Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of nosocomial infection in North America and a considerable challenge to healthcare professionals in hospitals and nursing homes. The Gram-positive bacterium produces two exotoxins, toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB), which are the major virulence factors responsible for C. difficile-associated disease (CDAD) and are targets for CDAD therapy. In this work, recombinant single-domain antibody fragments (VHHs) which target the cell receptor binding domains of TcdA or TcdB were isolated from an immune, llama phage display library and characterized. Four VHHs (A4.2, A5.1, A20.1, and A26.8) were potent neutralizers of the cytopathic effects of TcdA in an in vitro assay and the neutralizing potency was enhanced when VHHs were administered in combinations. Epitope mapping experiments revealed that some synergistic combinations consisted of VHHs recognizing overlapping epitopes, an indication that factors other than mere epitope blocking are responsible for the increased neutralization. Binding assays revealed TcdA-specific VHHs neutralized TcdA by binding to sites other than the carbohydrate binding pocket of the toxin. The TcdB-specific VHHs failed to neutralize TcdB, as did a panel of human VL antibodies isolated from a synthetic library. To enhance the stability of the C. difficile TcdA-specific VHHs for oral therapeutic applications, the VHHs were expressed with an additional disulfide bond by introducing Ala/Gly54Cys and Ile78Cys mutations. The mutant VHHs were found to be well expressed, were non-aggregating monomers, retained low nM affinity for TcdA, and were capable of in vitro TcdA neutralization. Digestion of the VHHs with the major gastrointestinal proteases, at biologically relevant concentrations, revealed a significant increase in pepsin resistance for all mutants and an increase in chymotrypsin resistance for the majority of mutants without compromising inherent VHH trypsin resistance. Collectively, the second disulfide not only increased VHH thermal stability at neutral pH, as previously shown, but also represents a generic strategy to increase VHH stability at low pH and impart protease resistance. These are all desirable characteristics for the design of protein-based oral therapeutics. In conclusion, llama VHHs represent a class of novel, non-antibiotic inhibitors of infectious disease virulence factors such as C. difficile toxins.

Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Currently, the disease is incurable and immunomodulating drugs are the only option to control the disease. CD49d is an adhesion receptor expressed on most immune cells. Antibodies that bind to CD49d and block immune cells from trafficking toward the CNS are being pursued as one class of therapeutics. In this work, by combining recombinant antibody and phage display technologies we isolated 10 anti-CD49d single domain antibodies from a synthetic antibody light chain variable domain (VL) phage display library. Isolated VLs (~ 12 kDa) were expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and analysed for biophysical characteristics. The majority were expressed in good yields and were non-aggregating. All 10 VLs bound recombinant CD49d by ELISA, and 7 bound to CD49d-expressing cells in flow cytometry experiments. To empower the VLs for better therapeutic efficacy (thru increasing avidity and half-life), three of the lead VLs were re-engineered as fusions to fragment crystallisable (Fc) of human immunoglobulin gamma (IgG). The engineered hFc-VL fragments (~ 70 – 90 kDa) retained their specificity for CD49d by flow cytometry. With (i) being less immunogenic due to their human nature, (ii) their efficient access to cryptic epitopes (iii) having half-lives comparable to IgGs’ and (iv) being more cost effective compared to IgGs, these novel antibody fragments (monovalent VLs and bivalent hFc-VLs) provide a promising therapeutic platform against multiple sclerosis.

A diverse array of proteins has evolved to detect and affect carbohydrate structures, thereby performing critical roles in important biological events. Carbohydrate recognition usually employs a high degree of precision, as discriminating between two carbohydrate structures can depend on a single hydrogen bond or the configuration of a hydroxyl group. My work has focused on the molecular recognition of carbohydrate antigens by two biologically important classes of carbohydrate-binding proteins: antibodies and lectins. Single crystal x-ray diffraction has been employed to study the IgG2a antibody LPT3-1 and the lectins Griffonia simplicifolia 1-A4 (GSI-A4) and Lathyrus odoratus lectin (LOdL). LPT3-1 targets the conserved inner core structure of lipooligosaccharide from Neisseria meningitidis, the leading cause of meningitis and septicaemia. Structural characterization of LPT3-1 with an inner core fragment demonstrates how this antibody achieves selective cross-reactivity to variants of the inner core and provides insight that could support the development of a broadly protective N. meningitidis vaccine. Legume lectin GSI-A4 displays specificity towards the terminal galactose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine of carbohydrates, yet the closely related lectin GSI-B4 will only recognize a terminal galactose. The structures of GSI-A4 co-crystallized with two different carbohydrates reveals the mechanism by which GSI-A4 displays this cross-reactivity, which allows for specific recognition of two important tumour-associated carbohydrate antigens. LOdL is a member of the Mannose/Glucose legume lectin family that can recognize an array of clinically significant antigens including abnormal glycosylation patterns on gp120 of HIV. Characterization of LOdL in complex with glucose at high resolution provides a putative primary sequence and molecular level insight into the molecular recognition displayed by this lectin. Structural data indicates LOdL is cross-reactive with the related glucose epimer mannose, and would display a similar if not identical affinity for glucose and mannose, enabling cross-reactivity with oligosaccharides displaying a terminal mannose. The similarity in sequence and primary recognition between LOdL and Pisum sativum lectin (PSL) suggests that LOdL also shares oligosaccharide specificity with PSL and similarly could demonstrate anti-HIV activity. Overall, the structural characterization of these three carbohydrate-binding proteins reveals mechanisms by which antibodies and lectins can employ selective cross-reactivity to discriminate among clinically-relevant carbohydrate structures. / Graduate / mj3parker@gmail.com

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