Assessing stability and assembly of the hepatitis B surface antigen into virus-like particles during down-stream processing

authored by

Maria Zahid, Heinrich Lünsdorf, Ursula Rinas

Abstract

The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is a recombinant protein-based vaccine being able to form virus-like particles (VLPs). HBsAg is mainly produced using yeast-based expression systems, however, recent results strongly suggest that VLPs are not formed within the yeast cells during the cultivation but are formed in a gradual manner during the following down-stream procedures. VLPs are also not detectable during the first down-stream steps including mechanical and EDTA/detergent-assisted cell destruction. Moreover, VLPs are not detectable in the cell lysate treated with polyethylene glycol and colloidal silica. The first VLP resembling structures appear after elution of HBsAg from colloidal silica to which it binds through hydrophobic interaction. These first VLP resembling structures are non-symmetrical as well as heterodisperse and exhibit a high tendency toward cluster formation presumably because of surface exposed hydrophobic patches. More symmetrical and monodisperse VLPs appear after the following ion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography most likely as the result of buffer changes during these purification steps (toward more neutral pH and less salt). Final treatment of the VLPs with the denaturant KSCN at moderate concentrations with following KSCN removal by dialysis does not cause unfolding and VLP disassembly but results in a re- and fine-structuring of the VLP surface topology.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Technical Chemistry

External Organisation(s)

Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI)

Type

Article

Journal

Vaccine

Volume

33

Pages

3739-3745

No. of pages

7

ISSN

0264-410X

Publication date

17.07.2015

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Molecular Medicine, Immunology and Microbiology(all), veterinary(all), Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Infectious Diseases

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.05.066 (Access: Unknown)