PEGylated liposomes for diagnosis of polyethylene glycol allergy - 23/05/24

Doi : 10.1016/j.jaci.2024.03.030

Griffith B. Perkins, PhD ^a,^b,^c, Matthew J. Tunbridge, MBBS, FRACP ^a,^b, Plinio R. Hurtado, MD, PhD ^a,^b, James Zuiani, BSc(Adv) ^a, Shweta Mhatre, PhD ^a,^c, Kwok Ho Yip, PhD ^d, Thanh-Thao Adriana Le, MBBS, FRACP ^e, Carlo Yuson, MD, FRACP ^e, Frank Kette, PhD, FRACP ^e, Pravin Hissaria, MD, FRACP ^a,^c,^e,^⁎
^a Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
^b Central and Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
^c Immunology Directorate, SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia
^d Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia
^e Department of Allergy and Immunology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia

^∗Corresponding author: Pravin Hissaria, MD, FRACP, 1 Port Rd, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 5000.1 Port RdAdelaideSouth Australia5000Australia

Sous presse. Épreuves corrigées par l'auteur. Disponible en ligne depuis le Thursday 23 May 2024
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Graphical abstract

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Abstract

Background

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a nonprotein polymer that is present in its native (unbound) form as an excipient in a range of products. It is increasingly being utilized clinically in the form of PEGylated liposomal medications and vaccines. PEG is the cause of anaphylaxis in a small percentage of drug reactions; however, diagnosis of PEG allergy is complicated by the variable and poor diagnostic performance of current skin testing protocols.

Objective

We assessed the diagnostic performance of PEGylated lipid medications as an alternative to currently described tests that use medications containing PEG excipients.

Methods

Nine patients with a strong history of PEG allergy were evaluated by skin testing with a panel of PEG-containing medications and with a PEGylated lipid nanoparticle vaccine (BNT162b2). Reactivity of basophils to unbound and liposomal PEG was assessed ex vivo, and specificity of basophil responses to PEGylated liposomes was investigated with a competitive inhibition assay. More detailed information is provided in this article’s Methods section in the Online Repository available at www.jacionline.org.

Results

Despite compelling histories of anaphylaxis to PEG-containing medications, only 2 (22%) of 9 patients were skin test positive for purified PEG or their index reaction-indicated PEG-containing compound. Conversely, all 9 patients were skin test positive or basophil activation test positive to PEGylated liposomal BNT162b2 vaccine. Concordantly, PEGylated liposomal drugs (BNT162b2 vaccine and PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin), but not purified PEG2000, consistently induced basophil activation ex vivo in patients with PEG allergy but not in nonallergic controls. Basophil reactivity to PEGylated nanoparticles competitively inhibited by preincubation of basophils with native PEG2000.

Conclusion

Presentation of PEG on the surface of a lipid nanoparticle increases its in vivo and ex vivo allergenicity, and improves diagnosis of PEG allergy.

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Key words : PEG allergy, polyethylene glycol, basophil activation, lipid nanoparticle, liposome, allergy diagnosis, vaccination, COVID-19, BNT162b2, mRNA vaccine

Abbreviations used : COVID-19, IDT, mRNA, PEG, PEGylated, SPT