Targeted computational design of an interleukin-7 superkine with enhanced folding efficiency and immunotherapeutic efficacy.

ABSTRACT: Interleukin-7 (IL-7) plays a central role in maintaining T cell development and immune homeostasis, and enhancing the cytokine's immune-stimulatory functionality has broad therapeutic implications against various oncological malignancies. Herein, we show a computationally designed IL7 superkine, Neo-7, which exhibits enhanced folding efficiency and superior binding affinity to its cognate receptors. To streamline the protein candidate prediction and validation process, the loop region of IL7 was strategically targeted for redesign while most of the receptor-interacting regions were preserved. Leveraging advanced computational tools such as AlphaFold2, we show loop remodeling to rectify structural irregularities that allow for iterative stabilization of protein backbone and lead to identifi

SUBMITTER: Lim SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12810954 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature