Characterization of recombinant human C1 inhibitor secreted in milk of transgenic rabbits.

C1 inhibitor (C1INH) is a single-chain glycoprotein that inhibits activation of the contact system of coagulation and the complement system. C1INH isolated from human blood plasma (pd-hC1INH) is used for the management of hereditary angioedema (HAE), a disease caused by heterozygous deficiency of C1INH, and is a promise for treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injuries like acute myocardial or cerebral infarction. To obtain large quantities of C1INH, recombinant human C1INH (rhC1INH) was expressed in the milk of transgenic rabbits (12 g/l) harboring genomic human C1INH sequences fused to 5' bovine αS(1) casein promoter sequences. Recombinant hC1INH was isolated from milk to a specific activity of 6.1 U/mg and a purity of 99%; by size-exclusion chromatography the 1% impurities consisted of multimers and N-terminal cleaved C1INH species. Mass spectrometric analysis of purified rhC1INH revealed a relative molecular mass (M(r)) of 67,200. Differences in M(r) on SDS PAGE and mass spectrometric analysis between rhC1INH and pd-hC1INH are explained by differential glycosylation (calculated carbohydrate contents of 21% and 28%, respectively), since protein sequencing analysis of rhC1INH revealed intact N- and C-termini. Host-related impurity analysis by ELISA revealed trace amounts of rabbit protein (approximately 10 ppm) in purified batches, but not endogenous rabbit C1INH. The kinetics of inhibition of the target proteases C1s, Factor XIIa, kallikrein and Factor XIa by rhC1INH and pd-hC1INH, indicated comparable inhibitory potency and specificity. Recently, rhC1INH (Ruconest(®)) has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of acute attacks of HAE.

N-glycans of recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase expressed in the milk of transgenic rabbits.

Pompe disease is a lysosomal glycogen storage disorder characterized by acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) deficiency. More than 110 different pathogenic mutations in the gene encoding GAA have been observed. Patients with this disease are being treated by intravenous injection of recombinant forms of the enzyme. Focusing on recombinant approaches to produce the enzyme means that specific attention has to be paid to the generated glycosylation patterns. Here, human GAA was expressed in the mammary gland of transgenic rabbits. The N-linked glycans of recombinant human GAA (rhAGLU), isolated from the rabbit milk, were released by peptide-N(4)-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F. The N-glycan pool was fractionated and purified into individual components by a combination of anion-exchange, normal-phase, and Sambucus nigra agglutinin-affinity chromatography. The structures of the components were analyzed by 500 MHz one-dimensional and 600 MHz cryo two-dimensional (total correlation spectroscopy [TOCSY] nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy) (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, combined with two-dimensional (31)P-filtered (1)H-(1)H TOCSY spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-profiling of 2-aminobenzamide-labeled glycans combined with exoglycosidase digestions. The recombinant rabbit glycoprotein contained a broad array of different N-glycans, comprising oligomannose-, hybrid-, and complex-type structures. Part of the oligomannose-type glycans showed the presence of phospho-diester-bridged N-acetylglucosamine. For the complex-type glycans (partially) (alpha2-6)-sialylated (nearly only N-acetylneuraminic acid) diantennary structures were found; part of the structures were (alpha1-6)-core-fucosylated or (alpha1-3)-fucosylated in the upper antenna (Lewis x). Using HPLC-mass spectrometry of glycopeptides, information was generated with respect to the site-specific location of the various glycans.

Influence of lactation parameters on the N-glycosylation of recombinant human C1 inhibitor isolated from the milk of transgenic rabbits.

The large-scale production of recombinant biopharmaceutical glycoproteins in the milk of transgenic animals is becoming more widespread. However, in comparison with bacterial, plant cell, or cell culture production systems, little is known about the glycosylation machinery of the mammary gland, and hence on the glycosylation of recombinant glycoproteins produced in transgenic animals. Here the influence is presented of several lactation parameters on the N-glycosylation of recombinant C1 inhibitor (rhC1INH), a human serum glycoprotein, expressed in the milk of transgenic rabbits. Enzymatically released N-glycans of series of rhC1INH samples were fluorescently labeled and fractionated by HPLC. The major N-glycan structures on rhC1INH of pooled rabbit milk were similar to those on native human C1 inhibitor and recombinant human C1 inhibitor produced in transgenic mouse milk, with only the degree of sialylation and core fucosylation being lower. Analyses of individual animals furthermore showed slight interindividual differences; a decrease in the extent of sialylation, core fucosylation, and oligomannose-type glycosylation with the progress of lactation; and a positive correlation between expression level and oligomannose-type N-glycan content. However, when large quantities of rhC1INH were isolated for preclinical and clinical studies, highly consistent N-linked glycan profiles and monosaccharide compositions were found.

N- and O-glycans of recombinant human C1 inhibitor expressed in the milk of transgenic rabbits.

Human C1 inhibitor (hC1INH) is a therapeutic N, O-glycoprotein with a growing number of clinical applications, but the current natural supplies are not likely to meet the clinical demands. Therefore, recombinant approaches are of interest, whereby specific attention has to be paid to the generated glycosylation patterns. Here, the N,O-glycoprotein was expressed in the mammary gland of transgenic rabbits and subjected to glycan analysis. After release of the N-glycans of recombinant-rabbit human C1 inhibitor (rhC1INH) by peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F, the oligosaccharides were separated from the O-glycoprotein by centrifugal filtration, then fractionated by a combination of anion-exchange, normal-phase, and high-pH anion-exchange liquid chromatography. The O-glycans, released from the O-glycoprotein by alkaline borohydride treatment, were fractionated by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The structures of individual components were analysed by 500 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy, in most cases combined with MALDI-TOF MS. In contrast to the structural data reported for native serum hC1INH, rhC1INH contained a broad array of different N-glycans, made up of oligomannose-, hybrid-, and complex-type structures. In the case of complex-type N-glycans (partially) (alpha2-6)-sialylated (N-acetylneuraminic acid only), mono- and diantennary chains were found; part of the diantennary structures were (alpha1-6)-core-fucosylated or (alpha1-3)-fucosylated in the lower or upper antenna (Lewis x). The manno-oligosaccharide pattern of part of the hybrid- and oligomannose-type structures indicates that besides the usual N-glycan processing route, also the alternative endo-mannosidase pathway is followed. The small core 1-type O-glycans showed the usual (alpha2-3)- and (alpha2-6)-sialylation pattern of O-glycoproteins of nonmucinous origin.