Assessing the stoichiometric efficacy of mammalian expressed paraoxonase-1 variant I-F11 to afford protection against G-type nerve agents

- PON1 variants were expressed in vitro in cells and in vivo in mice using adenovirus.
- I-F11 was investigated to afford protection against G-agent toxicity in mice.
- Mice expressing I-F11 were protected from lethal doses of GA, GB, GD, and GF.
- I-F11 affords protection against 10-90 folds molar excess of GA, GB, GD and GF.
- I-F11 associates with high density lipoproteins in mouse blood.

We evaluated the ability of evolved paraoxonase-1 (PON1) to afford broad spectrum protection against G-type nerve agents when produced in mammalian cells via an adenovirus expression system. The PON1 variants G3C9, VII-D11, I-F11, VII-D2 and II-G1 were screened in vitro for their ability to hydrolyze G-agents, as well as for their preference towards hydrolysis of the more toxic P(−) isomer. I-F11, with catalytic efficiencies of (1.1 ± 0.1) × 106 M−1 min−1, (2.5 ± 0.1) × 106 M−1 min−1, (2.3 ± 0.5) × 107 M−1 min−1and (9.2 ± 0.1) × 106 M−1 min−1 against tabun (GA), sarin (GB), soman (GD) and cyclosarin (GF), respectively, was found to be a leading candidate for further evaluation. To demonstrate the broad spectrum efficacy of I-F11 against G-agents, a sequential 5 × LD50 dose of GD, GF, GB and GA was administered to ten mice expressing I-F11 on days 3, 4, 5 and 6 following virus injection, respectively. At the conclusion of the experiment, 80% of the animals survived exposure to all four G-agents. Using the concept of stoichiometric efficacy, we determined that I-F11 affords protection from lethality against an administered dose of 10, 15, 90 and 80 molar equivalents of GA, GB, GD and GF, respectively, relative to the molar equivalents of I-F11 in circulation. It also appears that I-F11 can associate with high density lipoprotein in circulation, suggesting that I-F11 retained this function of native PON1. This combination of attractive attributes demonstrates that I-F11 is an attractive candidate for development as a broad-therapeutic against G-type nerve agent exposure.