The production of a recombinant tandem single chain fragment variable capable of binding prolamins triggering celiac disease

Abstract

Abstract Background Celiac disease (CD) is one of the most common food-related chronic disorders. It is mediated by the dietary consumption of prolamins, which are storage proteins of different grains. So far, no therapy exists and patients are bound to maintain a lifelong diet to avoid symptoms and long-term complications. To support those patients we developed a tandem single chain Fragment variable (tscFv) acting as a neutralizing agent against prolamins. We recombinantly produced this molecule in E. coli, but mainly obtained misfolded product aggregates, so-called inclusion bodies, independent of the cultivation strategy we applied. Results In this study, we introduce this novel tscFv against CD and present our strategy of obtaining active product from inclusion bodies. The refolded tscFv shows binding capabilities towards all tested CD-triggering grains. Compared to a standard polyclonal anti-PT-gliadin-IgY, the tscFv displays a slightly reduced affinity towards digested gliadin, but an additional affinity towards prolamins of barley. Conclusion The high binding specificity of tscFv towards prolamin-containing grains makes this novel molecule a valuable candidate to support patients suffering from CD in the future.

Keywords

• Celiac disease
• Single chain fragment variable
• E. coli
• Inclusion body
• ELISA