Download MendeleyDesign of cell-type-specific hyperstable IL-4 mimetics via modular de novo scaffolds.
Yang, H., Ulge, U.Y., Quijano-Rubio, A., Bernstein, Z.J., Maestas, D.R., Chun, J.H., Wang, W., Lin, J.X., Jude, K.M., Singh, S., Orcutt-Jahns, B.T., Li, P., Mou, J., Chung, L., Kuo, Y.H., Ali, Y.H., Meyer, A.S., Grayson, W.L., Heller, N.M., Garcia, K.C., Leonard, W.J., Silva, D.A., Elisseeff, J.H., Baker, D., Spangler, J.B.(2023) Nat Chem Biol 19: 1127-1137
- PubMed: 37024727
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-023-01313-6
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
8DZ8 - PubMed Abstract:
The interleukin-4 (IL-4) cytokine plays a critical role in modulating immune homeostasis. Although there is great interest in harnessing this cytokine as a therapeutic in natural or engineered formats, the clinical potential of native IL-4 is limited by its instability and pleiotropic actions. Here, we design IL-4 cytokine mimetics (denoted Neo-4) based on a de novo engineered IL-2 mimetic scaffold and demonstrate that these cytokines can recapitulate physiological functions of IL-4 in cellular and animal models. In contrast with natural IL-4, Neo-4 is hyperstable and signals exclusively through the type I IL-4 receptor complex, providing previously inaccessible insights into differential IL-4 signaling through type I versus type II receptors. Because of their hyperstability, our computationally designed mimetics can directly incorporate into sophisticated biomaterials that require heat processing, such as three-dimensional-printed scaffolds. Neo-4 should be broadly useful for interrogating IL-4 biology, and the design workflow will inform targeted cytokine therapeutic development.
Organizational Affiliation:
Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
