A New Optimized Version of a Colorectal Cancer-Targeted Immunotoxin Based on a Non-Immunogenic Variant of the Ribotoxin α-Sarcin

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Antitumor therapy with immunotoxins is limited by problems of immunogenicity and low efficacy in solid tumors. The different strategies to solve these problems include obtaining non-immunogenic variants of the toxins used as well as optimizing their release into the cytosol to increase their cytotoxic efficacy. Immunotoxins based on fungal ribotoxins have shown high specificity and antitumor efficacy. The aim of this work was to obtain two immunotoxins based on a non-immunogenic variant of the sarcin ribotoxin, one of which included a furin cleavage site. The results confirmed the null activation of the immunogenic response as well as a high antitumor efficacy of the optimized variant. ABSTRACT: Due to its incidence and mortality, cancer remains one of the main risks to human health and lifespans. In order to overcome this worldwide disease, immunotherapy and the therapeutic use of immunotoxins have arisen as promising approaches. However, the immunogenicity of foreign proteins limits the dose of immunotoxins administered, thereby leading to a decrease in its therapeutic benefit. In this study, we designed two different variants of non-immunogenic immunotoxins (IMTXA33αSDI and IMTXA33furαSDI) based on a deimmunized variant of the ribotoxin α-sarcin. The inclusion of a furin cleavage site in IMTXA33furαSDI would allow a more efficient release of the toxic domain to the cytosol. Both immunotoxins were produced and purified in the yeast Pichia pastoris and later functionally characterized (both in vitro and in vivo), and immunogenicity assays were carried out. The results showed that both immunotoxins were functionally active and less immunogenic than the wild-type immunotoxin. In addition, IMTXA33furαSDI showed a more efficient antitumor effect (both in vitro and in vivo) due to the inclusion of the furin linker. These results constituted a step forward in the optimization of immunotoxins with low immunogenicity and enhanced antitumor activity, which can lead to potential better outcomes in cancer treatment.