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A Conjugate of an Anti‐Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) VHH and a Cell‐Penetrating Peptide Drives Receptor Internalization and Blocks EGFR Activation
Author(s) -
van Lith Sanne A. M.,
van den Brand Dirk,
Wallbrecher Rike,
van Duijnhoven Sander M. J.,
Brock Roland,
Leenders William P. J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chembiochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1439-7633
pISSN - 1439-4227
DOI - 10.1002/cbic.201700444
Subject(s) - internalization , epidermal growth factor receptor , receptor , conjugate , tyrosine kinase , epidermal growth factor , receptor tyrosine kinase , chemistry , peptide , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer research , biology , biochemistry , mathematical analysis , mathematics
Overexpression of (mutated) receptor tyrosine kinases is a characteristic of many aggressive tumors, and induction of receptor uptake has long been recognized as a therapeutic modality. A conjugate of a synthetically produced cell‐penetrating peptide (CPP), corresponding to amino acids 38–59 of human lactoferrin, and the recombinant llama single‐domain antibody (VHH) 7D12, which binds the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), was generated by sortase A mediated transpeptidation. The conjugate blocks EGF‐mediated EGFR activation with higher efficacy than that of both modalities alone; a phenomenon that is caused by both effective receptor blockade and internalization. Thus, the VHH–CPP conjugate shows a combination of activities that implement a highly powerful new design principle to block receptor activation by its clearance from the cell surface.