Trivalent nanobody-based ligands mediate powerful activation of GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 in human platelets whereas FcγRIIA requires a tetravalent ligand

Eleyna M Martin; Joanne C. Clark; Samantha J Montague; Luis A. Moran; Ying Di; Lily J. Bull; Luke Whittle; Florije Raka; Richard J. Buka; Idrees Zafar; Caroline Kardeby; Alexandre Slater; Steve P. Watson

doi:10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.026

Trivalent nanobody-based ligands mediate powerful activation of GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 in human platelets whereas FcγRIIA requires a tetravalent ligand

Eleyna M Martin, Joanne C. Clark, Samantha J Montague, Luis A. Moran, Ying Di, Lily J. Bull, Luke Whittle, Florije Raka, Richard J. Buka, Idrees Zafar, Caroline Kardeby, Alexandre Slater, Steve P. Watson^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

University of Birmingham

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Background: Clustering of the glycoprotein receptors GPVI, CLEC-2, FcγRIIA and PEAR1 leads to powerful activation of platelets through phosphorylation of tyrosine in their cytosolic tails and initiation of downstream signalling cascades. GPVI, CLEC-2 and FcγRIIA signal through YxxL motifs that activate Syk. PEAR1 signals through a YxxM motif that activates phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Current ligands for these receptors have an undefined valency and show significant batch variation and, for some, uncertain specificity.

Objectives: We have raised nanobodies against each of these receptors and multimerised them to identify the minimum number of epitopes to achieve robust activation of human platelets.

Methods: Divalent and trivalent nanobodies were generated using a flexible glycine-serine linker. Tetravalent nanobodies utilise a mouse Fc domain (IgG2a, which does not bind to FcγRIIA) to dimerise the divalent nanobody. Ligand affinity measurements were determined by surface plasmon resonance. Platelet aggregation, ATP secretion and protein phosphorylation were analysed using standardised methods.

Results: Multimerisation of the nanobodies led to a stepwise increase in affinity with divalent and higher-order nanobody oligomers having sub-nanomolar affinity. The trivalent nanobodies to GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 stimulated powerful and robust platelet aggregation, secretion and protein phosphorylation at low nanomolar concentrations. A tetravalent nanobody was required to activate FcγRIIA with the concentration-response relationship showing a greater variability and reduced sensitivity compared to the other nanobody-based ligands, despite a sub-nanomolar binding affinity.

Conclusions: The multivalent nanobodies represent a series of standardised, potent agonists for platelet glycoprotein receptors. They have applications as research tools and in clinical assays.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	271-285
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis
Volume	22
Issue number	1
Early online date	7 Oct 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.026
Publication status	Published - Jan 2024

Bibliographical note

Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/], which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Acknowledgements: This work was funded by the Wellcome Trust Joint Investigator award (204951/Z/16Z). SPW is a BHF Chair (CH03/003). JCC, SJM, RJB, CK and AS were supported by the Accelerator Award from the BHF (AA/18/2/34218). SJM is supported by a BHF project grant (PG/23/11230). LAM was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement (766118). CK was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement (893262). We would like to thank Dr Steve Schoonooghe at VIB Nanobody core for assistance in the design and generation of the multivalent nanobody plasmid DNA. This is independent research funded by the providers named above and carried out at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funders, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Funding

Funding information This work was funded by the Wellcome Trust Joint Investigator award (204951/Z/16Z).This work was funded by the Wellcome Trust Joint Investigator award (204951/Z/16Z). S.P.W. is a BHF Chair (CH03/003). J.C.C., S.J.M., R.J.B., C.K., and A.S. were supported by the Accelerator Award from the BHF (AA/18/2/34218). S.J.M. is supported by a BHF project grant (PG/23/11230). L.A.M. was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement (766118). C.K. was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement (893262). We would like to thank Dr Steve Schoonooghe at VIB Nanobody core for assistance in the design and generation of the multivalent nanobody plasmid DNA. This is independent research funded by the providers named above and carried out at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funders, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Funders	Funder number
NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre
National Institute for Health and Care Research
Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre
Horizon 2020
British Heart Foundation	CH03/003, PG/23/11230, AA/18/2/34218
H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions	893262, 766118
Wellcome Trust	204951/Z/16Z

Keywords

Src kinases
cell signalling
ligands
platelets
tyrosine kinase linked receptors

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10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.026

PIIS1538783623007286
Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/], which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Accepted author manuscript, 7.71 MBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Cite this

Martin, E. M., Clark, J. C., Montague, S. J., Moran, L. A., Di, Y., Bull, L. J., Whittle, L., Raka, F., Buka, R. J., Zafar, I., Kardeby, C., Slater, A., & Watson, S. P. (2024). Trivalent nanobody-based ligands mediate powerful activation of GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 in human platelets whereas FcγRIIA requires a tetravalent ligand. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 22(1), 271-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.026

@article{ddf3eba12dee4628afc03259379a5d67,

title = "Trivalent nanobody-based ligands mediate powerful activation of GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 in human platelets whereas FcγRIIA requires a tetravalent ligand",

abstract = "Background: Clustering of the glycoprotein receptors GPVI, CLEC-2, FcγRIIA and PEAR1 leads to powerful activation of platelets through phosphorylation of tyrosine in their cytosolic tails and initiation of downstream signalling cascades. GPVI, CLEC-2 and FcγRIIA signal through YxxL motifs that activate Syk. PEAR1 signals through a YxxM motif that activates phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Current ligands for these receptors have an undefined valency and show significant batch variation and, for some, uncertain specificity.Objectives: We have raised nanobodies against each of these receptors and multimerised them to identify the minimum number of epitopes to achieve robust activation of human platelets.Methods: Divalent and trivalent nanobodies were generated using a flexible glycine-serine linker. Tetravalent nanobodies utilise a mouse Fc domain (IgG2a, which does not bind to FcγRIIA) to dimerise the divalent nanobody. Ligand affinity measurements were determined by surface plasmon resonance. Platelet aggregation, ATP secretion and protein phosphorylation were analysed using standardised methods.Results: Multimerisation of the nanobodies led to a stepwise increase in affinity with divalent and higher-order nanobody oligomers having sub-nanomolar affinity. The trivalent nanobodies to GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 stimulated powerful and robust platelet aggregation, secretion and protein phosphorylation at low nanomolar concentrations. A tetravalent nanobody was required to activate FcγRIIA with the concentration-response relationship showing a greater variability and reduced sensitivity compared to the other nanobody-based ligands, despite a sub-nanomolar binding affinity.Conclusions: The multivalent nanobodies represent a series of standardised, potent agonists for platelet glycoprotein receptors. They have applications as research tools and in clinical assays.",

keywords = "Src kinases, cell signalling, ligands, platelets, tyrosine kinase linked receptors",

author = "Martin, {Eleyna M} and Clark, {Joanne C.} and Montague, {Samantha J} and Moran, {Luis A.} and Ying Di and Bull, {Lily J.} and Luke Whittle and Florije Raka and Buka, {Richard J.} and Idrees Zafar and Caroline Kardeby and Alexandre Slater and Watson, {Steve P.}",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/], which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Acknowledgements: This work was funded by the Wellcome Trust Joint Investigator award (204951/Z/16Z). SPW is a BHF Chair (CH03/003). JCC, SJM, RJB, CK and AS were supported by the Accelerator Award from the BHF (AA/18/2/34218). SJM is supported by a BHF project grant (PG/23/11230). LAM was supported by the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement (766118). CK was supported by the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement (893262). We would like to thank Dr Steve Schoonooghe at VIB Nanobody core for assistance in the design and generation of the multivalent nanobody plasmid DNA. This is independent research funded by the providers named above and carried out at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funders, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.026",

language = "English",

volume = "22",

pages = "271--285",

journal = "Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis",

issn = "1538-7933",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "1",

}

Martin, EM, Clark, JC, Montague, SJ, Moran, LA, Di, Y, Bull, LJ, Whittle, L, Raka, F, Buka, RJ, Zafar, I, Kardeby, C, Slater, A & Watson, SP 2024, 'Trivalent nanobody-based ligands mediate powerful activation of GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 in human platelets whereas FcγRIIA requires a tetravalent ligand', Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 271-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.026

TY - JOUR

T1 - Trivalent nanobody-based ligands mediate powerful activation of GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 in human platelets whereas FcγRIIA requires a tetravalent ligand

AU - Martin, Eleyna M

AU - Clark, Joanne C.

AU - Montague, Samantha J

AU - Moran, Luis A.

AU - Di, Ying

AU - Bull, Lily J.

AU - Whittle, Luke

AU - Raka, Florije

AU - Buka, Richard J.

AU - Zafar, Idrees

AU - Kardeby, Caroline

AU - Slater, Alexandre

AU - Watson, Steve P.

N1 - Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/], which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Acknowledgements: This work was funded by the Wellcome Trust Joint Investigator award (204951/Z/16Z). SPW is a BHF Chair (CH03/003). JCC, SJM, RJB, CK and AS were supported by the Accelerator Award from the BHF (AA/18/2/34218). SJM is supported by a BHF project grant (PG/23/11230). LAM was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement (766118). CK was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement (893262). We would like to thank Dr Steve Schoonooghe at VIB Nanobody core for assistance in the design and generation of the multivalent nanobody plasmid DNA. This is independent research funded by the providers named above and carried out at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funders, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

PY - 2024/1

Y1 - 2024/1

N2 - Background: Clustering of the glycoprotein receptors GPVI, CLEC-2, FcγRIIA and PEAR1 leads to powerful activation of platelets through phosphorylation of tyrosine in their cytosolic tails and initiation of downstream signalling cascades. GPVI, CLEC-2 and FcγRIIA signal through YxxL motifs that activate Syk. PEAR1 signals through a YxxM motif that activates phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Current ligands for these receptors have an undefined valency and show significant batch variation and, for some, uncertain specificity.Objectives: We have raised nanobodies against each of these receptors and multimerised them to identify the minimum number of epitopes to achieve robust activation of human platelets.Methods: Divalent and trivalent nanobodies were generated using a flexible glycine-serine linker. Tetravalent nanobodies utilise a mouse Fc domain (IgG2a, which does not bind to FcγRIIA) to dimerise the divalent nanobody. Ligand affinity measurements were determined by surface plasmon resonance. Platelet aggregation, ATP secretion and protein phosphorylation were analysed using standardised methods.Results: Multimerisation of the nanobodies led to a stepwise increase in affinity with divalent and higher-order nanobody oligomers having sub-nanomolar affinity. The trivalent nanobodies to GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 stimulated powerful and robust platelet aggregation, secretion and protein phosphorylation at low nanomolar concentrations. A tetravalent nanobody was required to activate FcγRIIA with the concentration-response relationship showing a greater variability and reduced sensitivity compared to the other nanobody-based ligands, despite a sub-nanomolar binding affinity.Conclusions: The multivalent nanobodies represent a series of standardised, potent agonists for platelet glycoprotein receptors. They have applications as research tools and in clinical assays.

AB - Background: Clustering of the glycoprotein receptors GPVI, CLEC-2, FcγRIIA and PEAR1 leads to powerful activation of platelets through phosphorylation of tyrosine in their cytosolic tails and initiation of downstream signalling cascades. GPVI, CLEC-2 and FcγRIIA signal through YxxL motifs that activate Syk. PEAR1 signals through a YxxM motif that activates phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Current ligands for these receptors have an undefined valency and show significant batch variation and, for some, uncertain specificity.Objectives: We have raised nanobodies against each of these receptors and multimerised them to identify the minimum number of epitopes to achieve robust activation of human platelets.Methods: Divalent and trivalent nanobodies were generated using a flexible glycine-serine linker. Tetravalent nanobodies utilise a mouse Fc domain (IgG2a, which does not bind to FcγRIIA) to dimerise the divalent nanobody. Ligand affinity measurements were determined by surface plasmon resonance. Platelet aggregation, ATP secretion and protein phosphorylation were analysed using standardised methods.Results: Multimerisation of the nanobodies led to a stepwise increase in affinity with divalent and higher-order nanobody oligomers having sub-nanomolar affinity. The trivalent nanobodies to GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 stimulated powerful and robust platelet aggregation, secretion and protein phosphorylation at low nanomolar concentrations. A tetravalent nanobody was required to activate FcγRIIA with the concentration-response relationship showing a greater variability and reduced sensitivity compared to the other nanobody-based ligands, despite a sub-nanomolar binding affinity.Conclusions: The multivalent nanobodies represent a series of standardised, potent agonists for platelet glycoprotein receptors. They have applications as research tools and in clinical assays.

KW - Src kinases

KW - cell signalling

KW - ligands

KW - platelets

KW - tyrosine kinase linked receptors

UR - https://www.jthjournal.org/article/S1538-7836(23)00728-6/fulltext

U2 - 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.026

DO - 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.026

M3 - Article

SN - 1538-7933

VL - 22

SP - 271

EP - 285

JO - Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis

JF - Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis

IS - 1

ER -

Trivalent nanobody-based ligands mediate powerful activation of GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1 in human platelets whereas FcγRIIA requires a tetravalent ligand

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