Evaluation of the biological activity of the GM-CSF-ApoA-I fusion protein, obtained by biosynthesis in the yeast <em>Pichia pastoris</em>

Abstract

Results and discussionClinicians use recombinant GM-CSF to treat neutropenia and reduce the risk of infections during bone marrow transplantation, but the short half-life and high toxicity of GM-CSF are serious limitations of its use in therapy. Two strategies are mainly used -pegylation of GM-CSF and the construction of fusion proteins to increase the clinical efficacy of GM-CSF. In this study a chimera was created in which GM-CSF was fused with apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) to reduce the toxicity of GM-CSF. ApoA-I is a naturally occurring protein with a long half-life in the body with atheroprotective 1 , antioxidant 2 , antiapoptotic 3 and anti-inflammatory 4 effects.