"High-risk" host cell proteins (HCPs): A multi-company collaborative view.

Host cell proteins (HCPs) are process-related impurities that may copurify with biopharmaceutical drug products. Within this class of impurities there are some that are more problematic. These problematic HCPs can be considered high-risk and can include those that are immunogenic, biologically active, or enzymatically active with the potential to degrade either product molecules or excipients used in formulation.

Ranking the susceptibility of disulfide bonds in human IgG1 antibodies by reduction, differential alkylation, and LC-MS analysis.

One of the basic structural features of human IgG1 is the arrangement of the disulfide bond structure, 4 inter chain disulfide bonds in the hinge region and 12 intra chain disulfide bonds associated with twelve individual domains. Disulfide bond structure is critical for the structure, stability, and biological functions of IgG molecules. It has been known that inter chain disulfide bonds are more susceptible to reduction than intra chain disulfide bonds.

Domain-level stability of an antibody monitored by reduction, differential alkylation, and mass spectrometry analysis.

Human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) contains 12 domains, and each has an intrachain disulfide bond that connects the two layers of antiparallel beta-sheets. These intrachain disulfide bonds are shielded from solvents under native conditions. Therefore, accessibility of the disulfide bonds to reduction under conditions that unfold antibody has the potential to be a good indicator of the thermodynamic stability of each domain.

Analysis of reduced monoclonal antibodies using size exclusion chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) has been widely used to detect antibody aggregates, monomer, and fragments. SEC coupled to mass spectrometry has been reported to measure the molecular weights of antibody; antibody conjugates, and antibody light chain and heavy chain. In this study, separation of antibody light chain and heavy chain by SEC and direct coupling to a mass spectrometer was further studied.

Identification and localization of unpaired cysteine residues in monoclonal antibodies by fluorescence labeling and mass spectrometry.

Each human IgG1 antibody contains a total of thirty-two cysteine residues. In theory, all of them are involved in disulfide bonds, and no free sulfhydryl should be detected. However, literature has suggested that the presence of low levels of free sulfhydryl groups is likely a common feature of recombinant and wild type IgG1 antibodies.

Effect of the conserved oligosaccharides of recombinant monoclonal antibodies on the separation by protein A and protein G chromatography.

Glycosylation of the conserved asparagine residue in CH2 domains of IgG molecules is an important post-translational modification. The presence of oligosaccharides is critical for structure, stability and biological function of IgG antibodies. Effect of the glycosylation states of recombinant monoclonal antibodies on protein A and protein G chromatography was evaluated.

Mass spectrometry analysis of photo-induced methionine oxidation of a recombinant human monoclonal antibody.

Oxidation of methionine (Met) residues of a recombinant fully human monoclonal antibody after exposure to light was investigated and compared with chemically induced oxidation using tert-butyl-hydroperoxide (tBHP). Met256 and Met432 in the Fc region in the samples exposed to light or incubated with tBHP were oxidized. The Fc mass spectra of the antibody exposed to light showed mainly peaks with a molecular weight (MW) increase of 32 Da, however the sample treated with tBHP showed peaks with increase of only 16 Da.

Method to differentiate asn deamidation that occurred prior to and during sample preparation of a monoclonal antibody.

Asparagine (Asn) deamidation is a major source of antibody instability and micro heterogeneity. For this reason, it is critical to accurately characterize both the levels and the sites of Asn deamidation in therapeutic antibodies. Asn deamidation is normally quantified by analyzing antibodies at the peptide level by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Glutamine deamidation of a recombinant monoclonal antibody.

Deamidation of glutamine (Gln) proceeds at a much slower rate than deamidation of asparagine (Asn) residues at peptide level. However, deamidation of Gln residues in native proteins may occur faster because of the impact of protein structure and thus plays a significant role in affecting protein stability. Gln deamidation of a recombinant monoclonal IgG1 antibody was investigated in the current study.

Assessment of antibody fragmentation by reversed-phase liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Antibody fragmentation in the hinge region and other regions, and the impact of pH on the level and pattern of antibody fragmentation were investigated by reversed-phase (RP) liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Extensive fragmentation was observed in the hinge and in regions other than the hinge of a recombinant monoclonal antibody that was incubated in buffers of various pH at 40 degrees C for 10 weeks. Peptide bonds that were susceptible to hydrolysis were located mainly around the domain-domain interfaces close to or in the loop structures.

Effect of methionine oxidation of a recombinant monoclonal antibody on the binding affinity to protein A and protein G.

Oxidation of methionine (Met) residues is one of the most common protein degradation pathways. Two Met residues, Met256 and Met432, of a recombinant fully human monoclonal IgG1 antibody have been shown to be susceptible to oxidation. Met256 and Met432 are located in the antibody CH2-CH3 interface and in close proximity to protein A and protein G binding sites.

Fragmentation of a recombinant monoclonal antibody at various pH.

Purpose: To determine the relative importance of direct hydrolysis and beta-elimination, two common mechanisms of antibody hinge region fragmentation, and the impact of the conserved N-linked oligosaccharides in affecting antibody fragmentation under various pH.

Methods: A recombinant monoclonal antibody was incubated in buffers of various pH at 40 degrees C for 5 weeks. The level of fragmentation was measured using size-exclusion-chromatography (SEC).

Characterization of the glycosylation state of a recombinant monoclonal antibody using weak cation exchange chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Recombinant monoclonal antibody heterogeneity is inherent due to various enzymatic and non-enzymatic modifications. In this study, a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody with different states of glycosylation on the conserved asparagine residue in the CH(2) domain was analyzed by weak cation exchange chromatography. Two major peaks were observed and were further characterized by enzymatic digestion and mass spectrometry.

Mass spectrometry analysis of in vitro nitration of a recombinant human IgG1 monoclonal antibody.

Nitration of a recombinant human monoclonal antibody was carried out in vitro by incubating the antibody with the nitrating reagent tetranitromethane (TNM). The susceptible sites of nitration were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS). In general, tyrosine residues in the variable domains of the antibody are more susceptible to nitration, while tyrosine residues in the constant domains are relatively resistant to nitration.

Heterogeneity of monoclonal antibodies.

Heterogeneity of monoclonal antibodies is common due to the various modifications introduced over the lifespan of the molecules from the point of synthesis to the point of complete clearance from the subjects. The vast number of modifications presents great challenge to the thorough characterization of the molecules. This article reviews the current knowledge of enzymatic and nonenzymatic modifications of monoclonal antibodies including the common ones such as incomplete disulfide bond formation, glycosylation, N-terminal pyroglutamine cyclization, C-terminal lysine processing, deamidation, isomerization, and oxidation, and less common ones such as modification of the N-terminal amino acids by maleuric acid and amidation of the C-terminal amino acid.

Structural effect of deglycosylation and methionine oxidation on a recombinant monoclonal antibody.

Methionine (Met) is one of the most susceptible amino acids to oxidation. Met256 (CH2-Met15.1) and Met432 (CH3-Met107) of a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody are located in the CH2 and CH3 domains, respectively.

Characterization of lower molecular weight artifact bands of recombinant monoclonal IgG1 antibodies on non-reducing SDS-PAGE.

SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions is one of the most commonly used techniques for recombinant monoclonal antibody purity and stability indicating assay. On non-reducing SDS-PAGE, bands with a lower molecular weight than the intact antibody are routinely observed and is a common feature of IgG molecules. These fragments were analyzed by in-gel digestion followed by matrix-assisted-laser-desorption-ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, Western blot and by comparing the banding pattern of sample prepared in the presence of a reducing reagent.

Comparison of methionine oxidation in thermal stability and chemically stressed samples of a fully human monoclonal antibody.

Methionine (Met) oxidation is a major degradation pathway of protein therapeutics. Met oxidation of a fully human recombinant monoclonal antibody was investigated under both chemically stressed conditions using tert-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP) and thermal stability conditions where the sample was incubated in formulation buffer at 25 degrees C for 12 months. This antibody has one Met residue on each of the light chains and four Met residues on each of the heavy chains.

Effect of posttranslational modifications on the thermal stability of a recombinant monoclonal antibody.

The effect of oligosaccharides and C-terminal lysine residues on the thermal stability of a recombinant IgG(1) monoclonal antibody was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The C-terminal lysine did not appear to affect the thermal stability of this IgG(1) molecule. However, oligosaccharides, which are buried between the two CH(2) domains, provided significant stabilizing energy.

Characterization of the stability of a fully human monoclonal IgG after prolonged incubation at elevated temperature.

The susceptible degradation sites of therapeutic proteins are routinely assessed under accelerated conditions such as exposure to chemicals or incubation at elevated temperature or a combination of both. A fully human monoclonal IgG(1) antibody was characterized after incubation at 40 degrees C for 6 months by employing mass spectrometry and chromatography analyses. It was found that deamidation, fragmentation and N-terminal glutamate cyclization to form pyroglutamate are the major degradation pathways.

A 13C NMR approach to categorizing potential limitations of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl systems in drug-like molecules.

Compounds that contain an alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl moiety are often flagged as potential Michael acceptors. All alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl moieties are not equivalent, however, and we sought to better understand this system and its potential implications in drug-like molecules. Measurement of the (13)C NMR shift of the beta-carbon and correlation to in vitro results allowed compounds in our collection to be categorized as potential Michael acceptors, potential substrates for NADPH, or as photoisomerizable.