 2% peptone, 3% glycerol, 1% ethanol) . Cells were then screened for the inability to grow on glucose as a carbon source, indicating loss of the triose phosphate isomerase gene on pD79. The cured cells were designated strain M35. Transformants were grown in liquid medium containing 2% peptone, 1% yeast extract, and 5% glucose with aeration for 70 hours. Piasmids pD79 and pD85 were included as controls. In addition, piasmids pHB109
- TPO polypeptides Using conventional molecular biology techniques, a series of pDPOT-based piasmids encoding TPO polypeptides was constructed. Each of the encoded TPO polypeptides consisted of the cytokine domain of human TPO linked via a peptide bond to a C-terminal segment derived from the C- terminal domain of human TPO. The sequences of the C- terminal segments of these polypeptides are shown below in Table 5. Amino acids are designated using the conventional one-letter code.
- Piasmids were transformed into strain JG134, and transformants were cultured as disclosed in Example 2. Media were harvested and assayed as disclosed in Example 1.
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