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Definitions

• the present invention relates to in situ glycosylated MHC ll/CII peptide complexes, i.e. , complexes naturally glycosylated during recombinant protein expression in the host cell.
• the invention further relates to methods of producing glycosylated MHC ll/CII peptide complexes in mammalian cells.
• the invention relates to the use of such post-translationally modified, preferably glycosylated MHC ll/CII peptide complexed for use in treating arthritis.
• Rheumatoid arthritis is a common, severe disease representing a major health concern with 4-7 million affected people in Europe. It is caused by an aberrant autoimmune inflammation of joints associated with pain, progressive cartilage and bone destruction leading to functional disability and ultimately immobility/invalidity if not adequately treated.
• Today’s pharmaceutical treatment is initiated immediately upon establishment of the clinical diagnosis and is effective in 60-70% of the cases, but does not achieve cure from the disease. Drug treatment predominantly targets common effector pathways of inflammation thereby causing broad immunosuppressive effects associated with an increased risk for infection.
• HLA human leukocyte antigen
• MHC human major histocompatibility complex
• the strongest evidence supporting a role for CD4+ T cells in disease pathogenesis is the genetic association between RA and certain alleles of the HLA-DRB1 locus coding for an amino acid consensus motif Q/R R/K R A A on the beta-chain of the peptide binding pocket of the MHC class II molecule HLA- DR (amino acid position 70-74, the so called “shared epitope”) (Gregersen PK et al., Arthritis Rheum. 1987;30:1205-1213).
• Compelling evidence for a pathogenic role of T cells in RA is further provided by their frequent detectability in inflammatory synovial infiltrates of moderate to severe disease indicating their collaboration with B cells in local immune reactions to promote the maturation of specific autoantibody responses.
• an impaired CD4+CD25(hi) regulatory T cell (Treg) function has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of RA. Accordingly, the dysregulated chronically activated T cell compartment in RA represents a key target for therapeutic immunomodulatory intervention.
• RA is today believed to start many years before clinical onset.
• RA as polygenetic disease with the above mentioned shared-epitope encoding alleles at the HLA-DRB1 locus as the strongest risk factor, develops in respectively predisposed individuals.
• yet ill-defined environmental and/or life style factors are also involved in triggering an autoimmune response associated with the generation of antibodies to IgG (rheumatoid factors) and to citrullinated proteins (ACPA) that can persist in arthritis prone but still healthy individuals for a preclinical period of up to two decades.
• IgG rheumatoid factors
• ACPA citrullinated proteins
• Cll is the major protein component in joint cartilage.
• RA patients that carry the DRB1*0401 allele (50% of Caucasian RA- patients) have been demonstrated to harbor T cells in their repertoire that specifically respond to a major Cll epitope corresponding to the amino acid sequence 259-273 of the triple helical Cll region.
• TCR T cell determinant critical for activation of the T cell receptor (TCR) is dependent on the physiologically galactosylated hydroxylysine residue at position 264 (Baecklund J. et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002; 99:9960-5).
• CIA collagen-induced arthritis
• Experimental arthritis is MHC class II dependent, associated with the murine class II allele Aq and dependent on T cell recognition of the galactosylated 259-273 Cll-epitope (Holmdahl R. et al. Ageing Res Rev. 2002;1 : 135-47).
• CIA is used as a standard model for testing the therapeutic efficiency of new compounds with antiarthritic potential in drug development.
• protocols have been developed to induce antigen specific tolerance and one of the candidate antigens in preventing and curing arthritis through vaccination has been Cll.
• the most efficient protocol in adult mice, and so far without any observable side effects, is to induce tolerance by intravenous injection of a recombinant protein complex consisting of the extracellular domains of the MHC class II molecule Aq with the major antigen Cll peptide in the binding pocket i.e. the galactosylated CII259-273 peptide, or Aq/galCII complex (Dzhambazov B et al. J Immunol 2006; 176: 1525-1533).
• Injection of the Aq/galCII complex after immunization with Cll, but before the onset of arthritis led to an almost complete prevention of arthritis development and treatment of mice with a chronic relapsing arthritis led to down-regulation of the inflammatory activity.
• the tolerogenic Aq/galCII effect was dominant as its antiarthritic potential could be transferred with T cells from treated mice to naive recipients.
• a disturbance of the physiologic peripheral self-tolerance especially to structural components of the diarthrodial joints as being a major driving force in RA pathogenesis has therefore been suggested and its reestablishment is the rationale for the development of a tolerogenic treatment strategy.
• This approach consists of the parenteral administration of DR4/galCII complexes to biomarker selected human RA-patients identified as carriers of the DRB1*0401 allele by preceding genotyping to induce immune regulatory T cells that downregulate arthritogenic T cell responses by bystander suppression.
• the mechanism of action consists of a selective immunomodulation of arthritogenic adaptive immune responses while leaving protective immunity unaffected.
• WO 2007/058587 A1 relates to a “compound comprising an autoantigenic peptide and a carrier with a MHC binding motif and discloses a compound comprising (a) a peptide and (b) a carrier, wherein said peptide has at least the motif X-X-X-X-X-X and wherein at least one amino acid residue X is glycosylated. Furthermore, the peptide is being linked to the peptide binding protein and said carrier comprises at least a MHC binding motif, wherein the linking may be covalently. However, the peptide is not expressed together with the MHC II protein by the same host cell or is linked to the MHC II protein via a linker peptide. The MHC II proteins were initially expressed in SL2 cells with a replacement peptide in the binding groove and then loaded with the peptide in vitro. .
• the present invention relates to a composition comprising recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising (a) an extracellular region of an MHC class II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain; (b) an extracellular region of an MHC class II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and (c) a collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain; wherein the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXG, AGFKGEXGPKG, AGFKGXQGPKG, AGFKXEQGPKG, AGFKGEXGPXG, AGFKGXQGPXG and AGFKXEQGPXG, and wherein the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprise a post
• the first lysine residue is galactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXiG, AG F KG EX 2 G P KG , AGFKGXsQGPKG, AGFKX 4 EQGPKG, AGFKGEX 2 GPX 1 G, AGFKGX3QGPX 1 G and AGFKX 4 EQGPX 1 G, wherein Xi is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except K, preferably R, A, G or Q, more preferably R; X 2 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except Q; preferably A, R, H or G; X3 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except E, preferably A, D, Q or G; and X 4 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except G, more preferably A, S, V or L.
• X 2 , X3 or X 4 are not K, more preferably Xi,X 2 , X3 or X 4 are not K.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG or AGFKGEQGPXiG, preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP or AGFKGEQGPX 1 GEP, more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP or GIAGFKGEQGPX 1 GEP.
• the MHC class II is HLA-DR and at least the alpha 1 domain is DRA*0101 and at least the beta 1 domain is selected from DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404, DRB1*0405, DRB1*0408, DRB1*0409, DRB1*0101 , DRB1*0102, DRB1*1001 , DRB1*1402 and DRB1*1303, preferably DRB1*0401.
• the Cll peptide comprises only the first lysine residue and any further K is mutated, preferably mutated to R, A, G or Q, more preferably to R.
• invention further relates to a method for producing a MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified (e.g. O-glycosylated) Cll peptide comprising (a) transfecting a mammalian cell with (i) a polynucleotide encoding an extracellular region of the MHC II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain; (ii) a polynucleotide encoding an extracellular region of the MHC II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and (iii) a polynucleotide encoding a collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain, wherein the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPX
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXiG, AGFKGEX 2 GPKG, AGFKGX3QGPKG, AGFKX 4 EQGPKG, AGFKGEX 2 GPX 1 G, AGFKGX3QGPX 1 G and AGFKX 4 EQGPX I G, wherein Xi is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except K, preferably R, A, G or Q, more preferably R; X 2 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except Q; preferably A, R, H or G; X3 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except E, preferably A, D, Q or G; and X 4 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except G, more preferably A, S, V or L.
• X 2 , X3 or X 4 are not K, more preferably Xi,X 2 , X3 or X 4 are not K.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG or AGFKGEQGPX1G, preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP or AGFKGEQGPX1GEP, more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP or GIAGFKGEQGPX1GEP.
• CM peptide comprises only the first lysine residue and any further K is mutated, preferably mutated to R, A, G or Q, more preferably to R.
• Suitable mammalian cell comprises enzymes to post-translationally modify lysine residues in collagen, comprising hydroxylating lysine to hydroxylysine (Hyl) and galactosylating Hyl to galactosylhydroxylysine (Gal- Hyl), such as a lysylhydroxylase (e.g., lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2)) and a collagen galactosyltransferase (e.g., collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2.
• a lysylhydroxylase e.g., lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysyl hydroxylase 2 (
• the mammalian cell is a kidney cell, a fibroblast cell or an osteoblast cell, preferably a kidney cell, more preferably a HEK 293 cell line.
• the mammalian cell is a genetically engineered cell recombinantly expressing a lysylhydroxylase and a collagen galactosyltransferase, preferably lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysylhydroxylase 2 (LH2) and collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2.
• the mammalian cell lacks galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity.
• a recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified CM peptide, obtained by the method according to the invention.
• the first lysine residue of the CM peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O-glycosylated Hyl.
• the invention relates to a composition comprising a recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified CM peptide, obtained by the method according to the invention.
• the first lysine residue of the CM peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O-glycosylated Hyl.
• composition according to the invention or the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex according to the invention for use in treating chronic inflammatory disease wherein the chronic inflammatory joint disease is preferably selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, relapsing polychondritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, Meniere diseases, autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED), or Still’s disease.
• the chronic inflammatory joint disease is preferably selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, relapsing polychondritis, systemic lupus erythemato
• the invention relates to a MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer comprising the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex(es) of the composition according to the invention or the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified CM peptide according to the invention.
• the tetramer comprises a multimerisation molecule, such as streptavidin.
• the invention relates to a method for preparing a MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer comprising the steps of (a) providing the composition according to the invention or the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising the post-translationally modified CM peptide according to the invention, wherein the MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprises at least one N- terminal biotinylation; (b) contacting the composition with a multimerisation molecule, preferably streptavidin, and optionally isolating tetramers comprising four MHC ll/CII peptide complexes bound to a streptavidin.
• a multimerisation molecule preferably streptavidin
• the invention provides for an in vitro method for detecting and/or quantifying T cells specific for a given antigen, wherein the method comprises the steps of providing the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer according to the invention; contacting the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer with a sample of a subject, preferably a sample containing peripheral blood cells of said subject; and detecting the label of the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer bound to T cells.
• FIGURE 1 Schematic drawing of an MHC ll/CII peptide complex.
• BirA biotinylation site
• HIS poly (6x) histidine tag
• JUN/FOS complementary domains of a leucine zipper (heterodimerisation domain)
• TEV Tobacco Etch Virus (TEV) cysteine protease cleavage site
• Linker Gly-Ser linker peptide, thrombin cleavage site, strep- tag, Cll peptide 259-273.
• FIGURE 2 IL-2 (FU) secretion of Aq-restricted T cell hybridoma clones in response to Aq/rCI 1(259-273) complexes (recombinant, in situ glycosylated Aq/rCII) produced in HEK293 cells (top) S2 insect cells (middle) and anti-CD3 antibody stimulation (bottom).
• Aq/rCI 1(259-273) complexes recombinant, in situ glycosylated Aq/rCII
• the used mouse T cell hybridoma clones have the following specificities: HCQ3 (Cll, Gal-HK264), HCQ.4 (Cll, not modified and HK264), HCQ.11 (Glc-Gal-HK264), HM1R.2 (Cll, Gal-HK264 and Gal-HK264+270), HP3 (Aq- restricted, pepsin-peptide), wherein K is the abbreviation for lysine and HK is the abbreviation for hydroxylysine.
• FIGURE 3 Therapeutic vaccination using in situ glycosylated Aq/rCII produced in HEK 293 cells in a mouse CIA model.
• A) dose-response-curve: Naive mice were immunized with Cll to induce arthritis and received a boost immunization at day 35. Mice were treated with different dosages of the MHC ll/CII peptide complex: 10, 50 or 100 pg (n 9).
• the number of arthritic mice is significantly lower in the 100 ug treatment group compared to control (p ⁇ 0.05, chi-square) B) To administer the MHC ll/CII peptide complex osmotic pumps were implanted 7 days following boost immunization at day 35 to ensure a continually administration of the vaccine (e.g. 100 pg: 15 pg/24h for 7 days).
• FIGURE 4 Activation of glycosylation restrictive human T cell hybridoma.
• Human T cell hybridoma get activated upon stimulation with the human MHC ll/CII peptide complex (DR4/hCII) in an antigen-specific manner. Recognition of human T cell hybridoma mDR1.1 and 3H8 is dependent on the glycosylation profile of the Cll peptide.
• FIGURE 5 Detection of antigen specific T cells in the peripheral blood of HLA-DRB1*0401 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Biotinylated DR4/galCII peptide complexes were incubated with fluorochrome (PE, APC) conjugated streptavidin. These tetramers were used to detect T cells specific for the CII259-273 peptide with a galactosylation at K264. Antigen specific (CII259-273, K264gal) T cells in PBMCs of RA patients and healthy donors were detected using flow cytometry.
• TR1 cell differentiating conditions TR1 cell differentiating conditions
• CO negative control
• FIGURE 8 Comparison of complexes with and without His-tag.
• A ELISA comparing the coating efficacy of microtiter wells by equimolar solutions of DR4/nCII vs. DR4/nCII Tev-cleaved complexes using a DR4-specific antibody and a peroxidase-coupled secondary antibody. Shown is the absorption at 405 nm at the indicated protein concentration of the DR4/nCII solutions used for coating to the microtiter plates [pg/ml].
• B Activation of 3H8 hybridoma cells by DR4/nCII vs.
• DR4/nCII Tev-cleaved complexes pre-coated to microtiter wells at the indicated concentrations. Shown are IL-2 concentrations in the supernatant following activation at the indicated protein concentration of the DR4/nCII solutions used for coating to the microtiter plates [pg/ml]
• FIGURE 9 Impact of the His-Tag in DR4/hCII peptide complexes and their interaction with A) chondroitin sulfate (CS) B) hyaluronan C) heparan sulfate (HS) on T cell activation: Induction of an IL-2 response in 3H8 hybridoma cells by DR4/hCII vs. DR4/hCIIAHis and in (A) also DR4/hCII_DED at the concentrations indicated in solute phase in microtiter wells either blocked or precoated with chondroitin sulfate. Shown are IL-2 concentrations in the supernatant following activation.
• FIGURE 10 Activation of 3H8 hybridoma cell by DR4/hCII vs. DR4/hCIIAHis vs. DR4/hCII_DED precoated to microtiter wells at the concentrations indicated. Shown are IL-2 concentrations in the supernatant following activation at the indicated protein concentration of the DR4/nCII solutions used for coating to the microtiter plates [pg/ml]
• FIGURE 11 Impact of the His-Tag in DR4/hCII peptide complexes and their interaction with chondroitin sulfate (CS) in solute phase to stimulate an IL-10 responses in 3H8 hybridoma cells: Activation of 3H8 hybridoma cells by DR4/nCII at the concentrations indicated in a solute phase with or without (w/o) chondroitin sulfate (2.5 mg/ml) in microtiter wells with a blocked plastic surface. Shown are IL-10 concentrations in the supernatant following activation at the indicated protein concentration of the DR4/nCII solutions used for coating to the microtiter plates [pg/ml]
• FIGURE 12 Comparison of the therapeutic effect of Aq/galCII peptide complex either containing or lacking a His-tag on ear swelling induced by the DTH reaction to collagen II in vivo.
• the effect of the Aq/galCII construct with (His) and without the polyhistidine tag (w/o His) are shown in comparison to an Aq/mCLIPmt control construct containing a linked mouse mutated CLIP peptide in its binding groove (CLIPmt) (* indicates a p value of ⁇ 0.05 and ** indicates a p value of ⁇ 0.01).
• FIGURE 14 Generation of Plod3 gene (LH3) knock-down Expi293 cell.
• A Schematic representation of the stepwise transfer from lysine to hydroxylysine to Gal-hydroxylysine and Glc- Gal hydroxyl mediated by the multifunctional collagen-modifying enzyme LH3.
• B Detection of PLOD3 by Western Blot. Lysates from different Expi293 HEK cell clones transduced with 1x10 6 lentiviral encoding Plod3 specific sh-RNA were loaded onto a SDS-PAGE and PLOD3 was detected on a Western Blot using an anti-PLOD3 antibody. PLOD3 has a theoretical molecular weight of 84 kDa.
• Clones #4, #18 and #20 were used for further expansion.
• protein is used interchangeably with “amino acid sequence” or “polypeptide” and refers to polymers of amino acids of any length. These terms also include proteins that are post- translationally modified through reactions that include, but are not limited to, glycosylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, glycation or protein processing. Modifications and changes, for example fusions to other proteins, amino acid sequence substitutions, deletions or insertions, can be made in the structure of a polypeptide while the molecule maintains its biological functional activity. For example certain amino acid sequence substitutions can be made in a polypeptide or its underlying nucleic acid coding sequence and a protein can be obtained with the same properties.
• polypeptide typically refers to a sequence of more than 20 amino acids and the term “peptide” means sequences with up to 20 amino acids in length. However, the terms may be used interchangeably.
• a protein may form multimers such as dimers, wherein the dimer may be a heterodimer or a homodimer.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex according to the invention comprise an extracellular region of an MHC class II alpha chain and an extracellular region of an MHC class II beta chain, which typically form a heterodimer which forms the binding groove to harbor the collagen II peptide fused to the N-terminus of one of the chains.
• two proteins forming a heterodimer can also be generated as a fusion protein forming a single polypeptide chain with the domains linked to each other, optionally via a flexible linker, i.e. a single chain heterodimer.
• a “fusion protein” is defined as a protein which contains the complete sequences or any parts of the sequences of two or more originally separate natural or modified proteins. Fusion proteins can be constructed by genetic engineering approaches using recombinant DNA techniques by fusing the two or more genes or cDNAs, or parts thereof, that originally encode the two or more originally separate natural or heterologous proteins, or parts thereof. This results in a fusion protein with functional properties derived from each of the original proteins. Thus, a peptide or protein is linked to another protein by a peptide bond or preferably a linker peptide.
• genomic DNA refers to the heritable genetic information of a host organism.
• the genomic DNA comprises the DNA of the nucleus (also referred to as chromosomal DNA) but also of other cellular organelles (e.g., mitochondria).
• Genes and polynucleotides refers to a DNA locus of heritable genomic sequence which affects an organism’s traits by being expressed as a functional product or by regulation of gene expression.
• Genes and polynucleotides may include introns and exons as in a genomic sequence, or just the coding sequences as comprised in a cDNA, such as an open reading frame (ORF), comprising a start codon (methionine codon) and a translation stop codon.
• ORF open reading frame
• Genes and polynucleotides can also include regions that regulate their expression, such as transcription initiation, translation and transcription termination. Thus, also included are regulatory elements such as a promoter.
• nucleic acid refers to a single or double- stranded polymer of deoxyribonucleotide bases or ribonucleotide bases read from the 5' to the 3' end and include double stranded DNA (dsDNA), single stranded DNA (ssDNA), single stranded RNA (ssRNA), double stranded RNA (dsRNA), genomic DNA, cDNA, cRNA, recombinant DNA or recombinant RNA and derivatives thereof, such as those containing modified backbones.
• dsDNA double stranded DNA
• ssDNA single stranded DNA
• ssRNA single stranded RNA
• dsRNA double stranded RNA
• genomic DNA cDNA
• cRNA recombinant DNA or recombinant RNA and derivatives thereof, such as those containing modified backbones.
• a polynucleotide particularly to be stably integrated into the mammalian genome, is a DNA or cDNA.
• Polynucleotides according to the invention can be prepared in different ways (e.g. by chemical synthesis, by gene cloning etc.) and can take various forms (e.g. linear or branched, single or double stranded, or a hybrid thereof, primers, probes etc.).
• the term "nucleotide sequence” or “nucleic acid sequence” refers to both the sense and antisense strands of a nucleic acid as either individual single strands or in the duplex.
• recombinant polynucleotide refers to a polynucleotide derived from a different cell, organism or a different species from the recipient, e.g., a CHO cell or a HEK 293 cell, and introduced into the recipient using recombinant techniques. In the context of the present invention the skilled person would understand that it refers to a DNA or cDNA.
• a recombinant polynucleotide may also be referred to as transgene or a heterologous polynucleotide. Thus, it may be a gene or an open reading frame (ORF) coding for a recombinant protein.
• recombinant polynucleotide refers to a polynucleotide derived from a different cell or artificially synthesized.
• the term “recombinant” refers to molecules such as polypeptides or polynucleic acid molecules formed by laboratory method of genetic recombination, such as molecular cloning. Such methods bring together genetic material from multiple sources or create sequences that do not naturally exist.
• “recombinant” also includes a polynucleotide comprising two or more sequences that are not found in the same relationship to each other in nature or a polypeptide encoded by said polynucleotide.
• Recombinant may therefore also refer to a polynucleotide sequence, such as a gene or transgene, or a portion thereof, derived from the same cell line, but being inserted into the genome in a location in which it is not typically found, or a gene introduced into a cell of an organism in which it is not typically found.
• a “recombinant polynucleotide”, “recombinant gene” or “recombinant sequences” can be introduced into a target cell or host cell directly or preferably by using an “expression vector”, preferably a mammalian expression vector.
• an “expression vector” preferably a mammalian expression vector.
• Methods used to construct vectors are well known to the person skilled in the art.
• Vectors may include, but are not limited to, plasmid vectors, cosmids, artificial/mini-chromosomes (e.g. ACE), or viral vectors such as retrovirus, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus and herpes simplex virus.
• the eukaryotic expression vectors will typically contain also prokaryotic sequences that facilitate the propagation of the vector in bacteria such as an origin of replication and antibiotic resistance genes for selection in bacteria.
• prokaryotic expression vectors containing a cloning site into which a polynucleotide can be operably linked, are well known in the art.
• expression vectors also comprise an expression cassette encoding a selectable marker, allowing selection of host cells carrying said expression marker.
• cytokine refers to small proteins, which are released by cells and act as intercellular mediators, for example influencing the behavior of the cells surrounding the secreting cell.
• Cytokines may be secreted by immune or other cells, such as T-cells, B-cells, NK cells and macrophages. Cytokines may be involved in intercellular signaling events, such as autocrine signaling, paracrine signaling and endocrine signaling. They may mediate a range of biological processes including, but not limited to immunity, inflammation, and hematopoiesis. Cytokines may be chemokines, interferons, interleukins, lymphokines or tumor necrosis factors.
• RNA transcribed from a selected sequence can be quantified by Northern blot hybridization, ribonuclease RNA protection, in situ hybridization to cellular RNA or by PCR, such as qPCR. Proteins encoded by a selected sequence can be quantitated by various methods, e.g.
• RNA such as a miRNA or shRNA
• PCR such as qPCR
• gene product refers to both the RNA polynucleotide and polypeptide that is encoded by a gene or DNA polynucleotide.
• proteinogenic amino acid refers to all amino acids that are incorporated biosynthetically into proteins during translation.
• proteinogenic means protein creating. In eukaryotes there are 21 genetically encoding amino acids, i.e., proteinogenic amino acids, the 20 of the standard genetic code and selenocysteine.
• the 20 amino acids of the standard genetic code are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophane, tyrosine and valine.
• post-translational modification refers to a naturally occurring modification of a lysine residue in the Cll peptide that may occur when produced in cells.
• the post-translational modification of a lysine residue may result in hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O-glycosylated Hyl, such as galactosyl-hydroxylysine or glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine, preferably galactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• domain refers to a folded protein structure which has tertiary structure independent of the rest of the protein. Generally, domains are responsible for discrete functional properties of proteins and in many cases may be added, removed or transferred to other proteins without loss of function of the remainder of the protein and/or of the domain.
• the alpha 1 domain of the MHC II alpha chain and the beta 1 domain of the MHC II beta chain each are folded polypeptide domains together forming the peptide binding groove of the MHC II molecule.
• the present invention provides a method for producing a MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified Cll peptide comprising transfecting a mammalian cell with (i) a polynucleotide encoding an extracellular region of the a MHC II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain; (ii) a polynucleotide encoding an extracellular region of the a MHC II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and (iii) a polynucleotide encoding a collagen II peptide (CM peptide) fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, wherein the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXG, AGFKGEXGPKG, AGFKGXQGPKG, AGFKXEQ
• the CM peptide comprises a post-translational modification at a lysine residue, preferably at the first lysine residue of the CM peptide.
• the first lysine residue of the CM peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O- glycosylated Hyl.
• the first lysine residue is hydroxylysine or galactosyl-hydroxylysine, even more preferably galactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• the first lysine residue refers to K264 of the CM peptide 261-273 (AGFK(264)GEQGPK(270)GEP; SEQ ID NO: 10) or 259- 273 (GIAGFK(264)GEQGPK(270)GEP; SEQ ID NO: 13) (corresponding to amino acid position 4 in SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 12 and amino acid position 6 in SEQ ID NOs: 13-15).
• the method may further comprise a step of analysing the post-translational modification, such as the glycosylation profile, of the CM peptide of the MHC ll/CII peptide complex. Methods for analyzing the glycosylation profile are well known in the art and include methods such as mass spectrometry.
• the method according to the invention is an in vitro method. Further the method comprises the use of mammalian cell lines, rather than primary cells.
• the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXiG, AG F KG EX 2 G P KG , AGFKGXsQGPKG, AGFKX 4 EQGPKG, AGFKGEX2GPX1G, AGFKGX3QGPX1G and AGFKX4EQGPX1G, wherein Xi is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except K, preferably R, A, G or Q, more preferably R; X2 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except Q; preferably A, R, H or G; X3 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except E, preferably A, D, Q or G; and X 4 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except G, more preferably A, S, V or L.
• CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG or AGFKGEQGPXiG, preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP or AGFKGEQGPX1GEP, more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP or GIAGFKGEQGPX1GEP.
• MHC ll/CII peptide complex refers to a soluble complex comprising the extracellular domains of an MHC II protein or part thereof forming the peptide binding groove and a collagen II peptide (CM peptide), wherein the peptide is fused (i.e., linked via a linker peptide) to the N-terminus of either the alpha or the beta chain.
• CM peptide is fused to the N- terminus of the MHC class II beta chain.
• a MHC II protein comprises an alpha 1 domain and an alpha 2 domain, which form the extracellular domain of the alpha chain and a beta 1 domain and a beta 2 domain, which form the extracellular domain of the beta chain.
• the term “extracellular domain” and “extracellular region” are used synonymously herein.
• the alpha 1 domain and the beta 1 domain form the peptide binding groove, i.e., the site that interacts and binds the peptide, such as the CM peptide.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprises at least the alpha 1 domain and the beta 1 domain of the MHC II protein.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprises the alpha 1 domain, the alpha 2 domain, the beta 1 domain and the beta 2 domain of the MHC II protein.
• MHC class II molecules are a class of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules normally found only on professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) such as dendritic cells, mononuclear phagocytes, such as monocytes and macrophages, and B cells.
• APCs professional antigen-presenting cells
• the antigens presented by MHC class II molecules are derived from extracellular proteins, while MHC class I molecules present cytosolic or intracellular peptides. Extracellular proteins are endocytosed, digested and loaded onto MHC II proteins forming an MHC ll/peptide complex. The loaded complex is then transferred to the cell surface, where it is presented to effector cells.
• HLA human leukocyte antigen
• MHC II protein encompasses human HLA proteins.
• HLAs corresponding to MHC class II proteins are HLA-DP, HLA-DM, HLA-DOA, HLA-COB, HLA-DQ and HLA-DR.
• RA there is a genetic association with certain alleles of the HLA-DRB1 locus coding for an amino acid consensus motif (Q/R R/K R A A) on the beta-chain of the peptide binding pocket of the MHC class II molecule HLA-DR (amino acid position 70-74, the so called “shared epitope”).
• RA associates HLA DRB1 alleles are QKRAA-coding alleles HLA_DRB1* 0401 and 0409, QRRAA-coding alleles: HLA_DRB1* 0404, 0405, 0408, 0101 , 0102 and 1402, RRRAA-coding allele: HLA_DRB1* 1001 and DKRAA-coding allele: HLA_DRB1* 1303.
• the extracellular region of the MHC class II alpha chain and the extracellular region of the MHC class II beta chain are therefore derived from HLA-DR, preferably at least the alpha 1 domain is from DRA*0101 and at least the beta 1 domain is from a HLA-DR allele selected from the group consisting of DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404 and DRB1*0405, DRB1*0408, DRB1*0409, DRB1*0101 , DRB1*0102, DRB1*1001 , DRB1*1402 and DRB1*1303, preferably DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404, DRB1*0405, DRB1*0408, DRB1*0409, DRB1*0101 ,
• the specific MHC ll/CII peptide complexes used in the examples are abbreviated as follows: Aq/rCII (naturally glycosylated, rat CM), Aq/nCII (naked or non-modified, rat CM), Aq/galCM (galactosylated (Gal-Hyl at K264)), wherein the rat CM peptide used has the amino acid sequence GIAGFKGEQGPKGET (SEQ ID NO: 29) and DR4/hCM (naturally glycosylated, human), DR4/nCM (naked or non-modified, human), DR4/galCM (galactosylated (Gal-Hyl at K264), human), wherein the CM peptide used has the human amino acid sequence GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 13).
• the MHC I l/CI I peptide complex produced according to the method of the invention comprises an post-translationally modified peptide.
• the Cl I peptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXG, AGFKGEXGPKG, AGFKGXQGPKG, AGFKXEQGPKG, AGFKGEXGPXG AGFKGXQGPXG and AGFKXEQGPXG.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXiG, AGFKGEX2GPKG, AGFKGX3QGPKG, AGFKX 4 EQGPKG, AGFKGEX2GPX1G and AGFKGX3QGPX1G, AGFKX4EQGPX1G, wherein Xi is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except K, preferably R, A, G or Q, more preferably R; X2 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except Q; preferably A, R, H or G; X3 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except E, preferably A, D, Q or G; and X 4 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except G, more preferably A, S, V or L.
• X2, X3 orX 4 is not K, more preferably Xi, X2, X3 orX 4 is not K.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG or AGFKGEQGPXiG, preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP or AGFKGEQGPX1GEP, more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP or GIAGFKGEQGPX1GEP.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG (SEQ ID NO: 1) or AGFKGEQGPXG (SEQ ID NO: 2), preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 10) or AGFKGEQGPXGEP (SEQ ID NO: 11), more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 13) or GIAGFKGEQGPXGEP (SEQ ID NO: 14).
• the Cll peptide GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP corresponds to amino acids 259-273 of the triple helical type II collagen (Cll) region.
• Cll peptides suitable for binding into the binding pocket are from 11 to 20 amino acids in length, preferably the Cll peptide is 11 to 15 amino acids in length, more preferably the Cll peptide is 13 to 15 amino acids in length.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence AGFKGEQGPKG (SEQ ID NO: 1), more preferably AGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 10) and even more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 13).
• the second K (K270) may be mutated, preferably to R, A, G or Q, more preferably to R.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence AGFKGEQGPXG (SEQ ID NO: 2), AGFKGEQGPXGEP (SEQ ID NO: 11) and GIAGFKGEQGPXGEP (SEQ ID NO: 14), wherein X may be any proteinogenic amino acid other than K, preferably X is R, A, G or Q, more preferably X is R.
• the Cll peptide comprises the amino acid sequence AGFKGEQGPRG (SEQ ID NO: 9), AGFKGEQGPRGEP (SEQ ID NO: 12) and GIAGFKGEQGPRGEP (SEQ ID NO: 15).
• Cll peptides encompassed by the present invention are disclosed in Table 1 :
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes produced according to the invention comprise MHC ll/CII peptide complexes with a post-translationally modified Cll peptide.
• the Cll peptide comprises a post-translational modification at a lysine residue, preferably at the first lysine residue of the Cll peptide.
• the first lysine residue of the Cll peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) and/or is O-glycosylated hydroxylysine.
• the first lysine (K) residue in GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP is at position 264 of the amino acid sequence of the triple helical Cll region (corresponding to amino acid position 4 in SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 12 and amino acid position 6 in SEQ ID NOs: 13-15).
• first lysine residue as used herein may also be referred to as K264 or lysine at position 264.
• the second lysine residue in Cll peptide: GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP is at position 270 of the amino acid sequence of the triple helical Cll region (corresponding to amino acid position 10 in SEQ ID NOs: 1 , 3-5 or 10, and amino acid position 12. in SEQ ID NO: 13).
• the “second lysine residue” or “further lysine residue” as used herein may also be referred to as K270 or lysine at position 270.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes produced according to the invention comprise MHC ll/CII peptide complexes wherein at least the first lysine residue is hydroxylysine and/or galactosyl- hydroxylysine.
• the lysine residue in position 270 is located at the edge of the binding groove of the DR4 molecule and its galactosyl-hydroxylysine modification is considered to be less important for TCR recognition.
• the second or further lysine residue (corresponding to K 270) may be unmodified, hydroxylysine or galactosyl-hydroxylysine. It has been shown that the TCR of a T cell hybridoma recognizing the gal264 epitope is not affected by a K270R mutation.
• the Cll peptide comprises only the first lysine residue and any further K is mutated, preferably mutated to R, A, G or Q, more preferably mutated to R.
• Cll peptides AGFKGEQGPRG (SEQ ID NO: 9), preferably AGFKGEQGPRGEP (SEQ ID NO: 12) and more preferably GIAGFKGEQGPRGEP (SEQ ID NO: 15) are also encompassed by the present invention.
• Mutation of the second lysine has the advantage to reduce heterogeneity of the product.
• galactosyl-hydroxylysine may be glucosylated to form glucosyl-galactosyl-hydroxylysine (Glc-Gal- Hyl), which is likely to have a negative effect on TCR recognition due to the bulkiness of the disaccharide (Glc-Gal), particularly at position K270.
• a K270 mutation, particularly K270R further avoids interference with binding as no disaccharide modification can be attached at this position.
• the collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) is fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the N-terminus of the MHC class II beta chain.
• linker peptide refers to a polypeptide consisting of multiple amino acid residues.
• the linker peptide may be any peptide as long as it is long and flexible enough to allow the peptide to bind to the peptide binding pocket formed by the MHC II complex.
• An example of a suitable linker is a Gly-Ser linker.
• the Cll peptide, the peptide linker and at least one of the extracellular regions of the MHC II alpha chain and the MHC II beta chain are expressed as one polypeptide and encoded by one polynucleotide.
• the term “fused to” as used herein means “linked to” wherein the linking is via peptide bonds using a linker peptide and therefore a fusion protein is generated. This feature structurally distinguishes the MHC ll/CII peptide complex produced by the method according to the present invention from prior art complexes.
• the MHC II protein is produced with a CLIP peptide as a surrogate peptide, which is linked to one of the MHC II chains via a linker peptide comprising a peptidase cleavage site, such as a thrombin cleavage site.
• a linker peptide comprising a peptidase cleavage site, such as a thrombin cleavage site.
• a synthetically prepared galactosylated peptide i.e. , a Cll peptide carrying gal-Hyl at position K264
• this synthetic galactosylated peptide may be covalently linked to the MHC II proteins, this linkage is not via a linker peptide.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex used in the examples (SEQ ID NO: 16 and SEQ ID NO: 17) and as depicted in Figure 1 without the signal peptide still contains an enzymatic cleavage site (thrombin cleavage site, Figure 1) between the linker and the Cll peptide, this is not necessary and is preferably removed from a therapeutic product.
• the linker peptide may improve stability of the product and prevent peptide loss.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex according to the invention does not contain an enzymatic cleavage site in the amino acid sequence between the Cll peptide and extracellular region of the MHC II beta chain (or the MHC II alpha chain).
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex does not comprise a (1) streptavidin-tag (SAWSHPQFEK, SEQ ID NO: 30) for purification, (2) a cleavage site (e.g., a TEV cleavage site) between the MHC II a/ MHC II b chain and the heterodimerisation domain and/or (3) a recognition site for the E. coli biotin ligase (BirA) (e.g., an AviTag) as present in the exemplified complex shown in Figure 1 and used in the Examples.
• a streptavidin-tag SAWSHPQFEK, SEQ ID NO: 30
• a cleavage site e.g., a TEV cleavage site
• a recognition site for the E. coli biotin ligase e.g., an AviTag
• the MHC ll/CII complex comprises the His-tag (polyhistidine- tag) or a functionally equivalent tag at the C-terminal end of the polypeptide comprising the HLA-DR alpha chain and/or the HLA-DR beta chain.
• His-tag polyhistidine- tag
• An exemplary minimal HLA-DR/CII peptide complex according to the present invention may be encoded by the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19. The person skilled in the art would understand that the peptide sequence may vary as encompassed by the claims.
• DR4 construct a-chain (SEQ ID NO: 16), sequence comprising a signal peptide preceding the DRA*0101 extracellular a-chain region (underlined), a TEV cleavage site (bold), a cFos domain (bold and underlined) and a biotinylation site (BirA. italic and underlined) ⁇ .
• Minimal DR4 construct a-chain (SEQ ID NO: 18), sequence comprising a signal peptide preceding the DRA*0101 extracellular a-chain region (underlined), and a cFos domain (bold and underlined):
• DR4 construct b-chain with hCII259-273 peptide SEQ ID NO: 17
• sequence comprising a signal peptide immediately preceding a Strep-Tag (bold and double underlined ⁇ and the CM peptide259-273 (italic and underline), a thrombin cleavage site (bold [and [ dotted Hne) framed by a glycine linker on each site, the DRB*0401 extracellular region (underlined), a TEV cleavage site (bold), a cJun domain (bold and underlined) and a His-Tag (italic) ⁇ .
• Minimal DR4 construct b-chain with hCII259-273 peptide (SEQ ID NO: 19), sequence comprising a signal peptide immediately preceding the Cll peptide259-273 (italic and underline), the DRB*0401 extracellular region (underlined), a cJun domain (bold and underlined) and a His- Tag (italic) ⁇ .
• DR4 construct b-chain with hCLIPmut (SEQ ID NO: 20), sequence comprising a signal peptide immediately preceding a Strep-Tag (bold and double underlined ⁇ and the mutated hCLIP peptide (italic and underline), a thrombin cleavage site (bold and dotted .line) framed by a glycine linker on each site, the DRB*0401 extracellular region (underlined), a TEV cleavage site (bold), a cJun domain (bold and underlined) and a His-Tag (italic) ⁇ .
• Aq construct a-chain SEQ ID NO: 21
• sequence comprising a signal peptide preceding the Aq extracellular a-chain region (underlined)
• a TEV cleavage site symbold
• a cFos domain symbold and underlined
• a biotinylation site BirA, italic and underlined
• Aq construct b-chain with rat CII259-273 peptide (SEQ ID NO: 22), sequence comprising a signal peptide immediately preceding a Strep-Tag (bold and double underlined ⁇ and the Cll peptide259-273 (italic and underline), a thrombin cleavage site (bold [and [ dotted Hne) framed by a glycine linker on each site, the Aq extracellular region (underlined), a TEV cleavage site (bold), a cJun domain (bold and underlined) and a His-Tag (italic) ⁇ .
• Aq construct b-chain with rat CII259-273 peptide without His-tag SEQ ID NO: 23
• sequence comprising a signal peptide immediately preceding a Strep-Tag (bold and double underlined ⁇ and the Cll peptide259-273 (italic and underline), a thrombin cleavage site (bold .and dotted Jjne) framed by a glycine linker on each site, the Aq extracellular region (underlined), a TEV cleavage site (bold) and a cJun domain (bold and underlined):
• Aq construct b-chain with mCLIP peptide (SEQ ID NO: 24), sequence comprising a signal peptide immediately preceding a Strep-Tag (bold and double underlined ⁇ and the mouse CLIPmt peptide (italic and underline), a thrombin cleavage site (bold and dotted Jjne) framed by a glycine linker on each site, the Aq extracellular region (underlined), a TEV cleavage site (bold), a cJun domain (bold and underlined) and a His-Tag (italic) ⁇ .
• Aq construct b-chain with mCLIP peptide without His-tag SEQ ID NO: 25
• sequence comprising a signal peptide immediately preceding a Strep-Tag (bold and double underlined ⁇ and the mouse CLIPmt peptide (italic and underline), a thrombin cleavage site (bold. and dotted , line) framed by a glycine linker on each site, the Aq extracellular region (underlined), a TEV cleavage site (bold), a cJun domain (bold and underlined):
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex obtained according to the method of the invention contains at least one His-tag or functionally equivalent tag at the C-terminal end of the polypeptide comprising the HLA-DR alpha chain and/or the HLA-DR beta chain.
• the His-tag is preferably at least a hexahistidine-tag, more preferably at least a heptahistidine-tag.
• Functionally equivalent tags are e.g., chondroitin-binding peptides.
• the composition may comprise MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising chondroitin-binding peptide, preferably a chondroitin- and hyaluronic acid (also referred to as hyaluronan) binding peptide.
• MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprises at least one C-terminal chondroitin-binding peptide.
• Chondroitin-binding peptides are known in the art and include without being limited thereto peptides having the amino acid sequences EKRIWFPYRRF (SEQ ID NO: 31), YKTNFRRYYRF (SEQ ID NO: 32) or VLIRHFRKRYY (SEQ ID NO: 33) (Butterfield KC et al., Biochemistry. 2010 Feb 23;49(7):1549-55).
• the chondroitin-binding peptide comprises 5-20 amino acids, preferably 6 to 20 amino acids, more preferably 6 to 20 amino acids.
• a respective sequence containing the binding consensus motif is defined as follows: B(X7)B, in which B is either R or K and X7 contains no acidic residues and at least one basic amino acid (Yang B et al., EMBO J. 1994 Jan 15;13(2):286-96).
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex can also bind to chrondoitin sulfate via an his-tag.
• the chondroitin binding peptide may be a polyhistidine-tag, preferably a hexahistidine-tag, or any other amino acid sequences that increase binding affinity to chondroitin sulfate, such as.
• EKRIWFPYRRF (SEQ ID NO: 31), YKTNFRRYYRF (SEQ ID NO: 32) or VLIRHFRKRYY (SEQ ID NO: 33). Chondroitin and hyaluronic acid are both important components of cartilage.
• the method according to the invention comprises transfecting a mammalian cell with (i) a polynucleotide encoding an extracellular region of the MHC II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain, (ii) a polynucleotide encoding an extracellular region of the MHC II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain, wherein the C II peptide is further fused to the N-terminus of either the MHC II alpha chain or the MHC II beta chain, preferably the MHC II beta chain.
• Transfecting as used herein means introducing the DNA into the mammalian cell using transfection methods known in the art.
• transfection or “transfecting” includes “transduction” and “transducing”, which is often used to describe virus-mediated gene transfer into eukaryotic cells.
• the polynucleotide may be DNA or RNA, preferably DNA. Transfection may be transient transfection or stable transfection.
• the polynucleotide is present in a vector, preferably an expression vector.
• stable integration is commonly achieved by transiently introducing the at least one recombinant polynucleotide or a vector containing the at least one recombinant polynucleotide into the mammalian host cell, which facilitates the stable integration of said recombinant polynucleotide(s) into the mammalian cell genome.
• the recombinant polynucleotide is flanked by homology arms, i.e. , sequences homologous to the region upstream and downstream of the integration site.
• a vector to introduce the recombinant polynucleotide into the mammalian cell may be chosen from a great variety of suitable vector systems, such as plasmids, retroviruses, cosmids, EBV-derived episomes, and the like.
• Various shuttle vectors may be used, e.g., vectors which may autonomously replicate in a plurality of host microorganisms such as E. coli and Pseudomonas sp. Before their introduction into the mammalian host cell, circular vectors may be linearized to facilitate integration into the mammalian cell genome.
• Methods for the introduction of vectors into mammalian cells include transfection with biological methods, such as viral delivery, with chemical methods, such as using cationic polymers, calcium phosphate, cationic lipids or cationic amino acids; with physical methods, such as electroporation or microinjection.
• the recombinant polynucleotide stably integrated into the genome of the mammalian cell is part of an expression cassette.
• An expression cassette comprises at least one heterologous polynucleotide coding for a gene product, such as a RNA and/or a protein, operably linked to a promoter and optionally further means controlling the expression of the gene product(s).
• a gene product such as a RNA and/or a protein
• Such means include, but are not limited to enhancers, termination signals, polyadenylation signals and a 3’ untranslated region, typically containing a polyadenylation site.
• the promoter may be a weak promoter, or a strong promoter supporting high level expression of the gene product of interest.
• Said promoters include, but are not limited to CMV (cytomegalovirus) promoters, SV40 (Simian vacuolating virus 40) promoters, the RSV (Rous Sarcoma Virus) promoters, adenovirus promoters (e.g., the adenovirus major late promoter (AdMLP), CHEF-1 (CHO-derived elongation factor-1) promotors, polyoma and strong mammalian promoters such as native immunoglobulin and actin promoters or the natural promoter of the at least one heterologous polynucleotide.
• the promoter is a CMV promoter or an SV40 promoter, most preferably a CMV promoter.
• polyadenylation signals examples are BGH polyA, SV40 late or early polyA; alternatively, 3'UTRs of immunoglobulin genes etc. can be used.
• 3’ untranslated region may be engineered to support high level expression, e.g., by removing instability elements, such as AREs (adenylate-uridylate rich elements).
• the gene product may be placed under the control of an amplifiable genetic selection marker, such as dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), glutamine synthetase (GS).
• DHFR dihydrofolate reductase
• GS glutamine synthetase
• the amplifiable selection marker gene can be on the same expression vector as the secreted therapeutic protein expression cassette.
• the amplifiable selection marker gene and the secreted therapeutic protein expression cassette can be on different expression vectors, but integrate in close proximity into the host cell’s genome. Two or more vectors that are co-transfected simultaneously, for example, often integrate in close proximity into the host cell’s genome.
• Amplification of the genetic region containing the secreted therapeutic protein expression cassette is then mediated by adding the amplification agent (e.g., MTX for DHFR or MSX for GS) into the cultivation medium.
• the amplification agent e.g., MTX for DHFR or MSX for GS
• Sufficiently high stable levels of the gene product in the host cell or the producer cell may be achieved, e.g., by cloning multiple copies of a heterologous polynucleotide into an expression vector. Cloning multiple copies of the recombinant polynucleotide into an expression vector and amplifying the secreted therapeutic protein expression cassette (encoding for the MHC ll/CII peptide complex) as described above may further be combined.
• the polynucleotide encoding an extracellular region of the MHC II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain is present in one vector (first polynucleotide) and the polynucleotide encoding an extracellular region of the MHC II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain (second polynucleotide) is present in another vector, wherein the Cll peptide is further encoded by either the first or the second polynucleotide to provide a Cll peptide fused to the N- terminus of either the MHC II alpha chain or the MHC II beta chain.
• first and the second polynucleotide may be part of separate expression cassettes on the same vector.
• first and the second polynucleotide form a single polynucleotide encoding a single fusion polypeptide comprising the extracellular region of the MHC class II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain; the extracellular region of the MHC class II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and the collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain.
• the extracellular region of the MHC class II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain and the extracellular region of the MHC class II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and the collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain; are encoded by a single polynucleotide to express a single fusion polypeptide (single chain heterodimer.
• the method comprises a first polynucleotide encoding the extracellular region of the MHC class II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain; a second polynucleotide encoding the extracellular region of the MHC class II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and a polynucleotide encoding the collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) fused to the N- terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain.
• a linker peptide preferably to the MHC class II beta chain.
• the MHC class II alpha chain is fused at its C-terminal end (C-terminally) to a first functional domain of a leucine zipper heterodimerization motif and the MHC class II beta chain is fused at its C-terminal end to a second complementary functional domain of a leucine zipper heterodimerization motif.
• the first functional domain and the second complementary functional domain may be an acidic and a basic leucine zipper heterodimerization domain, preferably a jun-fos leucine zipper motif.
• the first and/or the second polynucleotide encodes a polyhistidine tag at the C-terminal end of the functional domain of a leucine zipper heterodimerization motif.
• the mammalian cell is cultivated under conditions suitable to produce the MHC ll/CII peptide complex, and the cell supernatant and/or the cells are harvested, wherein the cell supernatant and/or the cells comprise(s) the MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified Cll peptide, wherein preferably the first lysine residue of the Cll peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O-glycosylated hydroxylysine, more preferably the first lysine residue is hydroxylysine or galactosyl-hydroxylysine, more preferably galactosyl- hydroxylysine.
• Hyl hydroxylysine
• O-glycosylated hydroxylysine more preferably the first lysine residue is hydroxylysine or galactosyl-hydroxylysine, more preferably galactosyl- hydroxylysine.
• the method may further comprise a step of analysing the post-translational modification, such as the glycosylation profile, of the Cll peptide of the MHC ll/CII peptide complex.
• the post-translational modification such as the glycosylation profile
• Methods for analyzing the post-translational modifications and glycosylation profile are well known in the art and include methods such as mass spectrometry.
• any mammalian cell suitable for high yield protein production may be used according to the present invention, as long as it comprises enzymes to post-translationally modify lysine residues in collagen, comprising hydroxylating lysine to hydroxylysine (Hyl) and galactosylating Hyl to galactosylhydroxylysine (Gal-Hyl).
• the term “galactosylated” as used herein in the context of lysine includes that the lysine has been hydroxylated to hydroxylysine prior to galactosylation.
• the enzymes may be endogenously present in the cell or may be recombinantly expressed in the cell.
• the mammalian cell comprises a lysylhydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.4) and a collagen galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.50), preferably lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysylhydroxylase 2 (LH2) and collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2, preferably GLT25D1.
• LH1 lysylhydroxylase 1
• LH2 lysylhydroxylase 2
• GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2 preferably GLT25D1.
• These enzymes post-translationally modify collagen.
• these enzymes are likely to be present in cell lines producing collagen, such as kidney cells, fibroblast cells or osteoclast cells, particularly kidney cells, such as HEK 293 cells or derivatives thereof.
• the HEK 293 cells may be grown as adherent cells or in suspension.
• HEK 293 cell suitable for the method according to the invention is the HEK 293 cell or the HEK 293F cell, such as the Expi293F cell (Gibco, Cat. No. A14527, also available as cGMP banked Cat. No. 100044202).
• Other suitable HEK 293 cells include HEK 293T cells and/or suspension cells thereof. It was surprising that also small peptides presented by MHC II proteins can be post-translationally modified in these cells. Although the peptides are derived from collagen they are present in an entirely different (unnatural) environment within the MHC II complex.
• the mammalian cell is a kidney cell, a fibroblast cell or an osteoblast cell, preferably a HEK 293 cell or cell line.
• HEK 293 cells have been described previously to express lysylhydroxylases PLOD1 and PLOD2 (encoding for LH1 and LH2, respectively), galactosyltransferases GLT25D1 and GLT25D2 and further PLOD3 (encoding for LH3).
• CHO cells commonly used for protein production have been tested and are not able to sufficiently add post-translational modifications at the lysine residues resulting in galactosylhydroxylysine (Gal-Hyl) in collagen or in the MHC I l/CI I peptide complex described herein.
• the mammalian cell is a genetically engineered cell recombinantly expressing a lysylhydroxylase and a collagen galactosyltransferase.
• the mammalian cell is genetically engineered to recombinantly express lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysylhydroxylase 2 (LH2) and collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2, preferably GLT25D1.
• GLT25D2 is expressed in only a few cell types and is therefore less likely to be responsible for normal collagen modification.
• Any mammalian cell may be genetically engineered to recombinantly express a lysylhydroxylase and a collagen galactosyltransferase, preferably lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysylhydroxylase 2 (LH2) and collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2.
• the genetically engineered mammalian cell as described is a CHO cell, more preferably a CHO- DG44 cell, a CHO-K1 cell, a CHO-DXB11 cell, a CHO-S cell, a CHO glutamine synthetase (GS)- deficient cell or a derivative of any of these cells.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes produced by the method according to the present invention is a heterogeneous mixture of MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising different post-translational modifications of the CM peptide, particularly at the first and optional second lysine residue of the CM peptide.
• the harvested cell supernatant and optionally harvested cells further comprises MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising the CM peptide, wherein the first lysine residue of the CM peptide is unmodified or glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine (GG-Hyl), preferably unmodified and the optional second lysine residue of the CM peptide is independently unmodified, hydroxylysine (Hyl), galactosyl-hydroxylysine (G-Hyl) or glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine (GG-Hyl), preferably unmodified, hydroxylysine (Hyl), galactosyl-hydroxylysine (G-Hyl).
• the harvested cell supernatant and optionally harvested cells do not comprise MHC ll/CII peptide complexes, wherein the second lysine residue is glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• the harvested cell supernatant and optionally harvested cells do not comprise glucosylgalactosyl- hydroxylysine (GG-Hyl) modified MHC ll/CII peptide complexes, e.g., MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising an O-glycosylated CM peptide wherein the first and/or the optional second lysine residue are glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• GG-Hyl glucosylgalactosyl- hydroxylysine
• the heterogeneous mixture of MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprises at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 20% or at least 30% of G-Hyl at the first lysine (K264) of the CM peptide of total MHC ll/CII peptide complexes in the mixture or the composition.
• the heterogeneous mixture of MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprises preferably less than 50%, less than 40% or less than 30% unmodified CM peptides of total MHC ll/CII peptide complexes in the mixture or the composition.
• the heterogeneous mixture of MHC ll/CII peptides complexes comprises less than 20%, less than 10%, less than 5% and more preferably less than 1% GG-Hyl in the CM peptide of total MHC ll/CII peptide complexes in the mixture or the composition.
• the percentage refers to percent of CM peptide in the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes of total CM peptides in the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes.
• said second lysine residue (K270) is mutated, for example mutated to Arginine (K270R).
• the (optional) second lysine is not post-translationally modified to glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine (GG- Hyl) and is present as unmodified lysine, hydroxylysine or galactosyl hydroxylysine.
• the mammalian cell In order to reduce heterogeneity of the mixture of MHC ll/CII peptides complexes and bulky glucosylgalactosylhydroxylysine formation it is further advantageous if the mammalian cell lacks galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.66) activity. In one embodiment the mammalian cell therefore lacks galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity. Preferably the mammalian cell lacks lysylhydroxylase 3 (LH3).
• LH3 lysylhydroxylase 3
• LH3 is a multifunctional enzyme comprising lysylhydroxylase (LH), galactosyltransferase (GT) and galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase (GGT) activity, wherein the major function of the enzyme seems to be the GGT activity.
• LH3 activity may be deleted or reduced using knock-down or knock-out approaches. Enzyme expression can, e.g., be reduced using RNA interference, such as siRNA orshRNA.
• RNA interference refers to sequence-specific or gene-specific suppression of gene expression (protein synthesis), without generalized suppression of protein synthesis.
• RNAi may involve degradation of messenger RNA (mRNA) by an RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), preventing translation of the transcribed mRNA.
• RISC RNA-induced silencing complex
• the suppression of gene expression caused by RNAi may be transient or it may be more stable, even permanent.
• RNAi may be mediated by miRNA, siRNA or shRNA.
• the RNAi according to the invention is gene-specific (only one gene is targeted).
• Gene-specific RNAi may be mediated by siRNA orshRNA.
• the RNA duplex typically comprises two complementary single-stranded RNAs of 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 or 29 nucleotides that form 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 or 27 base pairs and possess 3' overhangs of two nucleotides, preferably the RNA duplex comprises two complementary single stranded RNAs of 19-27 nucleotides that form 17-25 base pairs and possess 3’ overhangs of two nucleotides.
• siRNA is “targeted” to a gene, wherein the nucleotide sequence of the duplex portion of the siRNA is complementary to a nucleotide sequence of the mRNA of the targeted gene.
• the siRNA or a precursor thereof is always exogenously introduced into the cell, e.g., directly or by transfection of a vector having a sequence encoding said siRNA, and the endogenous miRNA pathway is harnessed for correct processing of siRNA and cleavage or degradation of the target mRNA.
• the duplex RNA can be expressed in a cell from a single construct.
• shRNA small hairpin RNA refers to an RNA duplex wherein a portion of the siRNA is part of a hairpin structure (shRNA).
• shRNA can be processed intracellularly into a functional siRNA.
• the hairpin structure may contain a loop portion positioned between the two sequences that form the duplex.
• the loop can vary in length. In some embodiments the loop is 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13 or 14 nucleotides in length.
• the hairpin structure can also contain 3' or 5' overhang portions. In some aspects, the overhang is a 3' or a 5' overhang of 0, 1 , 2, 3, 4 or 5 nucleotides in length.
• a nucleotide sequence comprised in the vector serves as a template for the expression of a small hairpin RNA, comprising a sense region, a loop region and an antisense region. Following expression the sense and antisense regions form a duplex.
• shRNA is always exogenously introduced, e.g., by transfection of a vector having a sequence encoding said shRNA, and the endogenous miRNA pathway is harnessed for correct processing of the siRNA and cleavage or degradation of the target mRNA.
• Use of a vector having a sequence encoding a shRNA has the advantage over use of chemically synthesized siRNA in that the suppression of the target gene is typically long-term and stable.
• siRNA and shRNA mediate mRNA repression by complete sequence complementarity (i.e. , perfect base paring between the antisense strand of the RNA duplex of the small interfering RNA and the target mRNA) and are therefore specific for their target.
• the antisense strand of the RNA duplex may also be referred to as active strand of the RNA duplex.
• Complete sequence complementarity of perfect base paring means that the antisense strand of the RNA duplex of the small interfering RNA has at least 89% sequence identity with the target mRNA for at least 15 continuous nucleotides, at least 16 continuous nucleotides, at least 17 continuous nucleotides, at least 18 continuous nucleotides and preferably at least 19 continuous nucleotides, or preferably at least 93% sequence identity with the target mRNA for at least 15 continuous nucleotides, at least 16 continuous nucleotides, at least 17 continuous nucleotides, at least 18 continuous nucleotides and preferably at least 19 continuous nucleotides.
• the antisense strand of the RNA duplex of the small interfering RNA has 100% sequence identity with the target mRNA for at least 15 continuous nucleotides, at least 16 continuous nucleotides, at least 17 continuous nucleotides, at least 18 continuous nucleotides and preferably at least 19 continuous nucleotides.
• the enzyme is not expressed or the gene may be mutated or deleted.
• the mammalian cell lacks galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity.
• the mammalian cell lacks the multifunctional enzyme LH3.
• the gene may be silenced or not sufficiently expressed.
• the mammalian cell comprises a mutant LH3 enzyme lacking galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity.
• the mammalian cell is genetically engineered to have reduced or no galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity.
• the PLOD3 gene encoding for LH3 may be mutated or deleted; and/or the LH3 enzyme may be a mutated LH3 enzyme lacking galactosylhydrosylysyl glucosyltransferase activity.
• Methods for deleting or mutating genes are well known in the art and may include the use of sequence specific DNA editing enzymes.
• a “sequence specific DNA editing enzyme” or a “site specific nuclease” as used herein is a protein that enables the cleavage of DNA at defined nucleotide sequences (recognition sites).
• Said cleavage may occur on one or both of two complementary DNA strands and thus allow, for example targeted mutagenesis, targeted deletion of specific genomic DNA sequences or result in the site-directed recombination of the cleaved target DNA with a heterologous polynucleotide.
• the sequence specificity of said editing enzymes may result from one or more sequence specific DNA binding protein domains within the editing enzyme, or from the enzyme binding a guide polynucleotide (e.g. guide RNA) that directs it to a DNA sequence with at least partial complementarity to said guide polynucleotide.
• the recognition site of said editing enzymes may therefore be altered by engineering the DNA binding protein domains, or using alternative guide polynucleotides.
• ZFNs zinc finger nucleases
• TALENs transcription activator-like effector nucleases
• CRISPR associated nucleases are known in the art, non-limiting examples of which are zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), meganucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and CRISPR associated nucleases.
• the genetically engineered mammalian cell lacking galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity is a HEK 293 cell or cell line.
• a cell line that would benefit from reducing galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase for the production of the MHC ll/CII complexes according to the invention is the Expi293F cell (Gibco, Cat. No. A14527, also available as cGMP banked Cat. No. 100044202).
• Galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity may also be inhibited using carminic acid.
• the method according to the invention may comprise cultivating the mammalian cells according to step (b) in carminic acid.
• the mammalian cells are preferably being established, adapted, and completely cultivated under serum free conditions, and optionally in media, which are free of any protein/peptide of animal origin.
• Commercially available media such as PreproGowTM HEK293 Media (PREPROTECH, USA) Expi293TM Expression Medium (Thermo Fisher, USA), HAM ' s F12 (Sigma, Deisenhofen, Germany,) RPPMI (Sigma), Ham ' s F12 (Sigma, Deisenhofen, Germany), RPMI-1640 (Sigma), Dulbecco ' s Modified Eagle ' s Medium (DMEM; Sigma), Minimal Essential Medium (MEM; Sigma), Iscove ' s Modified Dulbecco ' s Medium (IMDM; Sigma), CD-CHO (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA), serum-free CHO Medium (Sigma), and protein-free CHO Medium (Sigma) are exemplary appropriate nutrient solutions.
• any of the media may be supplemented as necessary with a variety of compounds, nonlimiting examples of which are recombinant hormones and/or other recombinant growth factors (such as insulin, transferrin, epidermal growth factor, insulin like growth factor), salts (such as sodium chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate), buffers (such as HEPES), nucleosides (such as adenosine, thymidine), glutamine, glucose or other equivalent energy sources, antibiotics and trace elements. Any other necessary supplements may also be included at appropriate concentrations that would be known to those skilled in the art.
• recombinant hormones and/or other recombinant growth factors such as insulin, transferrin, epidermal growth factor, insulin like growth factor
• salts such as sodium chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate
• buffers such as HEPES
• nucleosides such as adenosine, thymidine
• glutamine glucose or other equivalent energy sources
• antibiotics and trace elements Any other necessary supplements
• composition comprising a recombinant MHC I l/CI I peptide complex
• the invention provides a composition comprising recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising (a) an extracellular region of an MHC class II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain; (b) an extracellular region of an MHC class II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and (c) a collagen II peptide (CM peptide) fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain; wherein the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXG, AGFKGEXGPKG, AGFKGXQGPKG, AGFKXEQGPKG, AGFKGEXGPXG, AGFKGXQGPXG and AGFKXEQGPXG, wherein the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprise a post-trans
• the CM peptide comprises a post-translational modification at a lysine residue, preferably at the first lysine residue of the CM peptide.
• the first lysine residue of the CM peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) and/or is O-glycosylated Hyl.
• the first lysine residue is hydroxylysine (Hyl) and/or galactosyl-hydroxylysine, more preferably galactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• MHC ll/CII peptide complex refers to a soluble complex comprising the extracellular domains of an MHC II protein or part thereof forming the peptide binding groove and a collagen II peptide (CM peptide), wherein the peptide is fused (i.e., linked) to the N-terminus of either the alpha or the beta chain.
• CM peptide is fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II beta chain.
• a MHC II protein comprises an alpha 1 domain and an alpha 2 domain, which form the extracellular domain of the alpha chain and a beta 1 domain and a beta 2 domain, which form the extracellular domain of the beta chain.
• RA associates HLA DRB1 alleles are QKRAA-coding alleles HLA_DRB1* 0401 and 0409, QRRAA-coding alleles: HLA_DRB1* 0404, 0405, 0408, 0101 , 0102 and 1402, RRRAA-coding allele: HLA_DRB1* 1001 and DKRAA-coding allele: HLA_DRB1* 1303.
• the extracellular region of the MHC class II alpha chain and the extracellular region of the MHC class II beta chain are therefore derived from HLA-DR, preferably at least the alpha 1 domain is from DRA*0101 and at least the beta 1 domain is from a HLA-DR allele selected from the group consisting of DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404, DRB1*0405, DRB1*0408, DRB1*0409, DRB1*0101 , DRB1*0102, DRB1*1001 , DRB1*1402 and DRB1*1303, preferably DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404, DRB1*0405, DRB1*0408, DRB1*0409, DRB1*0101 , DRB1*0102, DRB1*1001 and DRB1*1402, more preferably DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404 and DRB1*0405.
• the alpha 1 domain and the alpha 2 domain is from DRA*0101 and the beta 1 domain and the beta 2 domain is from a HLA- DR allele selected from the group consisting of DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404, DRB1*0405, DRB1*0408, DRB1*0409, DRB1*0101 , DRB1*0102, DRB1*1001 , DRB1*1402 and DRB1*1303, preferably DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404, DRB1*0405, DRB1*0408, DRB1*0409, DRB1*0101 , DRB1*0102, DRB1*1001 and DRB1*1402, more preferably DRB1*0401 , DRB1*0404, DRB1*0101 and DRB1*0405.
• CIA collagen-induced arthritis
• composition comprising the MHC I l/CI I peptide complexes according the invention comprises a post-translationally modified peptide.
• the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXG, AGFKGEXGPKG, AGFKGXQGPKG, AGFKXEQGPKG, AGFKGEXGPXG and AGFKGXQGPXG, AGFKXEQGPXG.
• the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXiG, AG F KG EX 2 G P KG , AGFKGXsQGPKG, AGFKX 4 EQGPKG, AGFKGEX2GPX1G and AGFKGX3QGPX1G, AGFKX4EQGPX1G, wherein Xi is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except K, preferably R, A, G or Q, more preferably R; X2 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except Q; preferably A, R, H or G; X3 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except E, preferably A, D, Q or G; and X 4 is any of the proteinogenic amino acids except G, more preferably A, S, V or L.
• CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG or AGFKGEQGPXiG, preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP or AGFKGEQGPX1GEP, more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP or GIAGFKGEQGPX1GEP.
• the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG (SEQ ID NO: 1) or AGFKGEQGPXG (SEQ ID NO: 2), preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 10) or AGFKGEQGPXGEP (SEQ ID NO: 11), more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 13) or GIAGFKGEQGPXGEP (SEQ ID NO: 14).
• the CM peptide GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP corresponds to amino acids 259-273 of the triple helical CM region.
• CM peptides suitable for binding into the binding pocket of MHC II are from 10 to 20 amino acids in length, preferably the CM peptide is from 11 to 15 amino acids in length, more preferably the CM peptide is from 13 to 15 amino acids in length.
• the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence AGFKGEQGPKG (SEQ ID NO: 1), more preferably AGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 10) and even more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 13).
• the second K (K270) may be mutated, preferably to R.
• the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence AGFKGEQGPXG (SEQ ID NO: 2), AGFKGEQGPXGEP (SEQ ID NO: 11) and GIAGFKGEQGPXGEP (SEQ ID NO: 14), wherein X may be any proteinogenic amino acid other than K, preferably X is R, A, G or Q, more preferably R).
• the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence AGFKGEQGPRG (SEQ ID NO: 9), AGFKGEQGPRGEP (SEQ ID NO: 12) and GIAGFKGEQGPRGEP (SEQ ID NO: 15).
• composition comprising the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes according to the invention comprise MHC ll/CII peptide complexes with a Cl I peptide, wherein preferably at least the first lysine residue of the Cl I peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) and/or is O-glycosylated hydroxylysine.
• the first lysine (K) residue of the Cll peptide corresponds to the first K in GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 13) at position 264 of the amino acid sequence of the triple helical Cll region.
• the optional second lysine (K) residue in the Cll peptide corresponds to the second K in GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP at position 270 of the amino acid sequence of the triple helical Cll region.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes according to the invention comprise a post-translationally modified Cll peptide, wherein at least the first lysine residue is hydroxylysine and/or galactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• galactosyl-hydroxylysine may also be referred to as G-Hyl or Gal-Hyl and excludes a modification to glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• the collagen specific post-translational galactosylation of the lysine residues in the Cll peptide sequence according to the invention is involved in T cell recognition via the TCR and the resulting pharmacological effects.
• the lysine residue in position 270 is located at the edge of the binding groove of the DR4 molecule and its galactosyl-hydroxylysine modification is considered to be less important for TCR recognition.
• the second or further lysine residue (corresponding to K 270) may be any of unmodified, hydroxylysine or galactosyl-hydroxylysine, preferably unmodified.
• the TCR of a T cell hybridoma recognizing the gal264 epitope is not affected by a K270R mutation.
• the Cll peptide comprises only the first lysine residue and any further optional K (such as the optional second K) is mutated, preferably mutated to R. Therefore Cll peptides comprising the amino acid sequence AGFKGEQGPRG (SEQ ID NO: 9), preferably AGFKGEQGPRGEP (SEQ ID NO: 12) and more preferably GIAGFKGEQGPRGEP (SEQ ID NO: 15) are also encompassed by the present invention.
• Mutation of the second lysine has the advantage to reduce heterogeneity of the product and hence the percentage of correctly modified peptides is higher.
• galactosyl-hydroxylysine may be glucosylated to form glucosyl- galactosyl-hydroxylysine (Glc-Gal-Hyl, or GG-Hyl), which is likely to have a negative effect on TCR recognition due to the bulkiness of the disaccharide (Glc-Gal), particularly at position K270.
• a K270 mutation, particularly K270R further avoids interference with binding as no disaccharide modification can be attached at this position.
• the collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) is fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the N-terminus of the MHC class II beta chain.
• linker peptide refers to a polypeptide consisting of multiple amino acid residues.
• the linker peptide may be any peptide as long as it is long and flexible enough to allow the peptide to bind to the peptide binding pocket formed by the MHC II complex.
• An example of a suitable linker is a Gly-Ser linker.
• the Cll peptide, the linker peptide and at least one of the extracellular regions of the MHC II alpha chain and the MHC II beta chain are expressed as one polypeptide and encoded by one polynucleotide.
• the term “fused to” as used herein means “linked to” wherein the linking is via peptide bonds, optionally using a linker peptide, and therefore a fusion protein is generated. This feature structurally distinguishes the MHC ll/CII peptide complex according to the present invention from prior art complexes.
• the MHC II protein is produced with a CLIP peptide as a surrogate peptide, which is linked to one of the MHC II chains via a linker peptide comprising a peptidase cleavage site, such as a thrombin cleavage site.
• a linker peptide comprising a peptidase cleavage site, such as a thrombin cleavage site.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex used in the examples still contains an enzymatic cleavage site (thrombin cleavage site, Figure 1) between the linker and the Cll peptide, this is not necessary and is preferably removed from a therapeutic product.
• the linker peptide may improve stability of the product and prevent peptide loss.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex according to the invention does not contain an enzymatic cleavage site in the amino acid sequence between the Cll peptide and extracellular region of the MHC II beta chain (or the MHC II alpha chain).
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprised in the composition do not comprise a (1) streptavidin-tag (such as SAWSHPQFEK; SEQ ID NO: 30) for purification, (2) a cleavage site (e.g., a TEV cleavage site) between the MHC II a/ MHC II b chain and the heterodimerisation domain and/or (3) a recognition site for the E. coli biotin ligase (BirA) (e.g., an AviTag) as present in the exemplified complex shown in Figure 1 and used in the Examples.
• a streptavidin-tag such as SAWSHPQFEK; SEQ ID NO: 30
• a cleavage site e.g., a TEV cleavage site
• a recognition site for the E. coli biotin ligase (BirA) e.g., an AviTag
• the MHC ll/CII complex comprises the His-tag (polyhistidine-tag) or a functionally equivalent tag at the C-terminal end of the polypeptide comprising the HLA-DR alpha chain and/or the HLA-DR beta chain.
• His-tag polyhistidine-tag
• An exemplary minimal HLA-DR/CII peptide complex according to the present invention may be encoded by the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19. The person skilled in the art would understand that the peptide sequence may vary as encompassed by the claims.
• compositions according to the invention comprise MHC ll/CII peptide complexes containing a His-tag or a functionally equivalent tag at the C-terminal end of the polypeptide comprising the HLA-DR alpha chain and/or the HLA-DR beta chain.
• Functionally equivalent tags are e.g., chondroitin-binding peptides.
• the composition may comprise MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising at least one chondroitin-binding peptide, preferably a chondroitin- and hyaluronic acid- (also referred to as hyaluronan) binding peptide.
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprises at least one C-terminal chondroitin-binding peptide.
• Chondroitin-binding peptides are known in the art and include without being limited thereto peptides having the amino acid sequences EKRIWFPYRRF (SEQ ID NO: 31), YKTNFRRYYRF (SEQ ID NO: 32) or VLIRHFRKRYY (SEQ ID NO: 33) (Butterfield KC et al., Biochemistry. 2010 Feb 23;49(7):1549-55).
• the chondroitin binding peptide comprises 5 to 20 amino acids, preferably 6 to 20 amino acids, more preferably 6 to 12 amino acids.
• a respective sequence containing the binding consensus motif is defined as follows: B(X7)B, in which B is either R or K and X7 contains no acidic residues and at least one basic amino acid (Yang B et al confuse EMBO J. 1994 Jan 15;13(2):286-96).
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex can also bind to chrondoitin sulfate via the his-tag.
• the condroitin binding peptide may be a polyhistidine-tag, preferably a hexa histidine-tag, or any other amino acid sequences that increase binding affinity to chondroitin sulfate, such as.
• EKRIWFPYRRF (SEQ ID NO: 31), YKTNFRRYYRF (SEQ ID NO: 32) or VLIRHFRKRYY (SEQ ID NO: 33). Chondroitin and hyaluronic acid are both important components of cartilage.
• the extracellular region of the MHC class II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain and the extracellular region of the MHC class II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and the collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain; are expressed as a single fusion polypeptide (single chain heterodimer).
• the MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprises a first polypeptide comprising the extracellular region of the MHC class II alpha chain comprising at least an alpha 1 domain; a second polypeptide comprising the extracellular region of the MHC class II beta chain comprising at least a beta 1 domain; and the collagen II peptide (Cll peptide) fused to the N- terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain.
• the MHC class II alpha chain is fused at its C-terminal end to a first functional domain of a leucine zipper heterodimerization motif and the MHC class II beta chain is fused at its C-terminal end to a second complementary functional domain of a leucine zipper heterodimerization motif.
• the first functional domain and the second complementary functional domain may be an acidic and a basic leucine zipper heterodimerization domain, preferably a jun-fos leucine zipper motif.
• the first and/or the second polypeptide comprises a chondroitin sulfate binding peptide, such as a polyhistidine tag, at the C- terminus of the functional domain of a leucine zipper heterodimerization motif.
• composition according to the invention comprises MHC ll/CII peptide complexes in a heterogeneous mixture of MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising different post-translational modifications of the Cll peptide, particularly the first and optional second lysine residue of the Cll peptide.
• the composition further comprises MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising the Cll peptide, wherein the first lysine residue of the Cll peptide is unmodified, hydroxylysine (Hyl) or glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine (GG-Hyl), preferably unmodified or hydroxylysine (Hyl) and the optional second lysine residue of the Cll peptide is independently unmodified, hydroxylysine (Hyl), galactosyl-hydroxylysine (G-Hyl) or glucosylgalactosyl- hydroxylysine (GG-Hyl), preferably unmodified, hydroxylysine (Hyl), galactosyl-hydroxylysine (G- Hyl).
• the first lysine residue of the Cll peptide is unmodified, hydroxylysine (Hyl) or glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine (GG-H
• the composition does not comprise glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine (GG- Hyl) modified MHC ll/CII peptide complexes, e.g., MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising an O- glycosylated Cl I peptide wherein the first and the optional second lysine residue are glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• GG- Hyl glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine
• the composition comprises MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 20% or at least 30% of G-Hyl at the first lysine (K264) of the Cll peptide of total MHC ll/CII peptide complexes in the mixture or the composition.
• the composition comprises MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising preferably less than 50%, less than 40% or less than 30% unmodified Cll peptides of total MHC ll/CII peptide complexes in the mixture or the composition.
• the composition comprises MHC ll/CII peptides complexes comprising preferably less than 20%, less than 10%, less than 5% and more preferably less than 1% GG-Hyl in the Cll peptide of total MHC ll/CII peptide complexes in the mixture or the composition.
• the percentage refers to percent of Cll peptide in the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes of total Cll peptides in the MHC ll/CII peptide complexes.
• said second lysine residue (K270) is mutated, for example mutated to arginine (K270R).
• the (optional) second lysine is not post-translationally modified to glucosylgalactosyl-hydroxylysine (GG-Hyl) and is present as unmodified lysine, hydroxylysine or galactosyl hydroxylysine.
• the present invention provides a recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex, obtained or obtainable by the method of the present invention. Particularly encompasses is said recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified Cll peptide, wherein the first lysine residue of the Cll peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O-glycosylated Hyl.
• the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising an O- glycosylated Cll peptide is obtained by the method of the invention.
• the present invention provides a composition comprising the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified Cll peptide obtained by the method of the present invention.
• composition according to the invention or the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer of the invention for detecting antigen-specific T cells, preferably in vitro.
• the composition of the invention may be a pharmaceutical composition.
• the present invention also discloses pharmaceutical compositions comprising the composition comprising recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes as described herein and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.
• the composition or pharmaceutical composition may be administered by any route of administration, preferably subcutaneously (s.c.) or intravenously (i.v.). In one embodiment the composition or pharmaceutical composition is administered using an osmotic pump implanted subcutaneously.
• the composition or pharmaceutical composition comprising the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes according to the invention may be lyophilized or in an aqueous solution.
• Pharmaceutically acceptable excipients may include carriers as well as stabilizers. Therapeutic uses
• the invention relates to a composition comprising the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex according to the invention or to the recombinant MHC II Cll peptide complex produced by the method according to the invention for use in treating chronic inflammatory disease.
• the composition is a pharmaceutical composition further comprising pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.
• the composition comprising the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex according to the invention or to the recombinant MHC II Cll peptide complex produced by the method according to the invention is for use in treating chronic inflammatory disease in a human subject, particularly arthritis or other chronic inflammatory joint disease.
• the composition is for use in treating chronic inflammatory disease selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, relapsing polychondritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, Meniere diseases, autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED), or Still’s disease.
• chronic inflammatory disease selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, relapsing polychondritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, Meniere diseases, autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED), or Still’s disease.
• the chronic inflammatory disease may be arthritis, preferably selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankyloses spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis or Still’s disease, more preferably rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, more preferably rheumatoid arthritis.
• the composition according to the invention is for first line treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, for treatment in subjects inadequately responding to methotrexate and/or conventional synthetic (small molecule) disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), for treatment in subjects inadequately responding to biologic DMARDs (e.g., anti-TNF, anti-CTLA4 (abatacept) anti-IL-6, anti-CD20 (rituximab) antibodies), for treatment in subjects inadequately responding to targeted synthetic DMARDs (e.g., JAK-inhibitors).
• DMARDs small molecule disease modifying antirheumatic drugs
• biologic DMARDs e.g., anti-TNF, anti-CTLA4 (abatacept) anti-IL-6, anti-CD20 (rituximab) antibodies
• targeted synthetic DMARDs e.g., JAK-inhibitors
• the composition according to the invention is for prophylactic treatment in patients at high risk to develop rheumatoid
• the composition is to be administered subcutaneously or intravenously, more preferably subcutaneously.
• the composition may be administered at single doses of about 10 pg to about 250 pg, preferably 20 to 200 pg, more preferably 50 pg to 100 pg.
• treatment comprises a loading and a maintenance phase.
• the loading phase may comprise 3 to 10, preferably 6 sequential applications on consecutive days.
• Maintenance doses may be administered weekly or every 3 to 14 days, preferably weekly, biweekly, monthly, every two months or at even higher intervals.
• Tetramers comprising recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex
• the invention provides a MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer comprising the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex(es) of the composition according to the invention or the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified CM peptide obtained by the method according to the invention.
• the CM peptide comprises a post-translational modification at a lysine residue, preferably at the first lysine residue of the CM peptide.
• the first lysine residue of the CM peptide is Hyl or is O-glycosylated Hyl.
• the tetramer comprises a multimerization molecule, preferably streptavidin or avidin, binding the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes.
• the mulitimerisation molecule is streptavidin.
• Each of the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes may contain at least one covalently bound, N-terminal biotin. Biotinylation, the process of covalently attaching biotin to a protein, is preferably site specific and may be via chemical linkage or via enzymatic linkage.
• the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes contain a recognition site for a biotin ligase, such as the E. coli biotin ligase (BirA).
• the recognition site for BirA is a 15 amino acid peptide termed AviTag or Acceptor Peptide (e.g., an AviTag). Enzymatic biotinylation can be carried out in vitro or in vivo.
• the multimerization molecule such as streptavidin
• a label preferably a fluorochrome
• Labels may be any label known in the art, such as horse radish peroxidase to be detected by enzymatic chemiluminescence (ECL) or luciferase.
• ECL enzymatic chemiluminescence
• luciferase enzymatic chemiluminescence
• fluorochromes such as PE, APC, rhodamine (TRITC), FITC etc.
• the tetramers are produced by a method for preparing a MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer comprising (a) providing the composition according to the invention or the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising an O-glycosylated CM peptide according to the invention, wherein the MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprises at least one N-terminal biotinylation, (b) contacting the composition with a multimerization molecule, preferably streptavidin, and optionally isolating tetramers comprising four MHC ll/CII peptide complexes bound to a streptavidin.
• the tetramers according to the invention may be used for detecting antigen-specific T cells and hence for detecting arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis.
• the invention relates to a method for detecting and/or quantifying T cells specific for a given antigen, wherein the method comprises (a) providing the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer according to the invention, wherein the multimerization molecule is conjugated to a label (b) contacting the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer with a sample of a subject, preferably a sample containing peripheral blood cells of said subject, and (c) detecting the label of the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer bound T cells.
• the method is an in vitro detection method.
• the label is a fluorochrome.
• the labelled MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer bound to T cells may be detected by any suitable methods known to the art, such as flow cytometry.
• the method is an in vitro method.
• the method is a method for diagnosing a patient with arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis comprising (a) providing the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer according to the invention, wherein the multimerization molecule is conjugated to a label (b) contacting the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer with a sample of a subject, preferably a sample containing peripheral blood cells of said subject, and (c) detecting the label of the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer bound to T cells. If labelled MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer bound to T cells are detected the patient is likely to have or to be at risk of developing arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis.
• composition comprising recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprising
• CM peptide a collagen II peptide fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain; wherein the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXG, AGFKGEXGPKG, AGFKGXQGPKG,
• MHC ll/CII peptide complexes comprise a post-translationally modified CM peptide, preferably wherein the first lysine residue of the CM peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O- glycosylated Hyl.
• the extracellular region of the MHC class II alpha chain comprises an alpha 1 and an alpha 2 domain;
• the extracellular region of the MHC class II beta chain comprises a beta 1 and a beta 2 domain.
• composition of item 1 or 2 wherein the first lysine residue is galactosyl-hydroxylysine.
• composition of any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG, preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP, more preferably of GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP.
• CM peptide collagen II peptide fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide.
• the composition of item 9 wherein the MHC class II alpha chain is fused at its C-terminal end to a first functional domain of a leucine zipper heterodimerisation motif and the MHC class II beta chain is fused at its C-terminal end to a second complementary functional domain of a leucine zipper heterodimerisation motif.
• the composition of item 10 wherein the first functional domain and the second complementary functional domain are
• a jun-fos leucine zipper motif (b) a jun-fos leucine zipper motif.
• a method for producing a MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post translationally modified (e.g. O-glycosylated) CM peptide comprising
• CM peptide collagen II peptide fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide, preferably to the MHC class II beta chain, wherein the CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of AGFKGEQGPKG, AGFKGEQGPXG, AGFKGEXGPKG, AGFKGXQGPKG, AGFKXEQGPKG, AGFKGEXGPXG, AGFKGXQGPXG and AGFKXEQGPXG;
• (a) comprises enzymes to post-translationally modify lysine residues in collagen, comprising hydroxylating lysine to hydroxylysine (Hyl) and galactosylating Hyl to galactosylhydroxylysine (Gal-Hyl); and/or
• (b) comprises a lysyl hydroxylase and a collagen galactosyltransferase, preferably lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysylhydroxylase 2 (LH2) and collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2, preferably GLT25D1.
• LH1 lysylhydroxylase 1
• LH2 lysylhydroxylase 2
• GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2 preferably GLT25D1.
• kidney cell a fibroblast cell or an osteoblast cell, preferably a kidney cell, more preferably a HEK 293 cell line;
• a genetically engineered cell recombinantly expressing a lysylhydroxylase and a collagen galactosyltransferase, preferably lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysylhydroxylase 2 (LH2) and collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2.
• a genetically engineered cell recombinantly expressing a lysylhydroxylase and a collagen galactosyltransferase, preferably lysylhydroxylase 1 (LH1) and/or lysylhydroxylase 2 (LH2) and collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and/or GLT25D2.
• (c) comprises a mutant LH3 enzyme lacking galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity.
• the LH3 enzyme is a mutated LH3 enzyme lacking galactosylhydrosylysyl glucosyltransferase activity;
• CM peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of AGFKGEQGPKG, preferably of AGFKGEQGPKGEP, more preferably of GEPGIAGFKGEQGPKGEP.
• Cl I peptide comprises only the first lysine residue and any further K is mutated, preferably mutated to R, A, G or Q, more preferably to R.
• CM peptide collagen II peptide fused to the N-terminus of the MHC class II alpha chain or the MHC class II beta chain by a linker peptide.
• the method of item 28 wherein the first functional domain and the second complementary functional domain are
• a jun-fos leucine zipper motif (b) a jun-fos leucine zipper motif.
• a recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified Cll peptide obtained by the method of any one of items 13 to 30, preferably wherein the first lysine residue of the Cll peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O-glycosylated Hyl.
• a composition comprising the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post- translationally modified Cll peptide obtained by the method of any one of items 13 to 30, preferably wherein the first lysine residue of the Cll peptide is hydroxylysine (Hyl) or is O- glycosylated Hyl.
• the chronic inflammatory disease is rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, relapsing polychondritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, Meniere diseases, autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED), or Still
• a MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer comprising the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex(es) of the composition according to any one of items 1 to 12 and 32 or the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complex comprising a post-translationally modified Cll peptide according to item 31.
• each of the recombinant MHC ll/CII peptide complexes contains at least one covalently bound, N-terminal biotin.
• composition (b) contacting the composition with a multimerisation molecule, preferably streptavidin, and
• composition according to items 1 to 12 or the MHC ll/CII peptide complex tetramer of items 36 to 39 for detecting antigen-specific T cells in vitro.
• Aq/galCII or DR4/galCII loaded with synthetic Gal-peptide: GIAGFK(Gal-Hyl)GEQGPKGEP
• Aq/nCII or DR4/nCII loaded with non-modified peptide: GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP; SEQ ID NO: 13
• Aq-mCLIPmt protein was expressed in HEK293 cell line (Expi293F cells, Gibco, Cat. No. A14527) or CHO cells ( Figure 4) by transient transfection, purified using a combination of immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) using the His-tag and size exclusion chromatography (SEC).
• IMAC immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography
• Gal-peptide GIAGFK(Gal-Hyl)GEQGPKGEP
• GIAGFK(Gal-Hyl)GEQGPKGEP were synthesized, purified, and characterized, as described in Diogo, D. et al., Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2014; 26: 85-92; Gregersen PK et al., Arthritis Rheum. 1987;30:1205-1213; Duke O et al., Clin Exp Immunol. 1982;49:22-30.
• Naturally glycosylated mouse Aq/rCII and human DR4/hCII Naturally glycosylated mouse Aq/rCII and human DR4/hCII protein was expressed in HEK293 cell line (Expi293F cells, Gibco, Cat. No. A14527) by transient transfection and purified using a combination of immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) using the His-tag and size exclusion chromatography (SEC).
• IMAC immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography
• SEC size exclusion chromatography
• MHC ll-peptide complexes were diluted to desired concentrations in sterile PBS (Gibco), filtered using a DynaGard 0.2 pm syringe tip filter and 100 pi protein solution was filled into ALZET micro-osmotic pumps (DURECT corporation, model 1007D, 0.5 pl/h, 7 days) using sterile techniques. The pumps were handled with surgical gloves. To ensure immediate pumping of the substance the prefilled pumps were placed in PBS overnight at 4°C before implantation.
• ALZET micro-osmotic pumps DURECT corporation, model 1007D, 0.5 pl/h, 7 days
• cDNAs encoding the two chains of the complex as depicted in Figure 1 were synthesized at Eurofins with Kpnl and Xhol restriction sites at the 5’ and 3’ ends.
• the synthesized cDNAs were digested using restriction enzymes Kpnl and Xhol (FastDigestTM, ThermoFisher Scientific).
• the digested DNA fragments were cloned separately into mammalian expression vector pCEP4 (Life technologies) following digestion with the same restriction enzymes.
• the two recombinant plasmids encoding the two chains of the complex were cotransfected into Expi393FTMcells with FectoPROTMDNA transfection reagent (Polyplus transfection). The supernatants were harvested 6 days post-transfection. The recombinant protein was first captured using a 5 ml HisTrap Excel (GE Healthcare Life Sciences) affinity column followed by size- exclusion chromatography on Superdex 200 pg (GE Healthcare life Sciences).
• the recombinant protein was purified as a single peak and was concentrated, diafiltrated into biotinylation buffer (20mM Tris-HCI, 50mM NaCI, pH 8.0) using an Amicon centrifuge device with MWCO of 10 kDa. Biotinylation using biotin-protein ligase was performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Avidity), and the reaction was carried out at 30°C for 2 h. Free biotin were removed by size- exclusion chromatography on a Superdex 200 pg column.
• the founders of the B10.Q mice were originally provided by J. Klein (Tiibingen, Germany), and BALB/c mice were purchased from The Jackson Laboratory. All mice were bred and housed at the animal facility of Medical Inflammation Research (Karolinska Institutet). All animals used were fed a standard rodent chow and given water ad libitum. Different experimental groups were housed together in order to minimize experimental bias.
• the local ethics committee approved all animal experiments (Stockholms Norra Djurforsoksetiska Namnd, Sweden). All in vivo arthritis experiments were covered by the ethical numbers N213/14 and N35/16. Anesthesia of animals was accomplished by isoflurane inhalation, whereas sacrifice was performed with CO2.
• Rat type II collagen was prepared from Swarm chondrosarcoma (Swarm rat chondosarcoma, SRC), by limited pepsin digestion, and further purification, as described in Chavele KM and Ehrenstein MR, FEBS Lett. 2011 ; 585:3603-10. Prepared rCII was stored at 4°C until used. To induce collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), each mouse was injected with 100 pg of rCII emulsified 1 :1 in CFA (Difco) at the base of the tail in a total volume of 100 pi.
• CFA collagen-induced arthritis
• mice Thirty-five days later, the mice were given a booster injection of 50 pg of rat Cll emulsified 1 :1 in IFA (Difco) in a total volume of 50 pi. Development of clinical arthritis was followed through visual scoring of the animals based on the number of inflamed joints in each paw, starting 2 weeks post-immunization and continuing until the end of the experiment. An extended scoring protocol as described in Klareskog L et al., Annu Rev Immunol. 2008;26: 651-75 ranging from 1 to 15 for each paw with a maximum score of 60 per mouse was used. The mice were examined two to four times per week for 90 days following immunization.
• MHC ll/peptide complexes were diluted in sterile PBS and coated onto plates by incubation at 4°C for overnight or added directly in soluble form to T cell hybridomas. The MHC ll/peptide complex-coated plates were then washed twice with sterile PBS to remove unbound complexes, and 5 x 10 4 T-hybridoma cells in 200 pi DMEM supplemented with 5% FCS, 100 lU/ml penicillin, and 100 pg/ml streptomycin were added per well. T cell hybridoma 3H8 and mDR1.1 specific for GalOK264 and for nonmodified CII259-273 (K264), respectively, have been used. After 24 h, IL-2 or IL-10 (in some experiments) was measured in the culture supernatants by sandwich ELISA (BioLegend). Mouse rlL-2 or rl-10 respectively served as a positive control and standard.
• This design was chosen to study the impact of the potential interaction of both components on T cell activation by the DR4/CII- peptide complex and mimics the interplay of the DR4/CII-peptide complexes with connective tissue components physiologically expressed in the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the tissues and the draining lymphatic system, or 3) with a blocked surface to which the solute ECM components hyaluronan, chondroitin sulfate or heparin sulfate as well as the DR4/CII-peptide complexes were added in order to study their impact on the T-hydridoma cells as a model for the modulation of T cell function in body fluids of diseased tissues compartments e.g. joint effusions or the lymph fluid.
• ECM extracellular matrix
• the MHC ll/peptide tetramer complexes were freshly prepared by adding PE-labeled streptavidin and APC-labeled streptavidin (Biolegend) to the recombinant protein at a molar ratio of 1 :4, and incubating at +4°C for 1 h.
• PE-labeled streptavidin and APC-labeled streptavidin Biolegend
• To identify peptide-specific T lymphocytes cells were incubated with the DR4/peptide tetramer complexes (20 pg/ml) at +37°C for 1 h in the presence of 50 nM Dasatinib, a small-molecule protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, following staining for cell surface markers.
• Viability staining solution (Zombie NIR; Biolegend) was added just before acquisition to exclude dead cells from the analysis.
• the samples were acquired by using an LSR Fortessa flow cytometer using FacsDiVa software (BD Biosciences), and the data were analyzed with FlowJo Software (v10, FlowJo LLC).
• PBMCs were thawed and rested overnight in TexMACS (Biolegend) at 1.5x10 ® cell/well.
• Cells were stimulated with the respective peptide variants GIAGFKGEQGPKGEP (SEQ ID NO: 13) and GIAGFK(Gal-Hyl)GEQGPKGEP) at a concentration of 50 pg/ml for 7 hours together with anti-CD28 at 1 pg/ml (BioLegend).
• SEB staphylococcal enterotoxin B
• PBMCs were isolated by dense gradient centrifugation and 1.2 x 10 6 cells/mL cells in TexMACS (Miltenyi Biotec, Cat# 130-097-196) were stimulated with 1 pg/mL anti-CD3 (Biolegend, Cat# 317304) and 100 ng/ml_ IL-27 (Peprotech, Cat#200-38B) (positive control, Tr1), 3.6 pg/mL DR4/nCII, 3.6 pg/mL DR4/galCII, 3.6 pg/mL DR4/hCII or left without stimulation (negative control, w/o) for 8 days. Stimulation was done in duplicates. At day 8 the culture supernatants were collected and analyzed for released cytokines using a custom made panel for detection of human cytokines in a multiplex bead-based LEGENDplexTMassay following the manufacture’s protocol.
• Example 1 Production of functionally active Aq/rCII in HEK 293 cells
• Aq/rCI 1(259-273) complexes can be expressed in HEK293 cells and that the purified complexes comprise covalently linked CM peptides (CII259-273) wherein the lysine at position 264 is posttranslationally modified.
• Osmotic pumps are advantageous over intravenous injections, because Aq/rCI 1(259-273) complexes remains in the circulation at constant level and are available for tolerance induction in vivo over a longer period of time.
• Aq/rCI 1(259-273) complexes remains in the circulation at constant level and are available for tolerance induction in vivo over a longer period of time.
• Control MHC ll/CII complexes were produced in S2 insect cells, which have a strongly impaired capacity to produce posttranslational modifications in terms of O-linked glycosylation of lysine side chains.
• S2 insect cells which have a strongly impaired capacity to produce posttranslational modifications in terms of O-linked glycosylation of lysine side chains.
• the HCQ.4 clone which recognizes the CII259-273 peptide with a non-modified or hydroxylated lysine at position 264, responded to the Aq/rCII(259-273) complex produced in S2 insect cells.
• all Cll-specific clones responded to the Aq/rCI 1(259-273) complex produced in HEK293 cells.
• T cell hybridoma clones used are as follows: HCQ3 (Cll, Gal-HK264), HCQ.4 (Cll, not modified and HK264), HCQ.11 (Glc-Gal-HK264), HM1R.2 (Cll, Gal-HK264 and Gal-HK264+270), HP3 (Aq-restricted, pepsin- peptide).
• HCQ3 Cll, Gal-HK264
• HCQ.4 Cll, not modified and HK264
• HCQ.11 Glc-Gal-HK264
• HM1R.2 Cll, Gal-HK264 and Gal-HK264+270
• HP3 Aq-restricted, pepsin- peptide
• Example 2 In situ glycosylated Aq/rCII in a mouse CIA model [125] Mice immunized with Cll in adjuvants were implanted 7 day later (following boost immunization 35 days after the initial immunization) with osmotic pumps loaded with three different amounts of HEK293-produced Aq-rCII(259-273) complex and followed for development of arthritis. Mice were implanted with pumps loaded with PBS only as negative control. As shown in Figure 3A, Aq-rCI 1(259-273) complex conferred protection in a dose dependent manner and mice treated with the highest amount of Aq-rCII(259-273) complex (100 pg) completely protected from developing arthritis. Mice treated with the intermediate amount (50 pg) of the Aq-rCII(259-273) complex showed some protection, whereas treatment with the lowest amount (10 pg) resulted in a frequency of arthritis that was comparable to PBS-treated controls.
• Two activation restricted human T cell hybridomas (3H8: unmodified Cll-epitope, mDR1.1 : galactosylated Cll-epitope) were used to check the galactosylation status of the naturally glycosylated DR4/peptide complex (DR4/hCII) compared a DR4/peptide complex loaded either with not modified peptide or galactosylated peptide.
• DR4/hCII naturally glycosylated DR4/peptide complex
• Figure 4A the T cell hybridoma mDR1.1 gets activated upon stimulation with the DR4/galCII complex, whereas stimulation with the DR4/nCII remains almost negative.
• the DR4/covalently linked Cll (DR4/hCII) is a heterogeneous product with regard to the galactosylation status. That means the composition comprising the DR4/hCII complex contains peptides with galactosylated and unmodified lysine residues in position 264. Activation level of cells stimulated with the DR4/hCII is slightly lower compared to the DR4/galCII complex and very similar to the DR4/nCII complex (Fig. 4B, using 3H8 cells).
• the aim was to establish a tetramer based method to directly detect antigen specific T cells in the peripheral blood (PBMCs) of RA patients and healthy donors. Therefore, biotinylated DR4/CII peptide complexes were incubated with either Streptavidin-PE or Streptavidin-APC. To reduce unspecific binding of the tetramers, a double tetramer staining by using two flurochromes was performed. Antigen specific T cells (CII259-273, K264gal) using DR4/galCII tetramers can be detected in RA-patients as well as in healthy donors (Figure 5A).
• T cells with specificity for the unmodified Cll peptide can be detected using DR4/nCII tetramers ( Figure 5B).
• the mean frequency of antigen specific T cells is higher using the naturally glycosylated DR4/hCII tetramers compared to DR4/galCII tetramers or DR4/nCII tetramers ( Figure 5B). Since the frequency of antigen-specific T cells in the peripheral blood is quite low (0.01-0,1%), the observed numbers are as expected.
• Activated CD4+ T cells were also detected in PBMCs of HLA-DRB1*0401 RA patients following galCII peptide stimulation by flow cytometry using CD154 (CD40L) surface staining as a marker for T cell activation (Fig. 6).
• CD154 CD40L
• cells incubated only with an antibody against costimulatory CD28 were mainly negative (data not shown). Since the expected frequency of the antigen-specific T cell population is quite low in the peripheral blood, the detection of 0.01-0,1% CD154+ T cells (parent population: CD3/CD4 living T cells) is satisfying.
• Example 5 In vitro stimulation/differentiation of T cells from the peripheral blood of HLA- DRB1*0401 positive RA patients
• PBMCs from genotyped HLA-DRB1*0401 positive RA patients were either stimulated under Tr1 cell inducing conditions with anti-CD3 and IL-27 (positive control, Tr1), with DR4/nCII (3.6 pg/mL), DR4/galCII, (3.6 pg/mL), or without stimulation (negative control, K1) for 8 days. Stimulation was done in duplicates.
• cytokine release was collected and analyzed for cytokine release using a custom-made panel for human cytokines in a multiplex bead-based LEGENDplexTMassay format according the manufacture’s protocol.
• the results shown in Fig. 7 clearly demonstrate the capacity of DR4/nCII and DR4/galCII to induce the release of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in PBMCs from RA patients and at levels even slightly higher compared to positive controls incubated under conventional TR1 inducing conditions for 8 days.
• pro-inflammatory cytokines e.g. TNF-a, IL-2, IL- 17a, I L- 17f , or IFN-y.
• sequences not directly essential for the MHC ll/CII complex can be omitted from the construct, including the contribution of the polyhistidine-tag (His-tag), the biotinylation site, the TEV cleavage site, the thrombin cleavage site and the strep-tag to the T cell activating properties of the recombinant complex.
• the DR4/CII peptide complexes as well as the anti-CD3 antibody (positive control) are coated to the plastic surface of the microtiter wells in a standard hybridoma activation assay.
• DR4/hCIIAHis complex was produced that only lacks the His-tag (6His) at the carboxy-terminal end of the MHC class II beta chain, but is otherwise identical to the DR4/hCII complex, i.e., contains the JUN/FOS heterodimerization domains (compare Fig.1).
• DR4/hCII_DED a further mutated recombinant variant of the DR4/hCII complex was prepared, in which the His-tag was replaced with a triplet of negatively charged amino acid residues Asp-Glu-Asp (DED) (DR4/hCII_DED).
• DED Asp-Glu-Asp
• the observed effect of the His-tagged complexes cannot simply be explained by electrostatic interactions of polysulfated anionic glycosaminoglycans via the positively charged imidazole groups of the polyhistidine tag, since heparan sulfate likewise contains a high degree of negatively charged sulfate groups, but does not seem to significantly facilitate the IL-2 response of the 3H8 hybridoma cells stimulated by the solute His-tagged DR4/hCII complex. Accordingly, the results suggest a specific interaction of the polyhistidine tag with the chondroitin sulfate matrix to increase the IL-2 response by 3H8 hybridoma cells stimulated with the dissolved DR4/hCII complex.
• Example 7 Obstacles of the recombinant production of the DR4/qal CM complex in HEK cells
• the posttranslational modification of the CM sequence of the peptide in the binding groove of the recombinant DR4-complex involves several sequential steps by different enzymes. These collagen-specific posttranslational modifications preferentially affect the lysine residues at positions 264 and 270.
• the initial step is a lysyl hydroxylation mediated by a lysyl hydroxylase followed by a galactosyl transfer to the hydroxylated lysine mediated by a galactosyl transferase. Further, a single glucose residue may be added to the galactosylated hydroxylysine.
• K270 may be mutated into an arginine residue (R). This mutation has previously been shown not to affect binding to the TCR of antigen-specific T cell hybridoma.
• the reaction catalyzing the transfer of the glucose residue to the galactosylated hydroxylysine is the galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase (synonymous name: procollagen lysylhydroylase 3 (LH3)).
• LH3 is a multifunctional enzyme also capable of catalyzing the before mentioned initial steps of lysine modification, i.e., hydroxylation resulting in hydroxylysine (Hyl) and galactosyl transfer resulting in galactosyl-hydroxylysine (Gal-Hyl) ( Figure 14A).
• lysine modification i.e., hydroxylation resulting in hydroxylysine (Hyl) and galactosyl transfer resulting in galactosyl-hydroxylysine (Gal-Hyl) ( Figure 14A).
• its non-redundant activity is the final glucose transfer to the galactosyl hydroxylysine.
• a HEK cell line for the production of the DR4/hCII complex that is selectively made deficient for the final glucosyltransferto the galactosyl hydroxylysine in the Cll peptide is expected to be advantageous in order to improve efficacy of recombinantly produced DR4/hCII complex.
• This can be achieved by generating HEK293 LH3 knock-out cells, e.g., by introducing a gene disrupting mutation into the Plod3 gene encoding the lysylhydroxylase 3 gene using a CRISPR/CAS gene editing approach.
• lentiviral particles customized lentiviral particles from Sigma
• PEIpro transfection reagent Polyplus
• glycan analysis by mass spectrometry was performed to investigate the reduction of glucosylation of galactosylhydroxylysyl residues in plod3 knock-down Expi293F cells and Expi293F control cells. Both lysines (K264 and K270) within the collagen type II epitope were analysed. A clear reduction of gluco-galactosylhydroxylysyl residues (DiHex) is visible in Expi293 KO cells ( Figure 14C).

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