Interferon-albumin conjugate with conserved biological activity

Area of Science:

• Bioconjugation Chemistry
• Immunology
• Virology

Background:

• Interferons are crucial for antiviral defense.
• Serum albumin is a common carrier protein for drug delivery.
• Conjugating therapeutic proteins to albumin can alter pharmacokinetic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare a disulphide-linked conjugate of Namalwa lymphoblastoid interferon and serum albumin.
• To evaluate the antiviral activity of the interferon-albumin conjugate.
• To assess the stability and in vivo clearance of the conjugate.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the heterobifunctional reagent N-succinilimidyl 3-(2-pyridylthio)propionate (SPDP) for conjugation.
• Assessed antiviral activity by protecting MDBK cells against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection.
• Determined conjugate stability under assay conditions.
• Measured the clearance rate of the conjugate in a mouse circulatory system.

Main Results:

• Successfully prepared a disulphide-linked interferon-albumin conjugate.
• The conjugate retained its ability to protect cells from VSV infection.
• The conjugate remained intact under assay conditions, showing no dissociation into free components.
• The interferon-albumin conjugate exhibited a slightly slower clearance rate compared to free interferon in mice.

Conclusions:

• SPDP is effective for creating stable, functional interferon-albumin conjugates.
• Interferon-albumin conjugation preserves antiviral activity and modifies pharmacokinetic profiles.
• These findings support the potential of such conjugates for enhanced therapeutic applications.