Bioinformatic prediction and experimental validation of a PE38-based recombinant immunotoxin targeting the Fn14 receptor in cancer cells

Abstract

Aim: AFn14R can serve as an ideal target for cancer immunotherapy. Here, a combined bioinformatic and experimental approach was applied to characterize an immunotoxin consisting of single-chain variable fragment antibody that targets Fn14 and a toxin fragment (PE38). Methods & Results: Flow cytometry results showed that the rate of PE38-P4A8 binding to Fn14 was approximately 60 and 40% in HT-29 and A549 cells, respectively. Moreover, 1 ng/µl of immunotoxin was able to lyse approximately 53 and 41% of HT-29 and A549, respectively. PE38-P4A8 showed stability in mouse serum (∼90%) after 3-h incubation. Most importantly, using bioinformatics for determining the structure and function of fusion proteins can be very helpful in designing of experiments. Conclusion: Coupled with bioinformatics, experimental approaches revealed that PE38-P4A8 could be used as a promising therapeutic agent for cancer cells expressing Fn14.