Analysis and modulation of protein immunogenicity using short Solubility Controlling Peptide tags (SCP tag)

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04359
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kuroda Yutaka 東京農工大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10312240)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 生物物理 / 組換えタンパク質 / バイオテクノロジー / 免疫原性 / 抗原性 / タンパク質断片 / デング / 溶解性制御タグ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Proteins solubiｌity and aggregation have long been suspected to influence the immune response against small size proteins, but no direct experimental evidence have been reported so far. One reason for the lack of experimental support is that changing protein solubility requires changing the solution condition, which is not possible in vivo. In our study, we used short Solubility Controlling Peptide tags (SCP tag) peptide tags attached to the termini of our model proteins (Bovine Trypsin Pancreatic Trypsin Inhibitor, and Dengue Envelope protein domain 3) for modulating their solubility without affecting their function or biophysical properties. We showed that some SCP tags can oligomerize the proteins into 30-50 mers in a reversible manner, and that these aggregates increase their immunogenicity. In future, we plan to further investigate the molecular mechanisms of immune response increase induced by SCP tags, and explore its possible biotechnological applications.

Free Research Field

生物物理学、タンパク質科学