Development of Modified Phenylalanine Ammonia-lyase for the Treatment of Phenylketonuria

Abstract － Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited metabolic disorder caused by mutations in the phenylalanine catabolic enzyme, phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). The use of phenylalanine ammonia-lase (PAL) by oral and parenteral routes as a therapeutic drug for PKU has been severely limited due to inactivation by intestinal proteolysis and immune reactions. PEGylation was applied to PAL to reduce the degrees of antigenicity and proteolytic inactivation. Kinetic experiments with native PAL and pegylated PALs were performed, and pH stability, temperature stability, and protease susceptibility were evaluated. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was carried out to measure the immune complex between pegylated PALs and antiserum that had been extracted from a PAL-immunized mouse. Pegylated PAL, especially branched pegylated PAL (10 kDa, 1:32), was more active for phenylalanine and more stable in pancreatic proteases than native PAL. Native PAL was optimal at pH 8.5, corresponding to the average pH range of the small intestine; the same finding was noted for pegylated PALs. All linear and branched pegylated PALs had low reactivity with mouse antiserum, especially the 1:16 formulation with linear 5-kDa PEG and the 1:32 formulation with branched 10-kDa PEG. Therefore, we suggest the 1:32 formulation with branched 10-kDa PEG as the most promising formulation for enzyme replacement therapy