The lyophilized chloroplasts store synthetic DARPin G3 as bioactive encapsulated organelles.

Background: The high cost of fermentation, purification, cold storage and transportation, short shelf life, and sterile delivery methods of biopharmaceuticals, is a matter for producers and consumers as well. Since the FDA has now approved plant cells for large-scale, cost-effective biopharmaceutical production, the isolation and lyophilization of transplastomic chloroplasts can cover concerns about limitations. DARPins are engineered small single-domain proteins that have been selected to bind to HER2 with high affinity and specificity. HER2 is an oncogene involved in abnormal cell growth in some cancers and the target molecule for cancer immunotherapy.

Results: In this study, we reported the prolonged stability and functionality of DARPin G3 in lyophilized transplastomic tobacco leaves and chloroplasts. Western blot analysis of lyophilized leaves and chloroplasts stored at room temperature for up to nine months showed that the DARPin G3 protein was stable and preserved proper folding. Lyophilization of leaves and isolated chloroplasts increased DARPin G3 protein concentrations by 16 and 32-fold, respectively. The HER2-binding assay demonstrated that the chloroplast-made DARPin G3 can maintain its stability and binding activity without any affinity drop in lyophilized leaf materials throughout this study for more than nine months at room temperature.

Conclusion: Lyophilization of chloroplasts expressing DARPin G3 would further reduce costs and simplify downstream processing, purification, and storage. Compressed packages of lyophilized chloroplasts were much more effective than lyophilized transplastomic leaves considering occupied space and downstream extraction and purification of DARPin G3 after nine months. These methods facilitate any relevant formulation practices for these compounds to meet any demand-oriented needs.