Vunakizumab-IL22, a Novel Fusion Protein, Promotes Intestinal Epithelial Repair and Protects against Gut Injury Induced by the Influenza Virus

Chenchen Shi; Chang Su; Lifeng Cen; Lei Han; Jianguo Tang; Zetian Wang; Xunlong Shi; Dianwen Ju; Yiou Cao; Haiyan Zhu

doi:10.3390/biomedicines11041160

Vunakizumab-IL22, a Novel Fusion Protein, Promotes Intestinal Epithelial Repair and Protects against Gut Injury Induced by the Influenza Virus

Biomedicines. 2023 Apr 12;11(4):1160. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11041160.

Authors

Chenchen Shi^{1

2}, Chang Su^{3

4}, Lifeng Cen¹, Lei Han¹, Jianguo Tang⁵, Zetian Wang⁵, Xunlong Shi¹, Dianwen Ju¹, Yiou Cao^{3

4}, Haiyan Zhu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of ImmunoTherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
² Division of Spine, Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
³ Department of Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201100, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital & AHS, Fudan University, Shanghai 201100, China.
⁵ Department of Trauma-Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, China.

Abstract

Secondary immune damage to the intestinal mucosa due to an influenza virus infection has gained the attention of investigators. The protection of the intestinal barrier is an effective means of improving the survival rate in cases of severe pneumonia. We developed a fusion protein, Vunakizumab-IL22(vmab-IL22), by combining an anti-IL17A antibody with IL22. Our previous study showed that Vunakizumab-IL22 repairs the pulmonary epithelial barrier in influenza virus-infected mice. In this study, we investigated the protective effects against enteritis given its anti-inflammatory and tissue repair functions. The number of goblet cells and the expression of zonula occludens protein 1(ZO-1), Mucin-2, Ki67 and IL-22R were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative RT-PCR in influenza A virus (H1N1)-infected mice. The expression of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and toll- like-receptor-4 (TLR4) was assayed by IHC in the lungs and intestine in HIN1 virus-induced mice to evaluate the whole efficacy of the protective effects on lungs and intestines. Consequently, Cytochrome C, phosphorylation of nuclear factor NF-kappaB (p-NF-κB), IL-1β, NLRP3 and Caspase 3 were assayed by Western blotting in dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-treated mice. Treatment with Vunakizumab-IL22 improved the shortened colon length, macroscopic and microscopic morphology of the small intestine (p < 0.001) significantly, and strengthened the tight junction proteins, which was accompanied with the upregulated expression of IL22R. Meanwhile, Vunakizumab-mIL22 inhibited the expression of inflammation-related protein in a mouse model of enteritis induced by H1N1 and DSS. These findings provide new evidence for the treatment strategy for severe viral pneumonia involved in gut barrier protection. The results suggest that Vunakizumab-IL22 is a promising biopharmaceutical drug and is a candidate for the treatment of direct and indirect intestinal injuries, including those induced by the influenza virus and DSS.

Keywords: Vunakizumab-IL22; dextran sulfate sodium; gut–lung axis; influenza A virus; intestinal barrier.

Abstract

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