A heterohexameric protein consisting of six linked single-domain antibodies is highly protective for BoNT/A, BoNT/B and BoNT/E exposures

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) serotypes A, B and E cause the vast majority of human botulism cases and pose the greatest bioterrorism threats. We previously identified multiple camelid single-domain antibodies (VHHs) that each neutralize BoNT/A, BoNT/B or BoNT/E. We also demonstrated that heterodimers of linked toxin-neutralizing VHHs are much more potent than VHH monomer pools in preventing BoNT intoxication. In this study, we expressed two different heterohexamer proteins (VNA1-ABE and VNA2-ABE) of ~100 kDa secreted from mammalian host cells, each containing the same six linked anti-BoNT VHH components ordered in two different combinations. Each heterohexamer contained two VHHs that neutralize BoNT/A, BoNT/B or BoNT/E. Both heterohexameric antitoxins displayed similar strong binding properties for the three targeted BoNT serotypes by ELISA. One ug of each heterohexameric antitoxin fully protected groups of mice co-administered with 100 LD50 of BoNT/A, BoNT/B or BoNT/E, or a pool containing 100 LD50 of each of the three toxins. The results demonstrate that long chains of at least six different linked VHHs can be expressed such that all component VHHs in the multimer retain their target binding activities. These findings make more feasible the development of a BoNT antitoxin product consisting of a small pool of proteins that, in combination, neutralize all known BoNT serotypes and subtypes. Key ContributionHeteromultimeric proteins consisting of six linked, VHH antibodies, and including VHHs that neutralize BoNT/A, BoNT/B and BoNT/E, retain high potency to protect mice challenged with high doses of all three of these BoNT serotypes.