Novel monoclonal antibody L2A5 specifically targeting sialyl-Tn and short glycans terminated by alpha-2-6 sialic acids

Sci Rep. 2018 Aug 15;8(1):12196. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-30421-w.

Abstract

Incomplete O-glycosylation is a feature associated with malignancy resulting in the expression of truncated glycans such as the sialyl-Tn (STn) antigen. Despite all the progress in the development of potential anti-cancer antibodies, their application is frequently hindered by low specificities and cross-reactivity. In this study, a novel anti-STn monoclonal antibody named L2A5 was developed by hybridoma technology. Flow cytometry analysis showed that L2A5 specifically binds to sialylated structures on the cell surface of STn-expressing breast and bladder cancer cell lines. Moreover, immunoblotting assays demonstrated reactivity to tumour-associated O-glycosylated proteins, such as MUC1. Tumour recognition was further observed using immunohistochemistry assays, which demonstrated a high sensitivity and specificity of L2A5 mAb towards cancer tissue, using bladder and colorectal cancer tissues. L2A5 staining was exclusively tumoural, with a remarkable reactivity in invasive and metastasis sites, not detectable by other anti-STn mAbs. Additionally, it stained 20% of cases of triple-negative breast cancers, suggesting application in diseases with unmet clinical needs. Finally, the fine specificity was assessed using glycan microarrays, demonstrating a highly specific binding of L2A5 to core STn antigens and additional ability to bind 2-6-linked sialyl core-1 probes. In conclusion, this study describes a novel anti-STn antibody with a unique binding specificity that can be applied for cancer diagnostic and future development of new antibody-based therapeutic applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / isolation & purification*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / immunology*
  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / physiology
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Female
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Hybridomas
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides / immunology
  • Sialic Acids / metabolism
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Polysaccharides
  • Sialic Acids
  • sialosyl-Tn antigen