Gene delivery of albumin binding peptide-interferon-gamma fusion protein with improved pharmacokinetic properties and sustained biological activity.

We have demonstrated that gene delivery of a fusion protein of mouse interferon (IFN) γ with mouse serum albumin (IFNγ-MSA) was effective in prolonging the circulation half-life of IFNγ in mice. However, the fusion to MSA greatly reduced the biological activity of IFNγ to less than 1%. In this study, we designed IFNγ fusion proteins with a 20 amino-acid long albumin-binding peptide (ABP) to prolong the in vivo half-life of IFNγ without reducing its biological activity.

Prolonged circulation half-life of interferon γ activity by gene delivery of interferon γ-serum albumin fusion protein in mice.

Gene delivery of mouse interferon (IFN) γ has been shown to inhibit metastatic tumor growth and onset of atopic dermatitis in mouse models. In this study, we tried to increase the circulation half-life of IFNγ after its gene delivery by designing a novel fusion protein of IFNγ with mouse serum albumin (MSA). Western blot analysis confirmed that IFNγ-MSA was expressed as a fusion protein, but hardly formed dimer as IFNγ did.

Fgf4 is required for left-right patterning of visceral organs in zebrafish.

Fgf signaling plays essential roles in many developmental events. To investigate the roles of Fgf4 signaling in zebrafish development, we generated Fgf4 knockdown embryos by injection with Fgf4 antisense morpholino oligonucleotides. Randomized LR patterning of visceral organs including the liver, pancreas, and heart was observed in the knockdown embryos.