ProtEx: a novel technology to display exogenous proteins on the cell surface for immunomodulation

Gene therapy as an immunomodulatory approach has the potential to treat various inherited and acquired immune-based human diseases. However, its clinical application has several challenges, varying from the efficiency of gene transfer, control of gene expression, cell and tissue targeting, and safety concerns associated with the introduction of exogenous DNA into cells/tissues. Gene therapy is also a time- and labor-intensive procedure. As an alternative, we recently developed a novel technology, ProtEx, that allows for rapid, efficient, and durable display of exogenous proteins on the surface of cells, tissues, and organs without detectable toxicity. This technology exploits the strong binding affinity (Kd = 10(-15) M) of streptavidin with biotin and involves generation of chimeric molecules composed of the extracellular portions of immunological proteins of interest and a modified form of streptavidin, biotinylation of biological surfaces, and decoration of the modified surface with chimeric proteins. Biotin persists on the cell surface for weeks both in vitro and in vivo, thereby providing a platform to display exogenous proteins with extended cell surface kinetics. Two chimeric proteins, rat FasL (SA-FasL) and human CD80 (CD80-SA), were generated and tested for cell surface display and immunomodulatory functions. SA-FasL and CD80-SA molecules persisted on the surface of various cell types for extended periods, varying from days to weeks in vitro and in vivo. The cell surface kinetics, however, were protein and cell type dependent. SA-FasL showed potent apoptotic activity against Fas+ cells as a soluble protein or displayed on the cell surface and effectively blocked alloreactive responses. The display of CD80-SA on the surface of tumor cells, however, converted them into antigen-presenting cells for effective stimulation of autologous and allogeneic T-cell responses. ProtEx technology, therefore, represents a practical and effective alternative to DNA-based gene therapy for immunomodulation.