An antibody produced in tobacco expressing a hybrid beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase is essentially devoid of plant carbohydrate epitopes

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 May 16;103(20):7577-82. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0600879103. Epub 2006 May 4.

Abstract

N-glycosylation of a mAb may have a major impact on its therapeutic merits. Here, we demonstrate that expression of a hybrid enzyme (called xylGalT), consisting of the N-terminal domain of Arabidopsis thaliana xylosyltransferase and the catalytic domain of human beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase I (GalT), in tobacco causes a sharp reduction of N-glycans with potentially immunogenic core-bound xylose (Xyl) and fucose (Fuc) residues as shown by Western blot and MALDI-TOF MS analysis. A radioallergosorbent test inhibition assay with proteins purified from leaves of WT and these transgenic tobacco plants using sera from allergic patients suggests a significant reduction of potential immunogenicity of xylGalT proteins. A mAb purified from leaves of plants expressing xylGalT displayed an N-glycan profile that featured high levels of galactose, undetectable xylose, and a trace of fucose. Hence, a transgenic plant expressing the hybrid GalT might yield more effective and safer monoclonals for therapeutic purposes than WT plants and even transgenic plants expressing the unchanged GalT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis / enzymology
  • Carbohydrate Conformation
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Epitopes / chemistry
  • Epitopes / immunology*
  • Galactosyltransferases / genetics
  • Galactosyltransferases / metabolism
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin E / immunology
  • Microsomes / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase / genetics
  • N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase / metabolism*
  • Nicotiana* / enzymology
  • Nicotiana* / immunology
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Polysaccharides* / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides* / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Transformation, Genetic

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Epitopes
  • Plant Proteins
  • Polysaccharides
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Galactosyltransferases
  • xylosylprotein 4-beta-galactosyltransferase
  • N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase