Highly effective recombinant format of a humanized IgG-like bispecific antibody for cancer immunotherapy with retargeting of lymphocytes to tumor cells

J Biol Chem. 2007 Sep 21;282(38):27659-65. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M704719200. Epub 2007 Jul 19.

Abstract

We previously reported the marked in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of hEx3, a humanized diabody (small recombinant bispecific antibody) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and CD3 retargeting. Here, we fabricated a tetravalent IgG-like bispecific antibody with two kinds of single-chain Fv (scFv), i.e. humanized anti-EGFR scFv and anti-CD3 scFv, that contains the same four variable domains as hEx3, on the platform of human IgG1 (hEx3-scFv-Fc). hEx3-scFv-Fc prepared from mammalian cells showed specific binding to both EGFR and CD3 target antigens. At one-thousandth (0.1-100 fmol/ml) of the dose of normal hEx3, hEx3-scFv-Fc showed intense cytotoxicity to an EGFR-positive cell line in a growth-inhibition assay using lymphokine-activated killer cells with the T-cell phenotype (T-LAK cells). The enhanced antitumor effect was more clearly observed when peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used as effector cells, indicating the utility of IgG-like fabrication. These results suggested that the intense antitumor activity is attributable to the multivalency and the presence of the fused human Fc, a hypothesis that was supported by the results of flow cytometry, PBMC proliferation assay, and protein kinase inhibition assay. Furthermore, the growth inhibition effects of hEx3-scFv-Fc were considerably superior to those of the approved therapeutic antibody, cetuximab, which recognizes the same EGFR antigen even when using PBMCs as effector cells. The high potency of hEx3-scFv-Fc may translate into improved antitumor therapy and lower costs of production because of the smaller doses needed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bispecific / chemistry*
  • CD3 Complex / chemistry
  • CHO Cells
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / chemistry*
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / cytology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / pathology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bispecific
  • CD3 Complex
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • ErbB Receptors