Computational design of non-porous pH-responsive antibody nanoparticles

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2024 Sep;31(9):1404-1412. doi: 10.1038/s41594-024-01288-5. Epub 2024 May 9.

Abstract

Programming protein nanomaterials to respond to changes in environmental conditions is a current challenge for protein design and is important for targeted delivery of biologics. Here we describe the design of octahedral non-porous nanoparticles with a targeting antibody on the two-fold symmetry axis, a designed trimer programmed to disassemble below a tunable pH transition point on the three-fold axis, and a designed tetramer on the four-fold symmetry axis. Designed non-covalent interfaces guide cooperative nanoparticle assembly from independently purified components, and a cryo-EM density map closely matches the computational design model. The designed nanoparticles can package protein and nucleic acid payloads, are endocytosed following antibody-mediated targeting of cell surface receptors, and undergo tunable pH-dependent disassembly at pH values ranging between 5.9 and 6.7. The ability to incorporate almost any antibody into a non-porous pH-dependent nanoparticle opens up new routes to antibody-directed targeted delivery.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / chemistry
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nanoparticles* / chemistry
  • Porosity

Substances

  • Antibodies