PEGylation of a glycosaminoglycan-binding, dominant-negative CXCL8 mutant retains bioactivity in vitro and in vivo

We have recently shown that a dominant-negative mutant of CXCL8, dnCXCL8, with increased glycosaminoglycan (GAG) binding affinity and inactivated GPCR signaling function is able to efficiently prevent neutrophil infiltration into murine lungs (Adage et al., 2015). Here we present evidence that chemical PEGylation of dnCXCL8 with 20 kDa and 40 kDa PEG does not significantly interfere with GAG binding affinity, nor does it influence the mutant’s disabled chemotaxis function, while it strongly improved bioavailability and serum half-life of the chemokine mutant. In a murine model of lung inflammation, only the 40 kDa PEGylated dnCXCL8 showed a significant reduction of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. In combination with an almost three-fold increase (compared to non-PEGylated dnCXCL8) in plasma half-life after intravenous administration, our results prove that PEGylation of chemokine-derived biologics is an amenable way for the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions.