U.S. patent number 7,763,719 [Application Number 11/776,437] was granted by the patent office on 2010-07-27 for variants of humanized anti-carcinoma mab cc49.
This patent grant is currently assigned to N/A, The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services. Invention is credited to Syed V S. Kashmiri, Eduardo A. Padlan, Jeffrey Schlom.
United States Patent |
7,763,719 |
Kashmiri , et al. |
July 27, 2010 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Variants of humanized anti-carcinoma MAb CC49
Abstract
The invention is directed towards mouse-human chimeric variants
of CC49 monoclonal antibodies with minimal murine content. A first
aspect of the invention provides CDR variants of humanized
monoclonal antibody (HuCC49) in which less than all six (three
heavy chain and three light chain) Complementarity Determining
Regions (CDRs) of CC49 are present. A second aspect of the
invention provides SDR variants of humanized monoclonal antibody
(HuCC49) in which only Specificity Determining Regions (SDRs) of at
least one CDR from CC49 are present. The invention is also directed
towards biotechnological methods of making the variants and
therapeutic methods of using the variants.
Inventors: |
Kashmiri; Syed V S.
(Gaithersburg, MD), Padlan; Eduardo A. (Kensington, MD),
Schlom; Jeffrey (Potomac, MD) |
Assignee: |
The United States of America as
represented by the Department of Health and Human Services
(Washington, DC)
N/A (N/A)
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Family
ID: |
33424927 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/776,437 |
Filed: |
July 11, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20080050810 A1 |
Feb 28, 2008 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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10927433 |
Aug 14, 2007 |
7256004 |
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09830748 |
Nov 16, 2004 |
6818749 |
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PCT/US99/25552 |
Oct 29, 1999 |
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60106534 |
Oct 31, 1998 |
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60106757 |
Nov 2, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
536/23.53 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61P
35/00 (20180101); G01N 33/5743 (20130101); A61K
49/0002 (20130101); C07K 16/4208 (20130101); A61K
51/1045 (20130101); C07K 16/30 (20130101); C07K
16/3046 (20130101); C07K 2317/565 (20130101); C07K
2317/92 (20130101); A61K 38/00 (20130101); C12N
2799/026 (20130101); C07K 2317/24 (20130101); C07K
2317/76 (20130101); A61K 2039/505 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
C07H
21/04 (20060101) |
References Cited
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WO |
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WO |
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WO 2005/021594 |
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Mar 2005 |
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WO |
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|
Primary Examiner: Yaen; Christopher H
Assistant Examiner: Sang; Hong
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Klarquist Sparkman, LLP.
Parent Case Text
PRIORITY CLAIM
This is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/927,433,
filed Aug. 25, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,256,004, issued Aug. 14,
2007, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/830,748, filed Apr. 30, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,818,749,
issued Nov. 16, 2004, which is the .sctn.371 U.S. national stage of
International Application No. PCT/US99/25552 filed Oct. 29, 1999,
which was published in English under PCT Article 21(2), which in
turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/106,534
filed Oct. 31, 1998 and U.S. Provisional Application 60/106,757
filed Nov. 2, 1998, all of which are incorporated herein in their
entirety.
Claims
We claim:
1. A recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a humanized
anti-TAG-72 antibody, wherein the humanized anti-TAG-72 antibody
comprises: a light chain Complementarity Determining Region
(L-CDR)1, a L-CDR2, and a L-CDR3; and a heavy chain Complementarity
Determining Region (H-CDR)1, a H-CDR2, and a H-CDR3, wherein
L-CDR3, H-CDR1, H-CDR2 and H-CDR3 are parental HuCC49 antibody
Complementarity Determining Regions (CDRs), and wherein (i) L-CDR1
is from the human monoclonal LEN antibody and L-CDR2 is from the
parental HuCC49 antibody, (ii) L-CDR1 is from the parental HuCC49
antibody and L-CDR2 is from the human monoclonal LEN antibody, or
(iii) L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 are from the human monoclonal LEN antibody,
wherein the human monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR1 has the amino acid
sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and the human mononoclonal LEN
antibody L-CDR2 has the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:
8, and wherein the humanized anti-TAG-72 antibody retains binding
affinity for TAG-72 and has reduced immunogenicity, as compared to
the parental HuCC49 antibody.
2. The recombinant nucleic acid sequence of claim 1, wherein L-CDR1
is the human monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR1.
3. The recombinant nucleic acid sequence of claim 1, wherein L-CDR2
is the human monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR2.
4. The recombinant nucleic acid sequence of claim 1, wherein both
L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 are human monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR1 and
L-CDR2, respectively.
5. A recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising a promoter
sequence operably linked to the recombinant nucleic acid sequence
of claim 1.
6. A recombinant vector comprising the recombinant nucleic acid
sequence of claim 5.
7. A cultured host cell transformed with the recombinant vector of
claim 6.
8. A recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a humanized
anti-TAG-72 antibody, wherein the humanized anti-TAG-72 antibody
comprises: a light chain Complementarity Determining Region
(L-CDR)1, a L-CDR2, and a L-CDR3; and a heavy chain Complementarity
Determining Region (H-CDR)1, a H-CDR2, and a H-CDR3, wherein LCDR3,
H-CDR1, H-CDR2 and H-CDR3 are of the parental HuCC49 antibody,
L-CDR1 is the human monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR1 having the amino
acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7, and L-CDR2 is the human
monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR2 having the amino acid sequence set
forth as SEQ ID NO: 8, and wherein at least one amino acid at
position 60, 61, 62, or 64 in the parental HuCC49 H-CDR2 is
replaced with an amino acid at a corresponding position in the
human mononoclonal 21/28'CL antibody H-CDR2 having an amino acid
sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11, wherein the humanized
anti-TAG-72 antibody retains binding affinity for TAG-72 and has
reduced immunogenicity, when compared to the parental HuCC49
antibody.
9. The recombinant nucleic acid sequence of claim 8, wherein an
asparagine at position 60 in the parental HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced
with a serine, a glutamic acid at position 61 in the parental
HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced with a glutamine, an arginine at position
62 in the parental HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced with a lysine, and a
lysine at position 64 in the parental HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced
with a glutamine.
10. A recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising a promoter
sequence operably linked to the recombinant nucleic acid sequence
of claim 8.
11. A recombinant vector comprising the recombinant nucleic acid
sequence of claim 10.
12. A cultured host cell transformed with the recombinant vector of
claim 11.
13. A recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a humanized
anti-TAG-72 antibody, wherein the humanized anti-TAG-72 antibody
comprises: a light chain Complementarity Determining Region
(L-CDR)1, a L-CDR2, and a L-CDR3; and a heavy chain Complementarity
Determining Region (H-CDR)1, a H-CDR2, and a H-CDR3, wherein
L-CDR3, H-CDR1, H-CDR2 and H-CDR3 are of the parental HuCC49
antibody, L-CDR1 is the human monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR1 having
the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7, and L-CDR2 is
the human monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR2 having the amino acid
sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8, and wherein a threonine at
position 97 in the parental HuCC49 L-CDR3 is replaced with a
serine, wherein the humanized anti-TAG-72 antibody retains binding
affinity for TAG-72 and has reduced immunogenicity, when compared
to the parental HuCC49 antibody.
14. The recombinant nucleic acid sequence of claim 13, wherein at
least one amino acid of positions 60, 61, 62, or 64 in the parental
HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced with an amino acid at a corresponding
position in the human monoclonal 21/28'CL antibody H-CDR2 having an
amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11.
15. The recombinant nucleic acid sequence of claim 14, wherein an
asparagine at position 60 in the parental HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced
with a serine, a glutamic acid at position 61 in the parental
HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced with a glutamine, an arginine at position
62 in the parental HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced with a lysine, and a
lysine at position 64 in the parental HuCC49 H-CDR2 is replaced
with a glutamine.
16. A recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising a promoter
sequence operably linked to the recombinant nucleic acid sequence
of claim 14.
17. A recombinant vector comprising the recombinant nucleic acid
sequence of claim 16.
18. A cultured host cell transformed with the recombinant vector of
claim 17.
19. A recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a humanized
anti-TAG-72 antibody, wherein the humanized anti-TAG-72 antibody
comprises: a light chain Complementarity Determining Region
(L-CDR)1, a L-CDR2, and a L-CDR3; and a heavy chain Complementarity
Determining (H-CDR)1, a H-CDR2, and a H-CDR3, wherein L-CDR3,
H-CDR1, H-CDR2 and H-CDR3 are of the parental HuCC49 antibody,
L-CDR1 is the human monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR1 having the amino
acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7, and L-CDR2 is the human
monoclonal LEN antibody L-CDR2 having the amino acid sequence set
forth as SEQ ID NO: 8, and wherein (1) a threonine is at position
94 in the L-CDR3, or (2) a seine is at position 97 in the L-CDR3,
or (3) a threonine is at position 94 and a serine is at position 97
in the L-CDR3, wherein the humanized anti-TAG-72 antibody retains
binding affinity for TAG-72 and has reduced immunogenicity, when
compared to the parental HuCC49 antibody.
20. A recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising a promoter
sequence operably linked to the recombinant nucleic acid sequence
of claim 19.
21. A recombinant vector comprising the recombinant nucleic acid
sequence of claim 19.
22. A cultured host cell transformed with the recombinant vector of
claim 21.
23. The recombinant nucleic acid of claim 9, wherein a threonine at
position 97 of the HuCC49 L-CDR3 is replaced with a serine.
Description
BACKGROUND
Antibodies are specific immunoglobulin (Ig) polypeptides produced
by the vertebrate immune system in response to challenges by
foreign proteins, glycoproteins, cells, or other antigenic foreign
substances. The binding specificity of such polypeptides to a
particular antigen is highly refined, with each antibody being
almost exclusively directed to the particular antigen which
elicited it. This specificity resides in the structural
complementarity between the antibody combining site and the
antigenic determinant. Antibody combining sites are made up of
residues that are primarily from the hypervariable or
complementarity determining regions (CDRs). Occasionally, residues
from nonhypervariable or framework regions do influence the overall
domain structure and hence the combining site.
There are two major methods for generating vertebrate antibodies:
generation of polyclonal antibodies in situ by mammalian B
lymphocytes and generation of monoclonal antibodies in cell culture
by B cell hybrids.
To generate antibodies in situ, an animal (such as a mouse or
rabbit) is injected with an antigen. Several weeks later, blood is
drawn from the animal and centrifuged. The resulting serum contains
antibodies against the injected antigen. The resulting antibodies
are polyclonal antibodies because they are products of many
different populations of antibody producing cells and hence differ
somewhat in their precise specificity and affinity for the
antigen.
Monoclonal antibodies are produced using hybridoma technology in
which an antibody producing cell is fused with a tumor cell that
has the capacity for unlimited proliferation. In contrast to
polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies are homogeneous
because they are synthesized by a population of identical cells
that are derived from a single hybridoma cell.
However, the use of monoclonal antibodies in humans is severely
restricted when the monoclonal antibody is produced in a non-human
animal. Repeated injections in humans of a "foreign" antibody, such
as a mouse antibody, may lead to harmful hypersensitivity
reactions, i.e., anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) or an anti-idiotypic,
response. The HAMA response makes repeated administrations
ineffective due to an increased rate of clearance from the
patient's serum and/or allergic reactions by the patient.
Attempts have been made to manufacture human-derived monoclonal
antibodies using human hybridomas. Unfortunately, yields of
monoclonal antibodies from human hybridoma cell lines are
relatively low compared to mouse hybridomas. Additionally, human
cell lines expressing immunoglobulins are relatively unstable
compared to mouse cell lines, and the antibody producing capability
of these human cell lines is transient. Thus, while human
immunoglobulins are highly desirable, human hybridoma techniques
have not yet reached the stage where human monoclonal antibodies
with the required antigenic specificities can be easily
obtained.
Thus, antibodies of non-human origin have been genetically
engineered to create chimeric or humanized antibodies. Such genetic
engineering results in antibodies with a reduced risk of a HAMA
response compared to that expected after injection of a human
patient with a mouse antibody. For example, chimeric antibodies can
be formed by grafting non-human variable regions to human constant
regions. Khazaeli et al. (1991), J. Immunotherapy 15:42-52.
Generally humanized antibodies, are formed by grafting non-human
complementarity determining regions (CDRs) onto human framework
regions (FRs) (See European Patent Application 0 239 400; Jones et
al. (1986), Nature (London), 321:522-525; and Reichman et al.
(1988), Nature (London), 332:323-327). Typically, humanized
monoclonal antibodies are formed by grafting all six (three light
chain and three heavy chain) CDRs from a non-human antibody into
Framework Regions (FRs) of a human antibody. Alternately, Fv
antibodies (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,334) or single chain Fv (SCFV)
antibodies (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778) can be employed to reduce
the risk of a HAMA response.
However, these modified antibodies still retain various non-human
light and heavy chain variable regions: the chimeric, Fv and single
chain Fv antibodies retain entire non-human variable regions and
CDR-grafted antibodies retain CDR of non-human origin. Such
non-human regions can elicit an immunogenic reaction when
administered to a human patient. Thus, many humanized MAbs remain
immunogenic in both subhuman primates and in humans, with the
humoral response of the host directed towards the variable region
of these MAb (Hakimi et al. (1991), J. Immunol., 147:1352-1359;
Stephens et al. (1995), Immunology, 85:668-674; Singer et al.
(1993), J. Immunol., 150:2844-2857; and Sharkey et al. (1995),
Cancer Res. 55:5935s-5945s).
One known human carcinoma tumor antigen is tumor associated
glycoprotein-72 (TAG-72), as defined by monoclonal antibody B72.3
(See Thor et al., (1986) Cancer Res., 46:3118-3124; and Johnson et
al., (1986), Cancer Res., 46:850-85). TAG-72 is associated with the
surface of certain tumor cells of human origin.
Numerous murine monoclonal antibodies have been developed which
have binding specificity for TAG-72. Exemplary murine monoclonal
antibodies include the "CC" (colon cancer) monoclonal antibodies,
which are a library of murine monoclonal antibodies developed using
TAG-72. Certain CC antibodies have been deposited with the ATCC,
including CC49 (ATCC No. HB 9459). Monoclonal antibody (MAb) CC49
is a second-generation antibody of B72.3 that reacts with the
pancarcinoma tumor-associated antigen, TAG-72. Radiolabeled MAb
CC49 has been shown to target tumor in both animal models and in
ongoing radioimmunotherapeutic and raiodimmunodiagnostic clinical
trials. (Divgi et al. (1994) Nucl. Med. Biol., 21:9-15; Meredith et
al. (1994), J. Nucl. Med., 35:1017-1022; Mulligan et al. (1995),
Clin. Cancer Res., 1:1447-1454; Arnold et al. (1992), Ann. Surgery,
216:627-632)The potential clinical utility of MAb CC49 is evident
both from animal studies and ongoing clinical trials with the
antibody. However, patients administered MAb CC49 do generate HAMA
responses (Divgi et al, (1994) Nuc. Med. Biol., 21:9-15); Mulligan
et al., (1995) Clin. Cancer Res., 1:1447-1454).
A humanized monoclonal antibody (HuCC49) has been formed by
grafting hypervariable regions from monoclonal antibody CC49 into
variable light (V.sub.L) and variable heavy (V.sub.H) frameworks of
human monoclonal antibodies LEN and 21/28'CL, respectively, while
retaining murine framework residues required for integrity of the
antigen combining-site structure. (See, Kashmiri et al., (1995)
Hybridoma, 14(5):461-473). This HuCC49 was shown to bind the TAG-72
antigen, albeit with a lower affinity, and demonstrated equivalent
tumor targeting in animal models bearing human tumor
xenografts.
It has been shown that not all residues of CDRs are critical in the
complementarity of antigen/antibody surfaces. Known structures of
the antigen-antibody complexes suggests that only 20-33% of CDR
residues are involved in antigen contact (Padlan, (1994) Mol.
Immunol., 31: 169-217). A comprehensive analysis of the available
data of the sequences and the three dimensional structure of
antibody combining sites has helped identify CDR residues that may
be most critical in the antigen antibody interaction (Padlan et
al., (1995) FASEB J., 9:133-139). These residues are designated as
specificity determining residues (SDRs). Specificity determining
residues vary between antibodies.
SUMMARY
The invention is directed towards mouse-human chimeric variants of
CC49 monoclonal antibodies with minimal murine content which elicit
minimal adverse responses when administered to a human patient. The
invention is also directed towards biotechnological methods of
making the variants and therapeutic methods of using the
variants.
A first aspect of the invention provides CDR variants of humanized
monoclonal antibody (HuCC49) in which less than all six (three
heavy chain and three light chain) Complementarity Determining
Regions (CDRs) of CC49 are present. A second aspect of the
invention provides SDR variants of humanized monoclonal antibody
(HuCC49) in which only Specificity Determining Regions (SDRs) of at
least one CDR from CC49 are present. Surprisingly, the CC49
variants of the invention have the same or similar binding affinity
as humanized CC49 monoclonal antibody which includes all six (three
heavy chain and three light chain) CDRs.
In particular, the invention relates to variants of HuCC49 in which
either L-CDR1 or L-CDR2, or both, are from a human monoclonal
antibody (LEN) (LEN L-CDR1 and LEN L-CDR2 correspond to SEQ ID NOs:
7 and 8, respectively). These variants of HuCC49 have the
substantially the same affinity constant as HuCC49, or show only a
two fold lower relative affinity than that of HuCC49.
Other suitable variants include corresponding human residues at
position 97 of the light chain in addition to a substitution of
L-CDR1 and/or L-CDR2 from CC49 with the corresponding CDRs from a
human antibody. In another embodiment, the variant includes a
substitution at position 97 on the light chain in addition to a
substitution of L-CDR1 and/or L-CDR2 from CC49 with the
corresponding CDRs from a human antibody in combination with
substitutions at positions 60, 61, 62 and 64 on the heavy chain. In
another embodiment, the variant includes a substitution at position
97 on the light chain in combination with substitutions at
positions 60, 61, 62 and 64 on the heavy chain.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 illustrates a basic immunoglobulin structure.
FIG. 2 shows a comparison of the CDR sequences of murine MAb CC49
and humanized MAb HuCC49 with the corresponding CDR sequences of
human MAbs LEN and 21/28'CL. Amino acid residues are numbered using
the convention of Kabat et al. The underlined numbers indicate the
specificity determining residues (SDRs). CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 within
the light chain of HuCC49 and CC49 correspond to SEQ ID NOs: 1-3,
respectively. CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 within the heavy chain of HuCC49
and CC49 correspond to SEQ ID NOs: 4-6, respectively. CDR1, CDR2
and CDR3 within the light chain of human antibody LEN correspond to
SEQ ID NOs: 7-9, respectively. CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 within the heavy
chain of human antibody 21/28.degree.CL correspond to SEQ ID NOs:
10-12, respectively.
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the eukaryotic expression
constructs of the humanized heavy (B) chains of HuCC49. Thin lines
represent sequences derived from the prokaryotic vectors pBR322,
pBluescript SK.sup.-, or pCR II. Thick lines depict human K
constant region. Boxes with vertical, horizontal, or cross bars
show neomycin, mycophenolic acid, or hygromycin resistance genes;
thin arrows show their transcriptional direction. Empty boxes are
retroviral long terminal repeats, while thick arrows show the HCMV
promoter and its transcriptional direction. Only relevant enzyme
sites are shown. A: ApaI; B: BamHI; C: ClaI; Hd: HindIII; Hp: HpaI;
N: NheI; R: EcoRI; and S: SacII.
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the eukaryotic expression
constructs of the humanized light chains of HuCC49. As with FIG. 3,
thin lines represent sequences derived from the prokaryotic vectors
pBR322, pBluescript SK.sup.+, or pCR II. Thick lines depict human k
constant region. Boxes with vertical, horizontal, or cross bars
show neomycin, mycophenolic acid, or hygromycin resistance genes;
thin arrows show their transcriptional direction. Empty boxes are
retroviral long terminal repeats, while thick arrows show the HCMV
promoter and its transcriptional direction. Only relevant enzyme
sites are shown. A: ApaI; B: BamHI; C: ClaI; Hd: HindIII; Hp: HpaI;
N: NheI; R: EcoRI; and S: SacII.
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the dual expression
constructs of the variant heavy (H) and light (L) chain genes
derived from the baculovirus vector pAcUW51. P10 and polh represent
p10 and polyhedrin promoter; arrows show their direction of
transcription. Ori and fl are SV40 and f1 origin of replication.
Amp.sup.R represents an ampicillin resistant gene.
FIG. 6 shows an SDS-PAGE analysis of purified MAb HuCC49 and its
variants. All samples are shown in a reduced condition. Lane 1:
molecular weight marker (Gibco Brl); Lanes 2-8: variants L-1, L-2,
L-3, L-1,2, H-1, H-2 and H-3; Lane 9: HuCC49.
FIG. 7 shows an analysis of parental and variant forms of HuCC49 in
a competitive RIA. The antigen binding of the light chain (A) and
heavy chain (B) CDR variants was assessed using .sup.125I-labeled
HuCC49. In panel A, the competitors were: HuCC49, L-1, L-2, L-3,
L-1,2. In panel B, the competitors were: H-1, H-2 and H-3.
FIG. 8 shows the effect of light chain CDRs on binding of
anti-idiotypic MAbs. The HuCC49 CDR variants were characterized in
a competition RIA with .sup.125I-HuCC49 and CC49 anti-idiotypic
MAbs AI49-3 (panel A), AI49-1 (panel B) and AI49-8 (panel C). The
competitors were: HuCC49, L-1, L-2, L-3, L-1,2.
FIG. 9 shows the effect of heavy chain CDRs on binding of
anti-idiotypic MAbs. The HuCC49 CDR variants were characterized in
a competition RIA with .sup.125I-CC49 and CC49 anti-idiotypic MAbs
AI49-3 (panel A), AI49-1 (panel B) and AI49-8 (panel C). The
competitors were: HuCC49, H-1, H-2, H-3.
FIG. 10 shows an analysis of human anti-idiotypic antibodies to
HuCC49 variants using a competative RIA by HPLC methodology. A
patient's anti-idiotypic response to CC49 was characterized using
purified parental HuCC49 and CDR variants as competitors with
.sup.125I-HuCC49. The inability of a variant to inhibit complex
formation of the patient's sera with the .sup.125I-HuCC49 indicates
that the CDR replaced from the variant was immunogenic to the
patient. In panel A, the competitors were: HuCC49, L-1, L-2, L-3,
L-1,2. In panel B, the competitors were: H-1, H-2 and H-3.
FIG. 11 shows the amino acid sequences of V.sub.L frameworks of
human MAb LEN (SEQ ID NOs: 33-36) and humanized V.sub.L of CC49
(HuCC49) (SEQ ID NO: 13) in panel A. Panel B shows the amino acid
sequences of V.sub.H frameworks of human MAb 21/28'CL (SEQ ID NOs:
37-40) and humanized V.sub.H of CC49 (HuCC49) (SEQ ID NO: 14).
Framework residues that are deemed to be important in maintaining
the combining site structure of CC49 are marked by an asterisk.
FIG. 12 shows the nucleotide sequence of HuCC49 variable light
(V.sub.L) (SEQ ID NO: 41 and SEQ ID NO: 42) and variable heavy
(V.sub.H) region (SEQ ID NO: 43 and SEQ ID NO: 44) genes in panels
A and B, respectively. Sequences of flanking oligomers that do not
encode the variable region domains or their leader peptides are
shown in lowercase letters. The V.sub.L region (A) is encoded by
nucleotides from positions 74 to 412, while nucleotides from
position 70 to 415 (B) comprise the V.sub.H region. The four
overlapping oligomers depicted by long arrows in FIG. 12A are
represented by SEQ ID NOs: 19-22. The four overlapping oligomers
depicted by long arrows in FIG. 12B are represented by SEQ ID NOs:
15-18.
FIG. 13 is a graph of the results of a competition assay using
variants of HuCC49.
FIG. 14 shows the results of an HPLC analysis of patient reactivity
to variants of HuCC49. Competitors were at 5 Tg per reaction. The
values are the percent of complexes, the higher molecular weight
species, resolved by size-exclusion chromatography. Complex
formation indicates removal of the epitope recognized by the
patient's antibody. Inhibition of complex formation indicates that
the immunogenic epitope is still present in the HuCC49 variant.
FIG. 15 is a graph showing the comparison of patient reactivity
with HuCC49 and various variants thereof.
FIG. 16 is graph showing the immunoreactivity of variant
.sup.97L.sub.1,2/.sup.60-62,64H.
FIG. 17 is a graph of the pharmacokinetics of plasma retention of
HuCC49 and a variant thereof.
FIG. 18 is a table showing the biodistribution of i.v. administered
radiolabeled HuCC49 and variants in athymic mice bearing LS-174T
human colon carcinoma xenografts. Athymic mice bearing LS-174T
human colon carcinoma xenografts (s.c.) were coinjected with 1.4TCi
of .sup.131I-HuCC49 and 4.4 of .sup.125I-Variant. The mice were
sacrificed at the timepoints indicated, the organs harvested,
wet-weighed and the radioactivity detected in a K-scintillation
counter. The percent weight injected dose per gram for each tissue
was calculated. The standard error of the mean was also calculated
and were 0.06% ID/g or less.
FIG. 19. HPLC analysis of patient HAMA following intravenous
injection of .sup.177LU-CC49.
FIG. 20. HPLC analysis of patient' humoral response to the variable
region of MAb CC49. The percent complex formation has been plotted
versus time for (solid lines) patients DS (.largecircle.), LW
(.quadrature.), JJ (.DELTA.), DG (.circle-solid.), LJ
(.box-solid.), TD(.tangle-solidup.); (dotted lines) JG
(.largecircle.), RW (.quadrature.), JM A), EA (.circle-solid.), CP
(.box-solid.), LQ (.tangle-solidup.);
FIG. 21. Detection of patient anti-idiotypic antibody response to
murine CC49.
FIG. 22. HPLC analysis demonstrating CDR specificity of patient
LQ.
SEQUENCE LISTING
The nucleic and amino acid sequences listed in the accompanying
sequence listing are shown using standard letter abbreviations for
nucleotide bases and three letter code for amino acids, as defined
in 37 C.F.R. 1.822. In the accompanying sequence listing:
SEQ ID NO: 1 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR1 from the light
chain of murine antibody CC49 and humanized antibody HuCC49.
SEQ ID NO: 2 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR2 from the light
chain of murine antibody CC49 and humanized antibody HuCC49.
SEQ ID NO: 3 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR3 from the light
chain of murine antibody CC49 and humanized antibody HuCC49.
SEQ ID NO: 4 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR1 from the heavy
chain of murine antibody CC49 and humanized antibody HuCC49.
SEQ ID NO: 5 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR2 from the heavy
chain of murine antibody CC49 and humanized antibody HuCC49.
SEQ ID NO: 6 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR3 from the heavy
chain of murine antibody CC49 and humanized antibody HuCC49.
SEQ ID NO: 7 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR1 from the light
chain of human antibody LEN
SEQ ID NO: 8 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR2 from the light
chain of human antibody LEN
SEQ ID NO: 9 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR3 from the light
chain of human antibody LEN
SEQ ID NO: 10 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR1 from the heavy
chain of human antibody 21/28'CL
SEQ ID NO: 11 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR2 from the heavy
chain of human antibody 21/28'CL
SEQ ID NO: 12 shows the amino acid sequence of CDR3 from the heavy
chain of human antibody 21/28'CL
SEQ ID NO: 13 shows amino acid sequence of the V.sub.L domain of
the humanized murine antibody HuCC49.
SEQ ID NO: 14 shows amino acid sequence of the V.sub.H domain of
the humanized murine antibody HuCC49.
SEQ ID NOs: 15-32 show several synthetic oligonucleotides useful as
probes and/or primers.
SEQ ID NOs: 33-36 show amino acid sequences of consecutive portions
of the framework of the V.sub.L domain of the human antibody
LEN.
SEQ ID NOs: 37-40 shows amino acid sequences of consecutive
portions of the framework of the V.sub.H domain of the human
antibody 21/28'CL.
SEQ ID NO: 41 show the nucleic acid sequence including the V.sub.L
domain of the humanized murine antibody HuCC49 together with
flanking oligomers.
SEQ ID NO: 42 shows the nucleic acid sequence complementary to SEQ
ID NO: 41.
SEQ ID NO: 43 shows the nucleic acid sequence including the V.sub.H
domain of the humanized murine antibody HuCC49 together with
flanking oligomers.
SEQ ID NO: 44 shows the nucleic acid sequence complementary to SEQ
ID NO: 43.
DEFINITIONS
Prior to setting forth the invention, definitions of certain terms
which are used in this disclosure are set forth below:
Antibody: This refers to single chain, two-chain, and multi-chain
proteins and glycoproteins belonging to the classes of polyclonal,
monoclonal, chimeric and hetero immunoglobulins (monoclonal
antibodies being preferred); it also includes synthetic and
genetically engineered variants of these immunoglobulins. "Antibody
fragment" includes Fab, Fab', F(ab').sub.2, and Fv fragments, as
well as any portion of an antibody having specificity toward a
desired target epitope or epitopes.
Chimeric antibody: This refers to an antibody which includes
sequences derived from two different antibodies, which typically
are of different species. Most typically, chimeric antibodies
include human and murine antibody fragments, generally human
constant and murine variable regions.
Humanized antibody: This refers to an antibody derived from a
non-human antibody, typically murine, and a human antibody which
retains or substantially retains the antigen-binding properties of
the parent antibody but which is less immunogenic in humans.
Complementarity Determining Region, or CDR: This refers to amino
acid sequences which together define the binding affinity and
specificity of the natural Fv region of a native immunoglobulin
binding site. The light and heavy chains of an immunoglobulin each
have three CDRs, designated L-CDR1, L-CDR2, L-CDR3 and H-CDR1,
H-CDR2, H-CDR3, respectively. By definition, the CDRs of the light
chain are bounded by the residues at positions 24 and 34 (L-CDR1),
50 and 56 (L-CDR2), 89 and 97 (L-CDR3); the CDRs of the heavy chain
are bounded by the residues at positions 31 and 35b (H-CDR1), 50
and 65 (H-CDR2), 95 and 102 (H-CDR3), using the numbering
convention delineated by Kabat et al., (1991) Sequences of Proteins
of Immunological Interest, 5th Edition, Department of Health and
Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of
Health, Bethesda (NIH Publication No. 91-3242).
Framework Region: This refers to amino acid sequences interposed
between CDRs. These portions of the antibody serve to hold the CDRs
in an appropriate orientation for antigen binding.
Specificity Determining Residue, or SDR: This refers to amino acid
residues of an immunoglobulin that are directly involved in antigen
contact.
Constant Region: This refers to the portion of the antibody
molecule which confers effector functions. In the present
invention, the variant antibodies include constant regions derived
from human immunoglobulins. The heavy chain constant region can be
selected from any of five isotypes: alpha, delta, epsilon, gamma or
mu. Heavy chains of various subclasses (such as the IgG subclass of
heavy chains) are responsible for different effector functions.
Thus, by choosing the desired heavy chain constant region,
humanized antibodies with the desired effector function can be
produced. The light chain constant region can be of the kappa or
lambda type, preferably the kappa type.
Mammals: This refers to animals that nourish their young with milk
secreted by mammary glands, preferably warm blooded mammals.
Immunogenicity: A measure of the ability of a targeting protein or
therapeutic moiety to elicit an immune response (humoral or
cellular) when administered to a recipient. The present invention
is concerned with the immunogenicity of humanized antibody
CC49.
Reduced immunogenicity: This refers to an antibody, typically
humanized, that exhibits reduced immunogenicity relative to the
parent antibody.
Immunoreactivity: A measure of the ability of an immunoglobulin to
recognize and bind to a specific antigen.
Substantially similar binding properties: This refers to a
humanized antibody which retains the ability to specifically bind
the antigen recognized by the parent antibody used to produce the
humanized antibody. Preferably, the affinity of the humanized
antibody is at least about 10% of the affinity of the parent
antibody, more preferably at least about 25%, even more preferably
at least about 50%. Most preferably, the humanized antibody
exhibits antigen-binding affinity that is at least about 75% of the
affinity of the parent antibody. Methods for assaying
antigen-binding affinity are well known in the art and include
half-maximal binding assays, competition assays, and Scatchard
analysis.
Substantially Homologous: Refers to immunoglobulin sequences that
exhibit at least about 85% identity, more preferably about 90%
identity, most preferably about 95% identity with a reference
immunoglobulin, wherein % identity is determined by comparing the
number identical of amino acid residues between the two
immunoglobulins, wherein the positions of the amino acid residues
are indicated using the Kabat numbering scheme.
Nomenclature: Nucleic acids, amino acids, peptides, protective
groups, active groups and so on, when abbreviated, are abbreviated
according to the IUPAC IUB (Commission on Biological Nomenclature)
or the practice in the fields concerned.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
To facilitate understanding of the invention, a discussion of the
structure of a typical antibody molecule will first be provided.
The basic immunological structural unit is shown in FIG. 1.
Antibodies (also referred to as immunoglobulins) are constructed
from four polypeptide chains, two heavy chains and two light
chains. The two heavy chains are linked to each other by disulfide
bonds and each heavy chain is linked to a light chain by a
disulfide bond. There are two types of light chain, lambda
(.SIGMA.) and kappa (.kappa.). There are five main heavy chain
classes (or isotypes) which determine the functional activity of an
antibody molecule: IgM, IgD, IgG, IgA and IgE.
Each chain contains distinct sequence domains. The light chain
includes two domains, a variable domain (V.sub.L) and a constant
domain (C.sub.L). The heavy chain includes four domains, a variable
domain (V.sub.H) and three constant domains (C.sub.H1, C.sub.H2 and
C.sub.H3, collectively referred to as C.sub.H) The variable regions
of both light (V.sub.L) and heavy (V.sub.H) chains determine
binding recognition and specificity to the antigen. The constant
region domains of the light (C.sub.L) and heavy (C.sub.H) chains
confer important biological properties such as antibody chain
association, secretion, transplacental mobility, complement
binding, and binding to Fc receptors. The Fv fragment is the
N-terminal part of the Fab fragment of an immunoglobulin consisting
of the variable portions of one light chain and one heavy chain.
The specificity of the antibody resides in the structural
complementarity between the antibody combining site and the
antigenic determinant. Antibody combining sites are made up of
residues that are primarily from the hypervariable or
complementarity determining regions (CDRs). Occasionally, residues
from nonhypervariable or framework regions (FR) influence the
overall domain structure and hence the combining site.
The variants of the invention are derived from a humanized CC49
(referred to as "parental HuCC49"). Parental HuCC49 is formed by
grafting all six (three heavy chain and three light chain) MAb CC49
hypervariable regions onto the variable light (V.sub.L) and
variable heavy (V.sub.H) frameworks of the human MAbs LEN and
21/28'CL, respectively, while retaining murine framework residues
that may be required for the integrity of the antigen combining
site structure (FIG. 11). (Kashmiri et al., (1995) Hybridoma,
14:461-473). The variants of the invention contain a reduced murine
content, and consequently, reduced immunogenicity, when compared to
HuCC49. Nonetheless, the variants of the invention retain a binding
affinity that is substantially similar to that of HuCC49.
Preferably the binding affinity is at least about 10.sup.8
M.sup.-1. As used herein, HuCC49 refers to the humanized antibody
formed by Kashmiri et al. The terms "variant HuCC49" or "variant"
refer to the immunoglobulins of the invention.
A first aspect of the invention provides CDR variants of humanized
monoclonal antibody (HuCC49) in which less than all six (three
heavy chain and three light chain) Complementarity Determining
Regions (CDRs) of CC49 are present. A second aspect of the
invention provides SDR variants of humanized monoclonal antibody
(HuCC49) in which only Specificity Determining Regions (SDRs) of at
least one CDR from CC49 are present.
CDR Variants
According to the invention, CDR variants are formed by replacing at
least one CDR of CC49 in HuCC49 with a corresponding CDR from a
human antibody. Preferably, the L-CDR1 or L-CDR2, or both, from
CC49 are replaced by a corresponding CDR from a human antibody. The
inventors have found that a variant in which any of L-CDR3, H-CDR1,
H-CDR2 or H-CDR3 of CC49 are replaced by a corresponding CDR from a
human antibody do not retain significant binding affinity.
Binding Affinity of CDR Variants
According to the invention, CDR variants in which L-CDR1 or L-CDR2
of CC49, or both, are replaced by a corresponding CDR from a human
antibody retain biological activity that is substantially similar
to the binding affinity of the parental CC49. Generally, the CDR
variants of the invention have a binding affinity that is about 25%
to about 50% if the binding affinity of the parental CC49, more
preferably about 50% to about 75%, most preferably, about 75% to
about 100%.
CDR variants in which H-CDR2 is replaced by a corresponding CDR
from a human antibody that is only slightly immunoreactive with
TAG-72. In particular, such variants have a relative binding
affinity that is about 300 fold less than that of CC49.
CDR variants in which L-CDR3, H-CDR1, or H-CDR3 are replaced by a
corresponding CDR from a human antibody do not appear to retain any
binding affinity for TAG-72.
Immunogenicity of CDR Variants
The CDR variants that have a reduced immunogenicity when compared
to HuCC49 formed by grafting all six (three heavy chain and three
light chain) CDR from CC49 onto the variable light (V.sub.L) and
variable heavy (V.sub.H) frameworks of the human MAbs LEN and
21/28'CL, respectively. That is, the CDR variants of the invention
are less likely to elicit an anti-idiotypic or HAMA response.
Immunogenicity can be characterized using competition
radioimmunoassays known in the art in which an "anti-CC49" antibody
that recognizes the parental CC49 is exposed to both the parental
MAb and the variant. Generally, a reduction in immunogenicity is
reflected by a reduction in binding of the variant by the anti-CC49
antibody.
CDR variants in which L-CDR1 or L-CDR2, or both, of CC49 are
replaced by a corresponding CDR from a human antibody show a slight
reduction in immunogenicity, that is, the variants do not bind to
the anti-CC49 antibody as well as HuCC49.
CDR variants in which L-CDR3 or H-CDR2 of CC49, is replaced by a
corresponding CDR from a human antibody show a substantial
reduction in immunogenicity. However, the inventors have found that
such variants also show a substantial reduction in
immunoreactivity.
CDR variants in which H-CDR1 or H-CDR3 or CC49 are replaced by a
corresponding CDR from a human antibody do not show any measurable
change in immunogenicity.
SDR Variants
The inventors have discovered that all six CDR of CC49 need not be
present in their entirely for the humanized antibody to retain
activity. Only residues that are directly involved in antigen
contact, the Specificity Determining Residues (SDRs), are needed.
SDR variants are formed by replacing at least one SDR of CC49 in
HuCC49 with a residue at a corresponding position from a human
antibody.
It should be noted that not all CDRs include SDRs. For example, it
was determined that L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 of CC49 do not have any SDRs.
Therefore, in one variant of the invention, L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 are
replaced entirely with human CDRs. However, SDR variants can be
formed by replacing residues within these CDRS with a corresponding
human residue. L-CDR1 from CC49 and LEN differ at three positions,
27b, 27f and 29. Because residues 27b, 27f, 29 are not important
for the binding affinity of CC49, a suitable SDR variant can
include a corresponding human residue at any of these position, or
at any combination of these positions. L-CDR2 from CC49 and LEN
differ at position 53 only. Residue 53 is not considered important
for the binding affinity of CC49. Thus, a suitable variant can
include a corresponding human residue at position 53.
L-CDR3 of CC49 differs from LEN at three positions, 94, 96 and 97.
The partially buried residue at position 97 is not important for
the antigen binding activity of CC49. Thus, a suitable SDR variant
can include a corresponding human residue at position 97. However,
positions 94 and 96 of L-CDR3 are involved in ligand contact and
should not be replaced to generate a functional SDR variant.
H-CDR1 of CC49 and 21/28'CL differ at three positions, 31, 32 and
34. However, SDR variants which include a corresponding human
residue at positions 32 and 34 demonstrate no antigen binding
affinity. Thus, a functional SDR variant should not include a
corresponding human residue at either of these positions.
H-CDR2 of CC49 differs from human MAb 21/28'CL at eleven positions.
The residues at positions 60, 61, 62 and 64 are not required for
antigen binding activity. Therefore, a SDR variant of the invention
can include a corresponding human residue at any of positions 60,
61, 62 and 64, or any combinations thereof.
Generally, H-CDR3 does not need to be considered when designing an
SDR variant, because it does not show any reactivity to patients'
sera.
In a preferred embodiment, the variant includes a combination of
CDR and/or SDR substitutions to generate a variant having reduced
immunogenicity and a binding affinity that is substantially similar
to that of parental CC49. Suitable combinations include CDR
variants in which both L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 of CC49 are replaced by a
corresponding CDR from a human antibody. Other suitable variants
include a combination of SDR and CDR substitutions. For example, a
suitable variant can include corresponding human residues at
position 97 of the light chain in addition to a substitution of
L-CDR1 and/or L-CDR2 from CC49 with the corresponding CDRs from a
human antibody. In another preferred embodiment, the variant
includes a substitution at position 97 on the light chain in
combination with substitutions at positions 60, 61, 62 and 64 on
the heavy chain. In yet another embodiment, the variant includes a
substitution at position 97 on the light chain in addition to a
substitution of L-CDR1 and/or L-CDR2 from CC49 with the
corresponding CDRs from a human antibody in combination with
substitutions at positions 60, 61, 62 and 64 on the heavy
chain.
In addition to variants specifically described herein, other
"substantially homologous" modified immunoglobulins can be readily
designed and manufactured using various recombinant DNA techniques
well known to those skilled in the art. For example, the framework
regions can be varied at the primary structure level. Moreover, a
variety of different human framework regions may be used singly or
in combination as a basis for the variant. In general,
modifications of the genes may be readily accomplished by a variety
of well-known techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis.
Alternatively, polypeptide fragments comprising only a portion of
the primary antibody structure may be produced wherein the fragment
substantially retains the immunoreactive properties of the variant.
These polypeptide fragments include fragments produced by
proteolytic cleavage of intact antibodies by methods well known in
the art, or fragments produced by inserting stop codons at the
desired locations nucleotide sequence using site-directed
mutagenesis. For example, a stop codon can be inserted after
C.sub.H1 to produce Fab fragments or after the hinge region to
produce F(ab').sub.2 fragments. Single chain antibodies and fusion
proteins which includes at least an immunoreactive fragment of the
variant are also included within the scope of the invention. For
example, the variants may be directly or indirectly attached to
effector moieties having therapeutic activity. Suitable effector
moieties include cytokines, cytotoxins, radionuclides, drugs,
immunomodulators, therapeutic enzymes, anti-proliferative agents,
etc. Methods for attaching antibodies to such effectors are well
known in the art.
Binding Affinity of SDR Variants
L-CDR1 from CC49 and LEN differ at three positions, 27b, 27f and
29. Since L-CDR1 of CC49 can be replaced with the corresponding CDR
from LEN without any significant loss of antigen binding
reactivity, residues 27b, 27f, 29 are not considered important for
the binding affinity of CC49. Thus, a variant of the invention can
include a corresponding human residue at any of these three
positions, or any combination thereof, and retain a binding
affinity that is substantially similar to that of the parent
HuCC49.
In L-CDR2, CC49 and LEN differ at position 53 only. Since L-CDR2 of
CC49 can be replaced with the corresponding CDR from LEN without
any significant loss of antigen binding reactivity, residue 53 is
not considered important for the binding affinity of CC49. Thus,
the humanized antibody of the invention can include a corresponding
human residue at residue 53 and retain a binding affinity that is
substantially similar to that of the parent HuCC49.
L-CDR3 of CC49 differs from LEN at three positions, 94, 96 and 97.
The partially buried residue at position 97 is not important for
the antigen binding activity of CC49. Thus, the humanized antibody
of the invention can include a corresponding human residue at
position 97 and retain a relative binding affinity that is
substantially similar to that of CC49. However, positions 94 and 96
of L-CDR3 appear to be involved in ligand contact. Therefore, an
SDR variant which includes a corresponding human residue at either
position 94 or 96, or both will generally suffer total or near
total loss of antigen binding reactivity.
H-CDR1 of CC49 and 21/28'CL differ at three positions, 31, 32 and
34. SDR variants which include a corresponding human residue at
positions 32 and 34 demonstrate no antigen binding affinity.
H-CDR2 of CC49 differs from human MAb 21/28'CL at eleven positions.
The residues at positions 60, 61, 62 and 64 do not appear to be
required for antigen binding activity. Therefore the humanized
antibody of the invention can include a corresponding human residue
at any of positions 60, 61, 62 and 64, or any combinations thereof,
and the variant will retain a binding affinity that is
substantially similar to that of CC49.
Immunogenicity of SDR Variants
SDR variants are particularly beneficial because some CDRs that are
important for immunoreactivity are also immunogenic (e.g., L-CDR3
and H-CDR2). Thus, the immunogenicity of various SDR replacements
within L-CDR3 and H-CDR2 were examined.
As shown in FIG. 2, L-CDR3 consists of residues 89-97 and H-CDR2
consists of residues 50-65. The inventors have found that SDR
variants which include a corresponding human residue in positions
32 and 34 (found within H-CDR1) or at position 97 (found within
L-CDR3) are still immunogenic. Whereas, SDR variants which include
a corresponding human residue in positions 60, 61, 62, and 64
(found within H-CDR2) or at position 94 (found within L-CDR3) show
a reduction in immunogenicity. SDR variants which include a
corresponding human residue in position 96 (found within L-CDR3) do
not appear to be immunogenic.
Generally, the residues found in H-CDR3 does not need to be
considered when designing SDR variants, because it does not show
any reactivity to patients' sera.
Human Antibodies
Suitable human antibodies include, but are not limited to: ROY, AU,
REI, HAU, HK101'CL, SCW, WEA, HK137'CL, HK134'CL, DAUDI'CL,
WALKER'CL, GAL(1), LAY, WES, Vb'CL, HK102'CL, EU, DEN, AMYLOID BAN,
MEV, Vd'CL, Va'CL, KUE, Ve'CL, V13'CL, V18A'CL, V19A'CL, V19B'CL,
V18C'CL, NIM, CUM, GM603CL, FR, RP M1-6410'CL, TI, WOL, SIE,
NG9'CL, NEU, GOT, PAY, SON. GAR', PIE, FLO, GLO, CUR, IARC/BL41'CL,
POM, REE, K-EV15'CL, VJI'CL, VKAPPAIV, GERMLINE'CL, PB171'CL, LEN,
NEWM, HA, NIG-64, NEW, BL2'CL, WAH, NIG-77, VOR, RHE, LOC,OKA, COX,
NIG-51, NIG-84, MES, WH, NEI, WEIR, TOG, TRO, BOH, NIG-58, VIL,
WIN, 41'CL, HIL, LAP, GAR, MOT, BO, MDG, AMYLOID-AR, SUT,
THO,LBV'CL, NIG-48, HG3'CL, ND'CL, COR, DAW, OU, MCE', CE-1'CL, HE,
SUP-T1, VH-JA'CL, HIG1'CL, TUR, LAMDA-VH26'CL, WAS, H11'CL, TEI,
BRO'IGM, GRA', ZAP, JON, DOB, NIE, 333'CL, IHI'CL, IBIi'CL, 126'CL,
112'CL, 115'CL, KOL and 21/28'CL. New human antibodies are being
discovered and sequenced, many of those, as of yet unknown
antibodies may also be suitable. Preferably, human antibody has a
sequence that is identical or substantially similar (containing as
few mutations as possible) to the human germ line sequences. For
example, the light chain CDR of CC49 in HuCC49 can be replaced with
the corresponding CDR from LEN (Kabat et al., 1991) and the heavy
chain CDR can be replaced with the corresponding CDR from 21/28'CL
(Kabat et al., 1991).
Methods of Producing
The variants of the invention can be produced by expressing the
appropriate DNA sequence in a host after the sequence has been
operably linked to (i.e., positioned to ensure the functioning of)
an expression control sequence. Such expression vectors are
typically replicable in a host organism either as episomes or as an
integral part of the host chromosomal DNA. The expression vectors
typically contain expression control sequences compatible with the
host cell, such as an origin of replication. In addition, the
expression vector will typically include a promoter. Suitable
promoters include the polyhedrin promoter, lactose promoter system,
a tryptophan promoter system, a beta-lactamase promoter system, or
a promoter system from phage lambda. Promoters typically control
expression of the gene, optionally, with operator sequences, and
have ribosome binding site sequences and the like for initiating
and completing transcription and translation. Commonly, expression
vectors will contain selection markers. DNA sequences encoding the
light chain and heavy chain of the antibody may be inserted into
separate expression vectors, or into the same expression
vector.
Suitable hosts include prokaryotic strains such as E. coli;
Bacilli, including Bacillus subtilus; enterobacteriacae, including
Salmonella, Serratia and Psuedomonas. Suitable hosts also include
eukaryotic hosts such as yeast, including Saccharomyces; Pichia
pastoris; Sf9 insect cells; Sp2/0, VERO and HeLa cells, Chinese
hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines; W138, BHK, COS-7 and MDCK cell
lines.
The vectors containing the DNA segments of interest can be
transferred into the host cell by well-known methods, which vary
depending on the type of cellular host. For example, calcium
chloride transfection, calcium phosphate treatment, electroporation
or cationic liposome mediated transfection (such as DOTAP).
Successfully transformed cells, can be identified by a variety of
techniques well known in the art for detecting the binding of a
receptor to a ligand.
Once expressed, the gene products can be purified according to
standard procedures of the art, including ammonium sulfate
precipitation, affinity columns, column chromatography, and gel
electrophoresis. Substantially pure immunoglobulins of at least
about 90% to about 95% homogeneity are preferred, and 98% to 99% or
more homogeneity most preferred for pharmaceutical uses.
Methods of Use
Once purified, the variants of the invention may be used
therapeutically, or in developing and performing assays, in vivo or
in vitro diagnostic procedures, and imaging. The variants of the
invention are particularly useful for the treatment of diseases
such as cancer, in particular for treating or detecting cancer. The
variants can be administered to a patient alone or in combination
with a pharmaceutical formulation. Typically, the variants are
incorporated into a pharmaceutically acceptable, non-toxic, sterile
carrier as a suspension or solution. The antibodies of the
invention can be used as separately administered compositions or
given in conjunction with chemotherapeutic or immunosuppressive
agents.
The variants provide unique benefits when used for the treatment of
cancer. In addition to the ability to bind specifically to
malignant cells and localize tumors without binding to
non-cancerous cells, the variants have a reduced immunogenicity
when compared to HuCC49.
For diagnostic purposes, the antibodies may either be labeled or
unlabeled. Unlabeled antibodies can be used in combination with
other labeled antibodies (second antibodies) that are reactive with
the humanized antibody, such as antibodies specific for human
immunoglobulin constant regions. Alternatively, the antibodies can
be directly labeled. A wide variety of labels can be employed, such
as radionuclides, fluors, enzymes, enzyme substrates, enzyme
cofactors, enzyme inhibitors, ligands (particularly haptens), etc.
Numerous types of immunoassays are available and are well known to
those of skill in the art.
Kits according to the present invention include frozen or
lyophilized variant to be reconstituted by thawing or by suspension
in a liquid vehicle. The kits may also include a carrier or buffer.
Preferably, the kit also comprises instructions for reconstituting
and using the variant antibody.
WORKING EXAMPLES
To identify the CDRs essential for binding, a panel of variant
HuCC49 MAbs were generated using the baculovirus expression system.
HuCC49 was prepared by grafting MAb CC49 CDRs onto the V.sub.L and
V.sub.H frameworks of the human MAbs LEN and 21/28' CL,
respectively, as described by Kashmiri et al., (1995) Hybridoma,
14:461-473. Six CDR variants were constructed by replacing a single
CC49 CDR of either the light or heavy chain with the corresponding
human antibody CDR (LEN and 21/28'CL, respectively). Variants were
denoted as L-1, L-2, L-3, H-1, H-2 or H-3. A seventh variant, L-1,2
was made by replacing two CC49 light chain CDRs (L-CDR1 and L-CDR2)
with the corresponding CDRs of the human antibody LEN.
Since the seven CDR variants were derived by simply replacing the
murine CDRs with the human antibody hypervariable regions, all of
the variants carry identical V.sub.H and V.sub.L frameworks and K1
and k chain constant regions SDR heavy chain and light variants
were constructed by substituting mutagenic nucleotides in or near
the CDRs.
Example I
Preparation of CDR Substituted MAb CC49
According to the invention, CDR variants are formed by replacing at
least one CDR of CC49 in HuCC49 with a corresponding CDR from a
human antibody. The CDR variants of the invention include: Variant
L-1: L-CDR1 of CC49 (SEQ ID NO: 1) was replaced with L-CDR1 of LEN
(SEQ ID NO: 7). Variant L-2: L-CDR2 of CC49 (SEQ ID NO: 2) was
replaced with L-CDR2 of LEN (SEQ ID NO: 8). Variant L-3: L-CDR3 of
CC49 (SEQ ID NO: 3) was replaced with L-CDR3 of LEN (SEQ ID NO: 9).
Variant L-1,2: L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 of CC49 (SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 2,
respectively) were replaced with L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 of LEN (SEQ ID
NOs: 7 and 8, respectively). Variant H-1: H-CDR1 of CC49 (SEQ ID
NO: 4) was replaced with H-CDR1 of 21/28'CL (SEQ ID NO: 10).
Variant H-2: H-CDR2 of CC49 (SEQ ID NO: 5) was replaced with H-CDR2
of 21/28'CL (SEQ ID NO: 11). Variant H-3: H-CDR3 of CC49 (SEQ ID
NO: 6) was replaced with H-CDR3 of 21/28'CL (SEQ ID NO: 12).
Production of Oligomers to Generate V.sub.H Variants
Synthesis of three variant V.sub.H genes was performed using the
overlap extension PCR technique described by Kashmiri et al.,
(1995) Hybridoma 14:461-473. Four 123-126 base pair long
overlapping oligonucleotides (SEQ ID NOs: 15-18), (which together
encompass the entire sequence of the variant V.sub.H gene on
alternating strands) were used to generate variant V.sub.H genes.
(FIG. 12B) The oligomers were supplied by Midland Certified Reagent
Co., Midland, Tex. Instead of a template DNA, the PCR mixture
contained 2 pmoles of the four oligonucleotides. PCR was carried
out by three cycles of a denaturing step at 94.degree. C. for 1
minute, a primer annealing step at 55.degree. C. for 2 minutes, and
an extension step at 70.degree. C. for 2 minutes, followed by 17
additional cycles of denaturation (94.degree. C., 1 minute), primer
annealing (55.degree. C., 2 minutes), and extension (72.degree. C.,
1 minute). All polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were carried out
in a final volume of 100 Tl of PCR buffer containing 100 TM of
dNTPs, 5 units of Taq DNA polymerase (Boehringer Mannheim) and 20
pmol of each end primer.
Production of Oligomers to Generate V.sub.L Variants
The three variant V.sub.L genes were generated using 30-43 base
oligonucleotides as a mutagenic primer. The oligonucleotides
contained the desired base changes in the targeted CDR. The
mutagenic primers for the V.sub.L genes were synthesized using a
Model 8700 DNA synthesizer (Miligen/Bioresearch, Burlington, Vt.).
(FIG. 12A) Primer induced mutagenesis was carried out by a two-step
PCR method, as described by Landt et al., (1990) Gene, 96:125-128.
pLNXCHuCC49HuK (Kashmiri et al, (1995) Hybridoma 14:461-473) (FIG.
2) was used as a template in both steps. In the first step, the
mutagenic primer was used as a 3' primer while a 20 nucleotide long
end primer served as a 5' primer. The product of the first PCR was
gel purified and utilized as a 5' primer for the second PCR in
which a 20 nucleotide long end primer was used as a 3' primer. The
20 nucleotide long end primers used for DNA amplification were
supplied by Midland Certified Reagent Co. (Midland, Tex.). The
sequences for these primers are reported by Kashmiri et al., (1995)
Hybridoma 14:461-473 and are as follows:
TABLE-US-00001 (SEQ ID NO: 23) 1. 5' V.sub.H, 5'-CTA AGC TTC CAC
CAT GGA G-3' (SEQ ID NO: 24) 2. 3' V.sub.H, 5'-ATG GGC CCG TAG TTT
GGC G-3' (SEQ ID NO: 25) 3. 5' V.sub.L, 5'-GCA AGC TTC CAC CAT GGA
TA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26) 4. 3' V.sub.L, 5'-AGC CGC GGC CCG TTT CAG
TT-3'
Each of the primers carries a single restriction endonuclease site
at its flank. The 5' primers carry a HindIII site, while the 3'
V.sub.H primer carries an ApaI, and the 3' V.sub.L primer has a
SacII site. The restriction endonuclease recognition sequences are
underlined.
The first PCR was carried out in a final volume of 100 Tl
containing 10 ng of the template DNA, 20 pmol each of the 3' and 5'
primers, 100 TM dNTPs and 5 units of Taq DNA polymerase (Boehringer
Mannheim, Indianapolis, Ind.). Each step of the PCR consisted of 25
cycles of denaturation (94.degree. C., 1 minute), primer annealing
(45.degree. C., 2 minutes), and extension (72.degree. C., 2
minutes). The PCR product was extracted with phenol/chloroform,
precipitated with ethanol and gel purified prior to insertion into
a vector.
Example II
Assembly of CDR Substituted MAb CC49 PCR Products
The PCR products encoding the V.sub.H were treated with
HindIII/ApaI. The PCR products were subcloned for sequencing in
pBluescript S/K+ (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.) at a HindIII/ApaI
site after the plasmid was linearized using the appropriate
restriction endonucleases. Inserts were sequenced to check their
fidelity to their templates.
To assemble the variable and constant regions of the heavy chain
the HindIII/ApaI insert was released form pBluescript. A DNA
fragment encoding the human K1 constant region was excised from
pLgpCXHuCC49HuG1 (Kashmiri et al, (1995) Hybridoma 14:461-473),
(FIG. 3) by ApaI/ClaI cleavage. The HindIII/ApaI and the ApaI/ClaI
fragments were joined. The recombinant was unidirectionally
inserted, by three way ligation, between the HindIII and ClaI sites
of pBluescript. The DNA sequence encoding the entire heavy chain
was then cleaved from pBluescript by HindIII/ClaI digestion. Its
termini were filled in using the Klenow fragment of the DNA
polymerase. The insert was subcloned in a light chain construct of
pAcUW51 (FIG. 4), at the blunt ended BamHI site located downstream
of the polyhedrin promoter.
The PCR products encoding the V.sub.L were treated with
HindIII/SacII. The PCR products were subcloned for sequencing in
pBluescript S/K+ (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.) at a HindIII/SacII
site after the plasmid was linearized using the appropriate
restriction endonucleases. Inserts were sequenced to check their
fidelity to their templates.
To assemble the variable and constant region of the light chain,
the HindIII/SacII insert was released from the pBluescript
construct. A DNA fragment encoding the human kappa constant region
was excised from pLNCXHuCC49HuK (Kashmiri et al, (1995) Hybridoma
14:461-473), (FIG. 2) by SacII/ClaI treatment. The HindIII/SacI
fragments were joined to the HindIII/ClaI linearized pBluescript by
three way ligation. The entire light chain was cleaved from
pBluescript using EcoRI. The EcoRI fragment was inserted into the
baculovirus expression vector pAcUW51 (Pharmingen, San Diego,
Calif.) at the EcoRI site located downstream from the p10
promoter.
The baculovirus expression construct of the parental HuCC49 was
generated using DNA fragments encoding HuCC49 heavy and light
chains obtained from PLNCXHuCC49HuK and pLgpCXHuCC49HuG1.
PLNCXHuCC49HuK was cleaved with HindIII. The resulting >1.0 Kb
DNA fragment encoding HuCC49Huk was subcloned in pBluescript at the
HindIII site. The resulting construct was then cleaved with BamHI
and the fragment was cloned in the baculovirus vector pAcUW51 at
the BamHI site, downstream from the polyhedrin promoter. A >1.4
Kb DNA fragment encoding HuCC49HuG1 was cloned from
pLgpCXHuCC49HuG1 using HindIII/ClaI. The DNA fragment was filled
using the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase. pAcUW51 was linearized
with BglII and its ends blunted using the Klenow fragment. The DNA
fragment was then inserted in the pAcUW51 expression construct of
HuCC49HuK, downstream from the p10 promoter.
Example III
Generation of Baculovirus Recombinant CDR Substituted CC49 MAb
Serum free adapted Sf9 insect cells (Gibco BRL, Gaithersburg, Md.)
were cultured at 28.degree. C. in Sf900-II medium (Gibco BRL)
without supplements as described by Salgaller et al, (1993) Cancer
Res., 53:2154-2161. To develop the recombinant baculovirus,
1.times.10.sup.6 Sf9 cells in a 35 mm dish were co-transfected with
0.5 ml pAcUW51 derived baculovirus expression construct of the CDR
substituted light chain gene and the HuCC49 heavy chain gene along
with linearized BACULOGOLD wild type baculovirus DNA (Pharmingen),
using a cationic liposome mediated transfection system, DOTAP
(Boehringer Mannheim) according to the suggested protocol.
Similarly, variant antibodies containing CDR substituted heavy
chain were produced by co-transfecting Sf9 cells with BACULOGOLD
baculovirus DNA and baculovirus dual expression constructs carrying
CDR substituted heavy chain and HuCC49 light chain genes.
Baculovirus recombinant HuCC49 (hereafter referred to as HuCC49)
was used as a control antibody. HuCC49 was produced by transfecting
insect cells with pAcUW51 carrying HuCC49 light and heavy
chains.
Five days after transfection, the infectious supernatants were
harvested from the transfectants. 1 ml of this supernatant was
serially diluted and used to infect a monolayer of 5.times.10.sup.6
Sf9 cells in a 100 mm dish. The cells were then overlaid with 0.5%
Baculovirus Agarose (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.) as described by
Bei et al., (1995) J. Immunol. Methods, 186:245-255. Viral plaques
were expanded by three rounds of infection. For each round of
expansion, a larger population of freshly seeded monolayers of Sf9
cells were infected, using the highest producing clone as a source
of inoculum. The putative recombinant viral plaques were purified
and isolated in 1 ml of Sf900 media. If necessary, viruses were
further amplified by infecting cells at an Multiplicity of
Infection (MOI) of 0.1. To produce the recombinant antibodies,
6.0.times.10.sup.8 Sf9 cells were infected with the infectious
supernatant at an MOI of 5.
Purification of CDR Substituted MAbs
The culture supernatant was clarified by pelleting cell debris at
10,000.times.g, and was applied to an ion-exchange column (DE52;
Whatman, Hillsboro, Oreg.) at pH 7.2 to remove extraneous proteins.
The unbound protein fraction was subjected to protein G (Gibco BRL)
affinity chromatography. The material bound to protein G was eluted
from the column using 0.1 M glycine hydrochloride buffer, pH 2.6
and the pH of the eluted material was immediately adjusted to 7.4
using 1.0 M Tris buffer, pH 8.0. The buffer was replaced by
phosphate buffered saline and the eluted material was concentrated
using a Centricon 30 micro concentrator (Amicon, Beverly, Mass.).
Protein concentration was determined by the method of Lowry et al.,
(1951) J. Biol. Chem. 193:265-275. The purity of the antibody
preparation was analyzed using a precast continuous 4-15%
SDS-polyacrylamide Tris-glycine gel (Novex Systems, San Diego,
Calif.) and visualized by Coomassie blue staining as described by
Kashmiri et al., (1995) Hybridoma 14:461-473.
Radiolabeling of MAbs
The murine MAb CC49 and HuCC49 were labeled with Na .sup.125I using
the iodogen (Pierce, Rockford, Ill.) method as described by Fraker
(1978) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 80:849-857 and Colcher
(1988) Cancer Res., 48:4597-4603. The protocol routinely resulted
in specific activities at 5-10 TCi/Tg. The immunoreactivities of
the radiolabeled MAbs were assessed by the radioimmunoassay
described by Schott et al., (1992) Cancer Res., 52:6413-6417 using
bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM) immobilized on a solid support
(Reacti-gel HW 65F; Pierce)
Immunoglobulin Production
The titer of the transfectants and the putative viral plaques were
assayed for immunoglobulin production by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on reactivity of the test aliquot
with goat anti-human Fc (K1) and goat anti-human kappa antibodies
as described by Bei et al., (1995) J. Immunol. Methods,
186:245-255. Transfectants and viral plaques derived from each of
the expression constructs were positive for immunoglobulin
production.
However, when the transfectants and the viral plaques were assayed
for immunoreactivity with TAG-72 positive bovine submaxillary mucin
(BSM), the clones derived from the expression constructs carrying
L-1, L-2 and L-1,2 were positive, while those generated by the H-2
expression construct were barely immunoreactive. Those derived from
the constructs carrying either L-3, H-I and H-3 demonstrated no
immunoreactivity with BSM at all.
It was then assessed whether the poor or lack of BSM reactivity of
the clones derived from L-3, H-1, H-2 and H-3 expression constructs
was due to low levels of immunoglobulin secretion by these clones.
To that end, Sf9 cells were infected with the infectious
supernatants at an MOI of 5 and cultured under the conditions
described above. The secreted antibody was purified from equal
volumes of the culture supernatant from each of the infected
cultures, and analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The gel profile under
non-reducing conditions showed that the mobility of the variant
antibodies was identical to that of the HuCC49, which has a
molecular weight of approximately 160 kDa (data not shown). Under
reducing conditions, the variant antibodies, like the HuCC49 MAb,
yielded two protein bands of approximately 25-28 kDa and 50-55 kDa
(FIG. 6). These mobilities are in conformity with the molecular
masses of the immunoglobulin heavy and light chains. More
importantly, it is evident that regardless of their BSM reactivity,
clones derived from each of the constructs encoding CDR-substituted
heavy or light chain produce as much immunoglobulin as the clone
derived from the constructs encoding the parental humanized heavy
and light chains.
Example IV
Competition Radioimmunoassays for CDR Substituted Variants
Binding Affinity of Variant Antibodies
The relative binding affinity of the HuCC49 and the CDR substituted
variant antibodies to TAG-72 was determined using the competition
radioimmunoassay (RIA) described by Milenic et al., (1991) Cancer
Res., 51:6363-6371. Serial dilutions of the purified variant MAbs,
as well as the parental HuCC49, were prepared in phosphate buffered
saline (PBS) containing 1% bovine serum albumin (BSA). 25 Tl was
added to the wells of microtiter plates containing 10 ng BSM.
.sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 (50,000 cpm in 25 Tl) was then added to
each well. The plates were incubated overnight at 4.degree. C. and
then washed and counted in a K-scintillation counter.
Unlabeled HuCC49 or its variants were used to compete for the
binding of .sup.125I-HuCC49 to TAG-72 positive BSM. The variants,
L-1, L-2 and L-1,2, were found to completely inhibit the binding of
the .sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 to TAG-72, while L-3 did not compete
at all (FIG. 7).
The relative affinity constants were calculated by the modification
of the Scatchard method described by Frankel et al., (1979) Mol.
Immunol., 16: 101-106. An approximation of the specific activity of
the .sup.125I-HuCC49 was made and used to determine the final
concentration for each of the dilutions of the variant MAbs. The
calculations were performed as described by Milenic et al., (1991)
Cancer Res., 51:6363-6371.
The relative affinity constants (Ka) of the variants were as
follows: L-1 had a Ka of 3.3.times.10.sup.-8 M (only about 2-fold
less than that of HuCC49). L-2 had a Ka of 6.81.times.10.sup.-8 M
(comparable to that of HuCC49). L-1,2 had a Ka of
2.9.times.10.sup.-8 M (only about 2-fold less than that of HuCC49).
H-1 and H-3 displayed no competition H-2 competed only slightly
with the HuCC49. The Ka of H-2 was 0.018.times.10.sup.-8 M
(approximately 300-fold less than the Ka of HuCC49).
Reactivity of the CC49 Anti-idiotypic Antibodies to the Variant
Antibodies
The variant MAbs were also characterized in the competition
radioimmunoassay RIA described by Irvine et al., (1993) Cancer
Immunol. Immunother., 36:281-292 using mouse anti-idiotypic MAb
generated against MAb CC49. Three anti-idiotypic (AI49-8, AI49-3
and AI49-1) were selected, representing each of the anti-idiotypic
subsets, I, .THETA., and K, respectively. In the same manner
described above, 100 ng of MAb AI49-3 (.THETA.-subset), AI49-1
(K-subset) or AI49-8 (I-subset) were adsorbed to each well of a
96-well microtiter plate. 25 Tl of the serially diluted variant
MAbs or HuCC49 was added to each well along with 25 Tl of
.sup.125I-murine CC49. The plates were washed and counted after an
overnight incubation at 4.degree. C.
The results for the light chain variants are shown in FIG. 8. For
the AI49-3 (.THETA.-subset): L-CDR1 appears to be only partially
involved in the recognition of CC49 by AI49-3; L-CDR2 does not
appear to be involved in the recognition of CC49 by AI49-3; and
L-CDR3 appears to be important for recognition of CC49 by AI49-3.
For the AI49-1 (K-subset): L-CDR1 appears to be not required for
recognition of CC49 by AI49-1; L-CDR2 appear to be only modestly
involved in the recognition of CC49 by AI49-1; and L-CDR3 appears
to be important for recognition of CC49 by AI49-1. For the AI49-8
(I-subset): neither L-CDR1, L-CDR2, nor L-CDR3 appear to have any
influence on the interaction of AI49-8 with CC49.
The results for the heavy chain variants are shown in FIG. 9. For
the AI49-3 (.THETA.-subset): H-CDR1 and H-CDR3 do not appear to be
involved in binding of HuCC49 to AI49-3, while H-CDR2 appears to be
important for recognition of CC49 by AI49-3 (approximately 4-15
times more competitor is required for 50% inhibition by H-2 as
compared to HuCC49). For the AI49-1 (K-subset): H-CDR1 and H-CDR3
do not appear to be involved in binding of HuCC49 to AI49-1, while
H-CDR2 appears to be important for recognition of CC49 by AI49-1
(approximately 4-15 times more competitor is required for 50%
inhibition by H-2 as compared to HuCC49). For the AI49-8
(I-subset): H-CDR1 and H-CDR3 do not appear to be involved in
binding of HuCC49 to AI49-8, while H-CDR2 appears to be important
for recognition of CC49 by AI49-8 (there is a complete loss of
inhibition by the variant).
An analysis of patient reactivity to the variants of HuCC49 show
that three of the 6 CDRs (L-CDR2, H-CDR1 and H-CDR3) do not seem to
be recognized by the patient, while L-CDR1 and H-CDR2 appear to be
involved in the patient's recognition of HuCC49 to some degree.
L-CDR3 (which is important for antigen binding) is the
immunodominant CDR recognized by the patient. L-CDR3 is
immunodominant in mice as well (AI49-1 and AI49-3, the two
anti-idiotypic antibodies that inhibit antigen binding of HuCC49,
require L-CDR3 for recognition of HuCC49).
Example V
High Performance Liquid Chromatography
The CDR variants were further characterized using the serum from a
patient that had received .sup.177Lu-CC49 in a phase 1
radioimmunotherapy clinical trial (Mulligan et al., (1995) Clin.
Cancer Res., 1: 1447-1454. Several of the patients in this study
were found to have anti-idiotypic antibodies to MAb CC49. One
patient was selected to perform a preliminary study to identify
whether any of the CC49 CDRs were immunodominant.
Using a modification of the method reported by Colcher et al.,
(1990) J. Nucl. Med., 31:1133-1142 and Mulligan et al., (1995)
Clin. Cancer Res., 1: 1447-1454, serial dilutions of the purified
CDR variants were incubated with the patient's sera along with
.sup.125I-labeled HuCC49. Specifically, the method of Colcher and
Mulligan was modified as follows: prior to the study, HAMA and
TAG-72 were removed from the sera by adsorption with CC92
conjugated solid support. The amount of sera required for half
maximal complex formation with HuCC49 was then determined.
Specifically, 8 Tl of patient sera was mixed with >500,000 cpm
of .sup.125I-HuCC49 and serial dilutions of purified HuCC49 or its
variants. The preparations were brought to a final volume of 50
Tl.
The ability of the variants to inhibit complex formation of the
patent sera with .sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 was monitored using HPLC
analysis. 25 Tl of each solution was applied to a TSK3000
analytical column (7.8 mm.times.30 cm; Tosohaas, Montgomeryville,
Pa.) and eluted at 0.5 ml/min with 100 mM KCl in 67 mM sodium
phosphate (pH 6.8). Radioactivity was monitored using a
flow-through K-scintillation detector (Model 170, Beckman).
If the variant contained the CDR recognized by the patient, then
the variant would compete with the radiolabeled HuCC49 and complex
formation would not occur and there would not be an alteration in
the retention time of the .sup.125I-HuCC49. If the variant no
longer contained a CDR recognized by the patient, then complex
formation would result. Thus, the ability of the CDR variants to
inhibit complex formation of the patient sera with the radiolabeled
HuCC49 was determined by the retention time of the
.sup.125I-HuCC49. The percent inhibition of complex formation was
calculated and plotted versus concentration of each competitor to
evaluate the degree of the patient's reactivity with the individual
CDR variants. FIG. 15 shows a comparison of patient reactivity with
HuCC49 and CDR variants. L-1 (variant without CC49 L-CDR1) showed
some inability to inhibit complex formation. Thus L-CDR1 appears to
be somewhat involved in immunogenicity (0.7 Tg of competitor was
required for 50% inhibition of complex formation). L-2 appeared to
compete better than parental HuCC49 by 2 fold (an enhanced
recognition by the patient) L-3 showed no inhibition of complex
formation, thus L-CDR3 appears necessary for immunogenicity L-1,2
demonstrated some inability to inhibit complex formation,
indicating that L-CDR1 and/or L-CDR2 are somewhat involved in
immunogenicity. H-1 inhibits complex formation and therefore
contributes to immunogenicity. H-2 showed little complex formation,
thus H-CDR2 does not appear to be necessary for immunogenicity (10
Tg of competitor was unable to achieve 50% inhibition of complex
formation). H-3 demonstrated some inability to inhibit complex
formation, thus H-CDR3 appears to be somewhat involved in
immunogenicity (0.4 Tg of competitor was required for 50%
inhibition of complex formation).
Example VII
Preparation of SDR Substituted MAb CC49
Padlan et al., (1995) FASEB J., 9:133-139 disclose that the SDRs of
light chain are bounded by positions 27d and 34; 50 and 55; and 89
and 96. The heavy chain SDRs are contained within positions 31 and
35b; 50 and 58; and 95 and 101.
FIG. 2 shows the differences between the amino acid residues of the
light chain CDRs of CC49 and LEN, and the heavy chain CDRs of CC49
and 21/28'CL.
In L-CDR1, CC49 and LEN differ in three residues; at positions 27b,
27f and 29. The residues at positions 27b (a buried residue) and
27f were found not to be directly involved in ligand contact, while
the one at position 29 was found to interact with ligand in two
complexes; in one only by main chain atoms. Residue 27b is located
outside the suggested SDR boundaries. Residues 27f and 29 are well
within the suggested SDR boundaries.
In L-CDR2, CC49 and LEN differ at position 53 only, and this
position was found to be involved in ligand contact in only three
of the 31 complexes of known structure. Residue 53 is well within
the suggested SDR boundaries.
Since L-CDR1 and 2 of CC49 were replaced with their counterparts
from LEN without any significant loss of antigen binding reactivity
(above), it was concluded that residues 27b, 27f, 29 and 53 were
not important for binding of CC49 to its antigen. L-CDR1 and L-CDR2
of CC49 were not considered for the mutation experiments because
they were replaced with the corresponding CDRs of the human MAb LEN
without significant loss of antigen binding reactivity.
The immunodominant L-CDR3 of CC49 differs from LEN at three
positions, 94, 96 and 97. Each of the three residues of CC49 L-CDR3
was replaced with the residue present at the corresponding position
in the LEN CDR to generate light chain variants .sup.94L, .sup.96L
and .sup.97L, respectively. Another light chain variant,
.sup.94,97L was generated carrying two substitutions, one at
position 94 and the other at 97. Two additional variants were
derived from the HuCC49 light chain variant L.sub.1,2, in which the
L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 of CC49 were earlier replaced with their
counterparts from the human MAb LEN. One variant, .sup.97L.sub.1,2,
carried a single substitution at position 97. The other,
.sup.94,97L.sub.1,2, had substitutions at two positions, 94 and
97.
Of the three residues that differ between L-CDR3 of CC49 and LEN, a
partially buried residue at position 97 was not important for the
antigen binding activity of CC49. This residue is not located
within the suggested boundary of SDRs of the L-CDR3. Thus, variant
.sup.97L did not show any loss in antigen binding activity. Variant
.sup.97L.sub.1,2 showed only an insignificant loss of antigen
binding activity.
Positions 94 and 96 of L-CDR3 are involved in ligand contact in 19
and 22 known antibody:antigen complexes, respectively. Thus it was
consistent that variants .sup.96L and .sup.94L suffered total and
near total loss of antigen binding reactivity. When the mutation at
position 94 was imposed on the variants .sup.97L and
.sup.97L.sub.1,2, it destroyed their antigen binding function.
H-CDR1 of CC49 and 21/28'CL differ at three positions, 31, 32 and
34. The residue at position 31 is directly involved in ligand
binding in 12 of the 31 complexes; in five of those, only main
chain atoms were involved. The residue at position 32 is ligand
contacting in eight of the 31 complexes of known structure. The
residue at position 34 is involved in ligand contact in none of the
31 complexes of known structure. Residues at positions 32 and 34 of
the CC49 H-CDR1 were replaced with the corresponding residues of
21/28'CL MAb (.sup.32,34H) to test whether position 32 is important
for ligand contact and in eliciting anti-idiotypic response.
H-CDR2 of CC49 differs from human MAb 21/28'CL at eleven positions.
The residues at positions 60, 61, 62 and 64 were not ligand
contacting in any of the complexes of known structure. Therefore,
these residues of CC49 were prime candidates for replacement.
Accordingly, a heavy chain variant of HuCC49, .sup.60-62,64H, was
generated by replacing these residues of HuCC49 with their
counterparts in human MAb 21/28'CL.
H-CDR3 was not considered for mutations, because it did not show
any reactivity to patient's sera (above).
The following SDR variants were made: Variant .sup.94L: residue 94
of CC49 L-CDR3 was replaced with the residue present at the
corresponding position in LEN. Variant .sup.96L: residue 96 of CC49
L-CDR3 was replaced with the residue present at the corresponding
position in LEN. Variant .sup.97L: residue 97 of CC49 L-CDR3 was
replaced with the residue present at the corresponding position in
LEN. Variant .sup.94,97L: residue 94 and 97 of CC49 L-CDR3 was
replaced with the residue present at the corresponding position in
LEN. Variant .sup.97L.sub.1,2: derived from the HuCC49 light chain
variant L.sub.1,2, in which the L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 of CC49 were
replaced with their counterparts from the human MAb LEN; residue 97
of CC49 L-CDR3 was replaced with the residue present at the
corresponding position in LEN. Variant .sup.94,97L.sub.1,2: derived
from the HuCC49 light chain variant L.sub.1,2, in which the L-CDR1
and L-CDR2 of CC49 were replaced with their counterparts from the
human MAb LEN; residues 94 and 97 of CC49 L-CDR3 were replaced with
the residue present at the corresponding position in LEN. Variant
.sup.32,34H: residues at positions 32 and 34 of the CC49 H-CDR1
were replaced with the corresponding residues of 21/28'CL MAb.
Variant .sup.60-62,64H: residues at positions 60, 61, 62 and 64 of
the CC49 H-CDR2 were replaced with the corresponding residues of
21/28'CL MAb.
Production of Oligomers
The oligomers were produced essentially as described in Example 1.
pLgpCXHuCC49HuK1, the expression construct for parental HuCC49
heavy chain genes was used as the template for heavy (.sup.32,34H
and .sup.60-62,64H) chain variant gene synthesis. pLNCXHuCC49HuK,
the expression construct of the parental HuCC49 light chain gene
was used as a template for the light (.sup.94L, .sup.96L, .sup.97L
and .sup.94,97L) chain variant gene synthesis. Variants L.sub.1 and
L.sub.1,2 were developed by replacing only the L-CDR1 or both
L-CDR1 and L-CDR2 of CC49, respectively, with their LEN
counterparts. For the synthesis of .sup.94L.sub.1,2 and
.sup.94,97L.sub.1,2 genes, an expression construct of the L.sub.1,2
variant in a baculoviral expression construct was used as a
template.
Mutagenic oligonucleotide primers, ranging in size from 37 to 56
nucleotides, were synthesized using a Model 8700 DNA synthesizer
(Milligen/Bioresearch, Burlington, Vt.). They were purified on
oligo-Pak columns (Milligen/Bioresearch) according to the
supplier's recommendation. The sequences of the mutagenic primers
were as follows, where the mutagenic changes are underlined:
TABLE-US-00002 V.sub.L CDR3: (SEQ ID NO: 27) 5'-GCC AGC GCC GAA GCT
GAG GGG ATA GCT ATA ATA CTG CTG ACA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28) 5'-GGT GCC
AGC GCC GAA GCT GAG GGG GGT GCT ATA ATA CTG CTG ACA-3' (SEQ ID NO:
29) 5'-GCC ACG GCC GAA TGT GTA GGG ATA GCT ATA ATA CTG CTG ACA-3'
(SEQ ID NO: 30) 5'-GCC GAA TGT GAG GGG GGT GCT ATA ATA CTG CTG ACA
ATA-3' V.sub.H CDR1: (SEQ ID NO: 31) 5'-GTT TCA CCC AGT GCA TTG CAT
AAT CAG TGA AGG TGT A-3' V.sub.H CDR2: (SEQ ID NO: 32) 5'-GTG GCC
TTG CCC TGG AAC TTC TGT GAG TAC TTA AAA TCA TCG TTT CCG GGA GAG
AA-3'
Example VIII
Assembly of PCR Products
The PCR products were assembled and sequenced as described in
Example II. The 425 base pair (bp) PCR product obtained using the
HuCC49 light chain construct as a template carried sequences
encoding the leader peptide, the CC49 V.sub.L domain and the amino
terminus of the kappa (.kappa.) constant region, terminating in a
SacII site located 10 bp downstream of the V.sub.L. Similarly, the
432 base pair (bp) PCR product from the heavy chain template
encompassed sequences encoding the leader, the V.sub.H and the
amino terminus of the C.sub.H1 domain, extending to the ApaI site,
which is located 17 bp downstream from the start of the C.sub.H1
domain.
Generation of Recombinant SDR Substituted CC49 MAb
SDR substituted variants were generated essentially as described
Example III, except for the following. The Sf900-II medium included
50 Tg/ml of antibiotic, gentamicin and the infectious supernatants
were harvested six days after transfection.
Purification of SDR Substituted CC49 MAb
Three days after infection, the tissue culture supernatant was
harvested and clarified by centrifugation at 2000.times.g for 10
minutes. Tris buffer was added to the supernatant to a final
concentration of 20 mM. Following incubation at 4.degree. C. for
2-3 hours, any contaminating proteins were pelleted by
centrifugation at 10,000.times.g for 15 minutes. The supernatant
was applied to a protein G agarose column (Gibco BRL) and the bound
protein was eluted from the column, using 0.1 M glycine
hydrochloride, pH 2.5. The pH of the eluted material was
immediately adjusted to 7.0 with 1.0 M Tris buffer, pH 8.0. The
protein was concentrated using a Centriplus 30 microconcentrator
(Amicon, Beverly, Mass.), centrifuged at 3000.times.g for 80
minutes. The concentrated protein was recovered in
phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The protein concentration was
determined by the as described in Example III. The purity of the
antibody preparation was evaluated by electrophoresis on 4-12%
SDS-PAGE, under reducing and non-reducing conditions. The proteins
were visualized by staining with Coomassie blue, as described in
Example III.
Example IX
Competition Radioimmunoassays for SDR Substituted Variants
ELISA
The ability of the variants to express immunoglobulin molecules and
their antigen reactivity of the heavy (.sup.32,34H and
.sup.60-62,64H) or variant light (.sup.94 L, .sup.96L, .sup.97L,
.sup.94,97L, .sup..UPSILON.L.sub.1,2 and .sup.94,97L.sub.1,2 )
chain variants was evaluated using ELISA assays. ELISA assays were
carried out by coating individual wells of a 96-well polyvinyl
microtiter plates with 1 Tg/well of TAG-72 positive bovine
submaxillary mucin (BSM) (Sigma Chem. Co., St. Louis, Mo.), and
following the procedure described by Bei et al., (1995) J. Immunol.
Methods, 186:245-255.
Not all variant antibodies were positive for antigen binding
activity. Results of the ELISA assay for the binding activity to
the TAG-72 positive BSM showed that the variant antibodies
specified by expression constructs carrying the variant genes
.sup.32 34H and .sup.96L were not reactive with BSM. In contrast,
variant antibodies expressed by .sup.97L and .sup.60-62,64H
constructs showed strong BSM binding activity. While immunoglobulin
molecules expressed by .sup.94L and .sup.94L.sub.1,2 constructs
showed moderate positive antigen binding reactivity, those
expressed by .sup.94,97L.sub.1,2 were only weakly positive. (FIG.
13)
A partial or complete loss of antigen binding activity of the
variant immunoglobulins might be attributed to the detrimental
effect of the SDR substitutions on the combining site of HuCC49.
Alternatively, the plaques may show lower or no antigen binding
reactivity because some of the expression constructs failed to
express, were expressing at significantly lower level, or producing
antibodies that were not physically normal. To examine these
possibilities, variant antibodies were produced and purified from a
larger batch of cells that were freshly infected with inoculum
derived from the highest producing clone for each of the
constructs. The concentration of the secreted variant antibodies in
culture supernatants ranged between 2-3 Tg/ml. Purified
immunoglobulin molecules were characterized by SDS-PAGE. Under
reducing conditions, immunoglobulin molecules expressed by each of
the constructs yielded two bands that co-migrated with the heavy
and light chains of HuCC49 MAb (data not shown) Antibodies produced
by the insect cells harboring expression constructs
.sup.97L.sub.1,2 and .sup.94,97L.sub.1,2 genes paired with the
HuCC49 heavy chain gene showed similar results (data not shown).
These results make it evident that all constructs expressed and
produced comparable levels of immunoglobulin molecules of
appropriate size. Therefore, it can safely be concluded that the
variant HuCC49 MAbs carrying .sup.96L and .sup.32,34H substitutions
suffered a total loss of antigen binding activity.
Competition Radioimmunoassay
Competition radioimmunoassays (RIAs) were performed to determine
relative binding of the variant MAbs and the parental HuCC49 to
BSM. Details of the procedure are described by Kashmiri et al.,
(1995) Hybridoma, 14:461-473. Serial dilutions of the purified
unlabeled variant antibodies or the parental HuCC49 MAb were used
to compete with radiolabeled HuCC49 for binding to the TAG-72
positive BSM. Briefly, 25 Tl of serial dilutions of the purified
SDR substituted variants or the parental HuCC49 in PBS containing
1% BSA were added to wells of 96-well microtiter plates containing
10 ng of BSM. 25 Tl of .sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 (50,000 cpm) was
added to each well to compete with the unlabeled parental or
variant HuCC49 for binding to the BSM coated on the plates. The
plates were incubated overnight at 4.degree. C. and then washed and
counted in a K-scintillation counter.
Competition profiles of the light chain variants presented in panel
A show that the variant .sup.96L failed to compete, while all other
variants antibodies competed with the parental HuCC49 completely
and with similar slopes. (FIG. 13) However, the competition curves
of all variants with the exception of .sup.97L were shifted
significantly to the right, indicating a loss of reactivity with
antigen (BSM). This shift was notably less pronounced for
.sup.97L.sub.1,2. Similarly, it is evident from the competition
profiles of the heavy chain variants (panel B) that the variant MAb
.sup.32,34H, with substitutions in H-CDR1, did not inhibit binding
of HuCC49 MAb to BSM, whereas .sup.60-62,64H, the variant with
substitutions in the H-CDR2, competed completely with a profile
that was almost identical to that of the parental HuCC49.
The relative affinity constants were calculated as described in
Example IV. The relative affinity constants (Ka) of the variants
were calculated from the linear parts of the competition curves.
The Ka of .sup.97L and .sup.60-62,64H MAbs were 3.6.times.10.sup.8
M.sup.-1 and 2.2.times.10.sup.8 M.sup.-1, respectively. These
values are comparable to 3.2.times.10.sup.8 M.sup.-1, the Ka of the
parental HuCC49. The variant .sup.97L.sub.1,2 was found to have a
Ka of 1.4.times.10.sup.8 M.sup.-1, which is approximately 2- to
3-fold less than the Ka of HuCC49 MAb.
Two new expression constructs were then generated and expressed in
Sf9 cells; in one of them, the gene encoding the variant heavy
chain .sup.60-62,64H was paired with the gene encoding the light
chain variant .sup.97L. Gene .sup.60-62,64H was paired with the
.sup.97L.sub.1,2 light chain gene in the other construct.
Competition profiles of the purified antibodies show that these
variant MAbs competed completely with HuCC49 MAb for antigen
binding, yielding competition curves of the same slope as HuCC49.
(FIG. 13) The relative affinity constant of the Variant MAb
.sup.97L/.sup.60-62,64H was 5.48.times.10.sup.8 M.sup.-1, a figure
favorably comparable to that of HuCC49, while the Ka of the variant
MAb .sup.97L.sub.1,2/.sup.60-62,64H was 1.15.times.10 M.sup.-1,
which is about 3-fold less than that of the parental HuCC49
MAb.
Example X
High Performance Liquid Chromatography
In a reported Phase I clinical trial, in which .sup.177Lu-labeled
MAb CC49 was administered to adenocarcinoma patients, several
patients were found to have anti-idiotypic antibodies to MAb CC49.
Sera collected from the study was used to examine the potential
immunogenicity of the variants. The sera was obtained by separating
the blood by centrifugation. High Performance Liquid Chromatography
(HPLC) was used to determine antigen reactivity of the variants by
monitoring complex formation between antibodies in the patient sera
and the variant MAbs.
Prior to HPLC analysis, any free TAG-72 and human anti-murine
antibodies other than anti-idiotypic antibodies to CC49 present in
the sera were absorbed out using MAb CC92 conjugated to a solid
support. MAb CC92 is a murine anti-TAG-72 antibody which as the
same isotype as CC49 and recognizes an epitope of TAG-72 other than
that recognized by CC49. Patient sera was then incubated with
.sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 (approximately 500,000 cpm) and 5 Tg of
the cold competitor; either HuCC49 or one of the variant MAbs.
The competition assay is described in Example V. Briefly, patient
sera was mixed with >0.3 TCi of .sup.125I-HuCC49 and serial
dilutions of purified HuCC49 or its variants. Prior to the assay,
the amount of sera required in half-maximal immune complex
formation was determined. The mixture was brought to a final volume
of 50 Tl. 25 Tl of the final solution was applied to a 7.8
mm.times.30 cm TSK3000 analytical column (Tosohaas,
Montgomeryville, Pa.) and eluted at 0.5 ml/min with elution buffer
(100 mM KCl in 67 mM sodium phosphate, pH 6.8). Radioactivity was
monitored using a flow-through Model 170 K-scintillation detector
(Beckman).
Complex formation of the radiolabeled HuCC49 with the
anti-idiotypic antibodies in patient sera reduced the retention
time of the radiolabel on the column. The ability of the variant to
inhibit complex formation with .sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 was
determined by the differential in the retention time of the
radiolabel on HPLC column, when a mixture of sera and
.sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 was loaded on the column with or without
incubation with the cold competitor. Inhibition of complex
formation by a competitor indicates that the competitor shares the
immunogenic epitope with HuCC49. (FIG. 14)
From an analysis of the percent of input counts recovered as a
complex, when a mixture of .sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 and sera from
each of the four patients was incubated with 5 Tg of cold
competitor and subjected to HPLC analysis, it is evident that the
variant antibodies .sup.97L and .sup.32,34H, like HuCC49, inhibited
complex formation. In contrast, the variant MAbs .sup.96L and
.sup.94,97L.sub.1,2, like the nonspecific Human immunoglobulin did
not inhibit complex formation of HuCC49 with sera from any patient
except EA. Complex formation with EA sera was partially inhibited
by the two variants. The variant MAbs .sup.94L, .sup.94,97L,
.sup.97L.sub.1,2 and .sup.60-62,64H inhibited complex formation
only partially with sera from all patients. The variant
.sup.97L/.sup.60-62,64H, whose antigen binding activity was
comparable to that of parental HuCC49, inhibited sera of three
patients (DG, CP and DS) only partially, but completely inhibited
the sera from EA patient to form complexes with HuCC49. More
importantly, the variant .sup.97L.sub.1,2/.sup.60-62,64H did not
compete with HuCC49 to form complex with anti-idiotypic antibodies
present in sera from two patients (CP and DS) while showing only
partial competition with sera from two other patients (DG and
DS).
Using serial dilutions of the competitors, competition profiles
were developed to determine the relative amounts of unlabeled
competitor antibodies required to achieve 50% competition of the
binding of .sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 to the anti-idiotypic
antibodies present in sera from one of the patients (CP). The
percent inhibition of complex formation was calculated and plotted
versus the concentration of competitor.
The competition profiles show that the cold HuCC49 competed
completely and it required approximately 250 ng of the parental
HuCC49 antibody to achieve 50% competition. In contrast, variant
.sup.97L.sub.1,2/.sup.60-62,64H inhibited binding of the
radiolabeled HuCC49 to the sera anti-idiotypic antibodies only
minimally; even 1 Tg of the variant failed to achieve more than 25%
competition, that was achieved by 60 ng of HuCC49. This variant,
which retains moderate antigen binding activity and reacts with
patient's sera only minimally, might be most advantageous for
clinical applications. This variant was further studied for plasma
clearance and biodistribution in an animal model.
FIG. 16 is a graph showing the immunoreactivity of variant
.sup.97L.sub.1,2/.sup.60-62,64H to human sera containing
anti-murine CC49 variable region antibodies as assessed by HPLC
analysis. The percent inhibition of the complex formation was
calculated and plotted versus ng of the competitors. The
competitors were HuCC49 (.box-solid.) and variant
(.quadrature.).
Example XI
Biodistribution and Pharmacokinetic Studies
Pharmacokinetics
Since the rate of plasma clearance has a bearing on in vivo tumor
targeting, a comparison of the pharmacokinetics of the variant to
the parental HuCC49 was assessed using the procedures described by
Kashmiri et al., (1995) Hybridoma, 14:461-473.
To study pharmacokinetics, athymic mice bearing TAG-72 positive
LS-174T tumors (Colcher et al., (1983) Cancer Res., 43:736-742)
were injected intravenously in the tail vein with a mixture
containing 1.4 TCi .sup.131I-labeled HuCC49 and 4.4 TCi
.sup.125I-labeled variant MAb .sup.97L.sub.1,2/.sup.60-62,64H.
Blood samples were collected at various time points via the tail
vein into 10 Tl heparinized capillary tubes (Drummond, Broomall,
Pa.). The amounts of .sup.131I and .sup.125I in the plasma were
determined and corrected for the respective rates of the decay of
the two radionuclides. The percentage of the injected dose of each
radionuclide remaining in the plasma was then calculated for each
time point. The results suggest that the blood clearance patterns
of the two antibodies are not significantly different. (FIG. 17).
For 50% of the injected dose of the HuCC49 or variant to clear the
blood compartment, required 1 and 2 hours, respectively. At 24
hours, 85% and 80% of the radiolabeled HuCC49 and the variant,
respectively, was cleared from the blood. At 48 hours, the
percentage of HuCC49 and the variant cleared from the blood was 92%
and 88%, respectively.
Biodistribution
Biodistribution assays were performed as described by Kashmiri et
al., (1995) Hybridoma, 14:461-473. To investigate the ability of
the variant HuCC49 MAb to localize to human tumor xenograft and
determine radiolocalization index (RI), athymic mice bearing TAG-72
positive LS-174T tumors (Colcher et al., (1983) Cancer Res.,
43:736-742) were injected intravenously in the tail vein with a
mixture containing 1.4 TCi .sup.131I-labeled HuCC49 and 4.4 TCi
.sup.125I-labeled variant MAb .sup.97L.sub.1,2/.sup.60-62,64H. The
amount of .sup.131I and .sup.125I were determined in blood samples
collected via tail vein at specified times. For each time point, 5
mice were sacrificed to collect and weigh tumor, blood and all
other major organs. Radioactivity was measured in a K-scintillation
counter and it was corrected for the decay. The percentage of the
injected dose per gram (% ID/gm) for each organ was determined.
The % injected dose of the two antibodies per gram of either tumor
or different normal tissues that were collected at different time
points shows that the biodistribution patterns of the two
antibodies are essentially the same. Both showed significant tumor
localization by 24 hours. (FIG. 18) By 48 hours, when only 8% and
12% of the injected dose was present in the blood, 17.6% and 23.8%
ID/b of HuCC49 and the variant were, respectively, present in the
tumor.
Example XII
Characterization of Humoral Immune Response against CC49
In this Example, the humoral immune response against HuCC49
CDR-replacement variants is examined.
Generation of Humanized CC49 (HuCC49) and Humanized CC49
CDR-Replacement Variants (CDR Variants)
A clone producing humanized CC49 (HuCC49) was grown in protein free
hybridoma medium PFHM-II (GIBCO-BRL, Gaithersburg, Md.) as
described by Kashmiri (1995), Hybridoma, 14:461-473. The humanized
CC49 monoclonal antibody (MAb) was purified from the tissue culture
supernatant by Protein G affinity chromatography as described by
Kashmiri (1995), Hybridoma, 14:461-473.
Seven HuCC49 CDR-variants were produced as described in Examples
I-III.
Radiolabeling
MAb HuCC49, BL-3 and the CDR-replacement variants of HuCC49 were
labeled with Na .sup.125I, using the iodogen method (Pierce,
Rockford, Ill.) as described by Fraker et al. (1978), Biochem.
Biophys. Res. Commun. 80:849-857; and Colcher et al. (1988), Cancer
Res., 48:4597-4603. BL-3 is an isotype-matched control for CC49
(described by Colcher et al. (1987), Cancer Res., 47:4218-4224).
The labeling procedure typically resulted in specific activities of
5-10 TCi/Tg.
Patients and Sample Collection
Patients with recurrent metastatic adenocarcinoma were enrolled in
a Phase I Study to assess the maximum tolerated does of
intravenously administered .sup.177Lutetium radiolabeled MAb CC49
(Mulligan, (1995) Clin. Cancer Res. 1: 1447-1454).
In the Phase I Study, adenocarcinoma patients were given a test
dose of 0.1 mg (i.v. bolus) of MAb CC49 and observed for 30 minutes
prior to administration of the .sup.177Lu-labeled MAb CC49. The
radiolabeled MAb was given as a 1 hour i.v. infusion. Blood samples
were collected prior to and at the end of the infusion, and 0.5, 1
and 2 hours after the infusion, and afterward, daily for 7 days.
Patients returned for a follow-up examination 10 at 3, 6 or 8
weeks, at which time blood samples were collected. Sera was
separated and stored at -20.degree. C. until analyzed. Sera from
these patients provided a resource for assessing the humoral
response of patients to the murine MAb CC49. The patient
characteristics are presented in Table 1, below.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 1 Patient Characteristics Dose.sup.a Dose
Level Patient Age Sex Tumor mCi mg MAb 10 mCi/m.sup.2 DS 52 F
Breast 16.0 20 LW 45 F Breast 19.0 20 JJ 61 F Breast 17.2 20 25
mCi/m.sup.2 DG 45 F Breast 41.0 20 LJ 45 F Breast 40.3 20 JM 42 F
Breast 45.4 20 15 mCi/m.sup.2 JG 61 M Colon 29.8 44 RW 46 F Lung
24.2 20 TD 50 M Colon 31.5 47 EA.sup.b 53 F Colon 24.2 20 CP.sup.b
53 F Colon 26.0 20 LQ.sup.b 45 F Colon 29.7 20 .sup.aPatients were
administered .sup.177Lu-PA-DOTA-CC49 by intravenous injection.
.sup.bPatient received new formulation of .sup.177Lu-PA-DOTA-CC49
that was labeled using a modification of the method described by
Mulligan et al. (1995), Clin. Cancer Res. 1: 1447-1454.
PA-DOTA was conjugated to human serum albumin (HSA), radiolabeled
with Na .sup.125I, incubated with the patient sera and analyzed for
immune complex formation by size-exclusion HPLC. None of the sera
showed detectable reactivity with the PA-DOTA-HSA conjugate (Data
not shown).
Determination of Patient Humoral Response
The sera from the twelve patients was evaluated for the presence of
human anti-murine antibodies (HAMA) in response to MAb CC49 using
high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) as described by
Mulligan et al. (1996) Clin. Cancer Res., 1:1447-1454. The analysis
was performed by adding about 500,000 cpm (0.4TCi) of
.sup.125I-BL-3 to 50 Tl of patient sera. Following a 60 minute
incubation at 37.degree. C., 25 Tl of the mixture was applied to a
size-exclusion column (TSK 3000SW; TosoHaas, Montgomeryville, Pa.)
equilibrated in 67 mM sodium phosphate (pH 6.8) containing 100 mM
KCl. The sera samples were eluted at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. The
protein was detected by absorbance at 280 nm and the radioactivity
was measured using a flow-through K-scintillation counter (Model
170, Beckman Instruments, Inc., Berkeley, Calif.). The presence of
HAMA was indicated by a shift in the elution profile of the
.sup.125I-BL-3 because the formation of immune complexes with the
radiolabeled BL-3 results in a shorter retention time. The
patients' pre-study sera, normal human sera and phosphate buffered
saline with .sup.125I-BL-3 were used as controls. A patient with a
known HAMA response from a previous study (Colcher et al. (1990),
J. Nucl. Med., 31:1133-1142) served as a positive control. The
patients' sera were demonstrated to have antibodies against the
variable region of the murine CC49.
FIG. 19 shows an HPLC analysis of patient HAMA following
intravenous injection of .sup.177Lu-CC49. Serum samples from LQ
were analyzed for the presence of HAMA at various timepoints before
and after injection with 20 mg of .sup.177Lu-labeled CC49.
Pre-study sera (A), sera collected at 7 days (B), 3 weeks (C), and
6 weeks (D) were mixed with .sup.125I-BL-3 and applied to a size
exclusion column. Reduction in retention time of the radiolabeled
BL-3 as compared to migration of the .sup.125I-BL-3 in buffer (E)
were indicative of immune complex formation and therefore the
presence of HAMA.
Lack of complex formation is evident (FIG. 19A) when the pre-study
sera of Patient LQ is incubated with the .sup.125I-BL-3. All of the
radioactivity is associated with the peak at about 18.5 minutes,
the same retention time for .sup.125I-BL-3 in buffer (FIG. 19E).
Complex formation is also absent when the sera collected at seven
days is incubated with .sup.125I-BL-3 (FIG. 19B). With sera
collected at 3 weeks (FIG. 19C), however, there is an indication of
complex formation (46%) with the appearance of two peaks with a
shorter retention time (i.e., 14 and 16 minutes). The peaks at a
shorter retention time indicate the development of a higher
molecular weight species in the sera. At 6 weeks (FIG. 19D), the
HAMA response has increased, the amount of radioactivity bound in
complexes is now 66%.
FIG. 20 shows an HPLC analysis of patients' humoral response to the
variable region of MAb CC49. The percent complex formation has been
plotted versus time for (solid lines) patients DS (.largecircle.),
LW (.quadrature.), JJ (.DELTA.), DG (.circle-solid.), LJ
(.box-solid.), TD(.tangle-solidup.); (dotted lines) JG
(.largecircle.), RW (.quadrature.), JM (.DELTA.), EA
(.circle-solid.), CP (.box-solid.), LQ (.tangle-solidup.);
At one week, none of the patients showed a detectable response
against the HuCC49 (FIG. 20). At 3 weeks, sera from nine of the
twelve patients (75%) appears to contain antibody against the
variable region of CC49 with one patient having a notably higher
response than the others. For the eleven patients evaluated at six
weeks, only two patients did not elicit a human antivariable region
antibody response (HAVRA) against CC49, i.e., 9 of 11 evaluable
patients (82%) had antibody against the variable region of the
murine MAb CC49.
Three patterns of HAMA-HAVRA response are evident. The patterns of
the HAMA and HAVRA responses elicited in each of the patients were
very similar, differing only in the apparent level of antibody.
Patients DG, LW, LQ and CP developed HAVRA simultaneously with
HAMA. Patients DS and JM appear to have a strong HAVRA, while HAMA
response is modest. While in patients TD, JG, and EA, the HAVRA
level is lower than HAMA at 3 weeks, followed by HAMA and HAVRA
attaining high levels at later timepoints. In no patient was there
a HAVRA response without the development of HAMA.
The HAMA results for the twelve patients are summarized below in
Table 2.
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 2 HPLC Analysis of Patients' Anti-mouse
immunoglobulin response after i.v. injection of .sup.177Lu-CC49
Days Post-Injection of .sup.177Lu-CC49 Patient 7 21 42 56 DS
0.sup.a 1 16 27 LW 3 6 81 NA JJ 0 12 3 4 DG 0 24 84 NA LJ 0 42 NA
NA JM 0 8 47 NA JG 4 83 83 NA RW 0 1 2 NA TD 0 95 100 NA EA 0 27
100 100 CP3 0 33 27 NA LQ 0 46 66 100 .sup.aThe values are the
percent of .sup.125I-BL-3 detected in complexes after a brief
incubation with the patient sera and resolved by size-exclusion
chromatography. The timepoints of each patient are background
corrected using the patients' pre-study sera.
The patterns of the HAMA responses are varied and are consistent
with previous findings by Colcher et al. (1990), J. Nucl. Med.
31:1133-1142. Ten out of the twelve patients (83%) demonstrate a
HAMA response at 3 weeks following a single intravenous injection
of 20 mg .sup.177Lu-labeled CC49, two patients (LW and JG) have
minimal responses evident at 7 days with complexes of 3% and 4%,
respectively. One patient (RW) may be considered a nonresponder.
Some of the patients show an escalating HAMA response, while others
plateau. Yet another (JJ) peaks at 3 weeks, followed by an apparent
decrease in the HAMA level. Overall, at 3 weeks, 8 of 12 patients
(57%) at and 6 weeks, 9 of 11 (82%) were HAMA positive.
Specificity of Patient Response
The specificity of the patients' antibody response to CC49 was
assessed using .sup.125I-labeled HuCC49 and HuCC49 CDR-replacement
variants to determine whether or not any of the responses were
directed against the variable region of CC49. To accomplish this,
the HPLC methodology was employed using .sup.125I-HuCC49 as the
probe (See, Kashmiri et al. (1995), Hybridoma, 14:461-473).
To eliminate the artifactual influence of TAG-72 in the HPLC
analysis for anti-CC49 antibody responses found in the patient's
serum, immunoadsorbents were prepared as reported by Ferroni et al.
(1992) J. Clin. Lab. Analysis, 4:465-473. For the purpose of these
studies, purified MAb CC92 was coupled to Reacti-gel (HW65F,
Pierce) according to the method of Heam et al. (1979), J.
Chromatog, 185:463-470. MAb CC92 is a second-generation monoclonal
antibody that reacts with TAG-72, but with an epitope distinct from
the one recognized by CC49.
Before probing the patients' sera with the .sup.125I-HuCC49,
removal of HAMA and circulating TAG-72 were confirmed using
.sup.125I-BL-3 and .sup.125I-B72.3, respectively (data not shown).
MAb B72.3 is an anti-TAG-72 MAb that has been shown to form
complexes with TAG-72 in patient sera (Colcher et al. (1990), J.
Nucl. Med., 31:1133-1142).
In the competition assay, 5 Tg of the cold competitor (either
purified HuCC49 or one of its variants) was added to a mixture of
patient sera (collected 8 weeks post-i.v. injection with
.sup.177Lu-CC49) and .sup.125I-HuCC49 and then analyzed by
size-exclusion chromatography for the absence or presence of
complexes. The percent inhibition of complex formation was
calculated. If the variant competed with the .sup.125I-labeled MAb,
and complex formation was inhibited, then the variant still
contained the immunodominant CDR. If the variant failed to inhibit
complex formation, then the CDR that is no longer present in the
variant is recognized by the patient and hence it is an immunogenic
CDR. An example of this assay (using serum from patient LQ) is
shown in FIG. 21. Panel A is the profile of the HuCC49 in buffer
only. Panel B, is the profile showing complex formation (42.9%)
resulting from patient sera (LQ) incubated with .sup.125I-HuCC49.
When HuCC49 is added as a competitor, there is competition for the
.sup.125I-HuCC49 and a loss or absence of complexes is observed
(Panel C). The same is true of a variant which still contains an
immunogenic CDR (e.g., light chain CDR2 as the competitor) (Panel
D). In contrast, there is either a partial (Panel F) or total
retention of the complexes (Panel E), when light chain CDR1 or CDR3
variants, respectively, are the competitors.
The results are very striking, see Table 3.
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 3 HPLC Analysis of Patient Reactivity to
CDR-Replacement variants of HuCC49.sup.a Competitor Patient
CDR.sup.b DS DG JG EA CP LQ None -- 33.5.sup.c 46.2 24.5 56.8 32.2
42.9 HuCC49 -- 0 0 2.6 0.5 1.5 3.0 Hu IgG -- 46.4 59.0 25.1 63.6 ND
54.1 Light Chain 1 16.0 12.2 9.8 10.1 16.9 14.3 2 2.7 3.4 2.7 4.4
3.0 2.4 3 34.8 48.2 22.4 37.6 33.5 46.7 1, 2 24.6 24.5 12.6 19.4
15.7 20.2 Heavy Chain 1 10.2 3.9 3.3 7.0 5.8 3.5 2 32.7 32.5 12.7
24.7 29.7 36.6 3 7.3 5.1 3.7 8.2 6.7 4.6 .sup.aThe sera from
patients injected with .sup.177Lu-CC49 were tested for reactivity
with variants of HuCC49 in which individual CDRs had been
substituted with human sequences in both the heavy and light chains
of HuCC49. Five Tg of the purified CDR-replacement variants were
added to a mixture of .sup.125I-HuCC49 and the patient sera and
then analyzed for the presence or absence of immune complex
formation. .sup.bThe number indicates which CDR in the HuCC49 has
been replaced with a human CDR sequence. .sup.cThe values are the
percent of complexes, the higher molecular weight species, resolved
by size-exclusion chromatography.
Of the six patients analyzed, all six demonstrated reactivity with
CDR3 light chain indicating that light chain CDR3 may be
immunodominant in murine CC49 MAb. In the heavy chain, CDR2 appears
to be dominant but not with the same level of consensus (four of
the six patients show the same level of reactivity, the other two
demonstrated partial reactivity). Concordance was obtained among
the six patients in regard to CDR2 of the light chain and CDR1 and
CDR3 of the heavy chain, which do not appear to contribute to the
immunogenicity of the MAb. This is also the case with the light
chain CDR1 and, it follows, the variant with the dual substitution
of CDR1 and 2 in the light chain, in which all six patients
displayed a partial recognition of the variants. Partial
recognition with the heavy chain CDR2 variant with two patients may
be due to a loss of part but not all of the cognizant epitope, a
change in the conformation or conformational epitope, or loss of
amino acid residues that might stabilize the antibody:antibody
interaction.
Quantitation of Patient Antibody Response
Quantitation of the HAMA or anti-variable region antibody levels in
four patients was performed using HPLC analysis. The quantitation
study was performed by adding either 500 ng of unlabeled BL-3 or
250 ng of HuCC49, respectively, to the mixture of patient serum and
.sup.125I-HuCC49 and calculating the amount of BL-3 or HuCC49 bound
in complexes.
As shown in Table 4, below, at 6 weeks, the amount of HAMA varies
from patient to patient by 43-fold, while the variability of HAVRA
is within 4-fold. Furthermore, the HAMA versus HAVRA levels may
vary from 10 to 145-fold. Clearly, HAVRA can be detected at 3
weeks, and, not surprisingly, it does not appear to attain the same
levels as HAMA. In patient EA, there is a dramatic 1 0-fold
increase in the level of HAVRA from 6 to 8 weeks that is
noteworthy.
TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 4 Quantitation of anti-CC49 variable region
and anti-murine response of patients administered .sup.177Lu-CC49
Tg of Ab/ml Sera Post-Mab Patient Injection BL-3.sup.a HuCC49.sup.b
EA 0 0 0 3 weeks 4.1 0.3 6 weeks 289.0 2.3 8 weeks 314.4 21.6 CP 0
0 0 3 weeks 16.0 0.8 5 weeks 25.2 0.7 6 weeks 23.2 0.7 LQ 0 0 ND 3
weeks 4.61 0.4 6 weeks 6.64 0.7 8 weeks ND 1.7 JG 0 0 0 3 weeks
58.6 0.7 6 weeks 47.8 2.6
Competition Radioimmunoassay
To confirm whether the HAVRA was actually an anti-idiotypic
response, including internal image anti-idiotypic antibodies, to
the murine MAb CC49, the sera from one patient (EA) was selected
and assessed for blocking of the binding of .sup.125I-HuCC49 to BSM
in a radioimmunoassay.
The immunoreactivity of the radiolabeled MAbs was assessed using
bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM) immobilized on a solid support
(Reacti-Gel HW65, Pierce) as a modification of the method reported
by Heam et al. (1979), J. Chromatog., 185:463-470 and Schott (1992)
Cancer Res., 52:6413-6417. Briefly, 15 bovine submaxillary mucin
(BSM), which is TAG-72 positive, was adsorbed to each well of a
96-well polyvinylchloride microtiter plate at 10 ng in 50Tl of
phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.2) as described by Horan Hand et
al. (1992), Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 353: 165-174. After
treating the wells with 5% BSA in PBS, serial dilutions of the
patient sera (25 Tl in 1% BSA in PBS) were added to each;
.sup.125I-CC49 (38 nCi in 25 Tl) was also added. Following an 18
hour incubation at 4.degree. C., the plates were washed and the
wells counted in a K-scintillation counter. The percent inhibition
was calculated and compared to that of unlabeled CC49. Human IgG
(Organon Teknika, Durham, N.C.), which does not react with TAG-72
was included as a control antibody.
It was found that the patient sera could block the binding of
.sup.125I-HuCC49 with BSM (FIG. 22) suggesting that the patient, in
actuality, demonstrates an anti-idiotypic response, consisting of
the internal image anti-idiotypic antibodies. Furthermore, the
anti-idiotypic response was observed to increase over an eight week
period. FIG. 22 shows the detection of patient (EA) anti-idiotypic
antibody response to murine CC49: pre-study sera from patient EA
({circumflex over (.smallcircle.)}); sera collected at 3 weeks (A),
6 weeks (B), and 8 weeks (C).
All references cited in this disclosure are hereby incorporated by
reference.
SEQUENCE LISTINGS
1
44117PRTMus musculus 1Lys Ser Ser Gln Ser Leu Leu Tyr Ser Gly Asn
Gln Lys Asn Tyr Leu1 5 10 15Ala27PRTMus musculus 2Trp Ala Ser Ala
Arg Glu Ser1 539PRTMus musculus 3Gln Gln Tyr Tyr Ser Tyr Pro Leu
Thr1 545PRTMus musculus 4Asp His Ala Ile His1 5517PRTMus musculus
5Tyr Phe Ser Pro Gly Asn Asp Asp Phe Lys Tyr Asn Glu Arg Phe Lys1 5
10 15Gly66PRTMus musculus 6Ser Leu Asn Met Ala Tyr1 5717PRTHomo
sapiens 7Lys Ser Ser Gln Ser Val Leu Tyr Ser Ser Asn Ser Lys Asn
Tyr Leu1 5 10 15Ala87PRTHomo sapiens 8Trp Ala Ser Thr Arg Glu Ser1
599PRTHomo sapiens 9Gln Gln Tyr Tyr Ser Thr Pro Tyr Ser1
5105PRTHomo sapiens 10Ser Tyr Ala Met His1 51117PRTHomo sapiens
11Trp Ile Asn Ala Gly Asn Gly Asn Thr Lys Tyr Ser Gln Lys Phe Gln1
5 10 15Gly1212PRTHomo sapiens 12Gly Gly Tyr Tyr Gly Ser Gly Ser Gly
Ser Asn Tyr1 5 1013113PRTArtificial SequenceMouse and Human
Chimeric Antibody Light Chain Variable Region 13Asp Ile Val Met Ser
Gln Ser Pro Asp Ser Leu Ala Val Ser Leu Gly1 5 10 15Glu Arg Val Thr
Leu Asn Cys Lys Ser Ser Gln Ser Leu Leu Tyr Ser 20 25 30Gly Asn Gln
Lys Asn Tyr Leu Ala Trp Tyr Gln Gln Lys Pro Gly Gln 35 40 45Ser Pro
Lys Leu Leu Ile Tyr Trp Ala Ser Ala Arg Glu Ser Gly Val 50 55 60Pro
Asp Arg Phe Ser Gly Ser Gly Ser Gly Thr Asp Phe Thr Leu Thr65 70 75
80Ile Ser Ser Val Gln Ala Glu Asp Val Ala Val Tyr Tyr Cys Gln Gln
85 90 95Tyr Tyr Ser Tyr Pro Leu Thr Phe Gly Ala Gly Thr Lys Leu Glu
Leu 100 105 110Lys14115PRTArtificial SequenceMouse and Human
Chimeric Antibody Heavy Chain Variable Region 14Gln Val Gln Leu Val
Gln Ser Gly Ala Glu Val Val Lys Pro Gly Ala1 5 10 15Ser Val Lys Ile
Ser Cys Lys Ala Ser Gly Tyr Thr Phe Thr Asp His 20 25 30Ala Ile His
Trp Val Lys Gln Asn Pro Gly Gln Arg Leu Glu Trp Ile 35 40 45Gly Tyr
Phe Ser Pro Gly Asn Asp Asp Phe Lys Tyr Asn Glu Arg Phe 50 55 60Lys
Gly Lys Ala Thr Leu Thr Ala Asp Thr Ser Ala Ser Thr Ala Tyr65 70 75
80Val Glu Leu Ser Ser Leu Arg Ser Glu Asp Thr Ala Val Tyr Phe Cys
85 90 95Thr Arg Ser Leu Asn Met Ala Tyr Trp Gly Gln Gly Thr Leu Val
Thr 100 105 110Val Ser Ser 11515124DNAArtificial SequenceVH
Oligonucleotide Primer 15ctaagcttcc accatggagt ggtcctgggt
cttcctcttc ctcctgctgc tgtgggtgag 60agtgcactcc caggtccagc tggtgcagtc
cggcgctgag tccctggccg tgtcccaggg 120cgtg 12416123DNAArtificial
SequenceVH Oligonucleotide Primer 16ggagagaaat atccaatcca
ctccaggcgc tgtccaggat tctgtttctt ctgatttccg 60ctatagagag tgaaggtgta
gccgcttgcc ttgcaggaaa tcttcacgcc cagggacacg 120gcc
12317126DNAArtificial SequenceVH Oligonucleotide Primer
17tggagtggat tggatatttc tctcccggaa acgatgattt taagtacaat gagaggttca
60agggcaaggc cacactgact gcagacacat ctgccagcac tgcctacgtg gagctctcca
120gcctga 12618125DNAArtificial SequenceVH Oligonucleotide Primer
18atgggcccgt agttttggcg ctggagacgg tgaccagggt tccctgtccc cagtaggcca
60tattcaggga tcttgtgcag aagtacactg cagtatcctc ggatctcagg ctggagagct
120ccacg 12519122DNAArtificial SequenceVL Oligonucleotide Primer
19gcaagcttcc accatggata gccaggccca ggtgctcatg ctcctgctgc tgtgggtgag
60cggcacatgc ggcgacatcg tgatgagcca gtctccagac tccctggccg tgtcccaggg
120cg 12220121DNAArtificial SequenceVL Oligonucleotide Primer
20gggctctgcc ctggtttctg ctgataccag gcgagatagt tcttctgatt tccgctatag
60agcagggact ggctggactt gcaattcaga gtcaccctct cgcccaggga cacggccagg
120g 12121121DNAArtificial SequenceVL Oligonucleotide Primer
21gcagaaacca gggcagagcc ctaaactgct gatttactgg gcatccgcta gggaatccgg
60cgtgcctgat cgcttcagcg gcagcggatc tgggacagac ttcactctga caatcagcag
120c 12122126DNAArtificial SequenceVL Oligonucleotide Primer
22agccgcggcc cgtttcagtt ccagcttggt gccagcgccg aatgtgaggg gatagctata
60atactgctga caataataga ctgccacgtc ttctgcctgc acgctgctga ttgtcagagt
120gaagtc 1262319DNAArtificial SequenceOligonucleotide Primer
23ctaagcttcc accatggag 192419DNAArtificial SequenceOligonucleotide
primer 24atgggcccgt agtttggcg 192520DNAArtificial
SequenceOligonucleotide primer 25gcaagcttcc accatggata
202620DNAArtificial SequenceOligonucleotide primer 26agccgcggcc
cgtttcagtt 202742DNAArtificial SequenceMutagenic primer
27gccagcgccg aagctgaggg gatagctata atactgctga ca
422845DNAArtificial SequenceMutagenic primer 28ggtgccagcg
ccgaagctga ggggggtgct ataatactgc tgaca 452942DNAArtificial
SequenceMutagenic primer 29gccacggccg aatgtgtagg gatagctata
atactgctga ca 423039DNAArtificial SequenceMutagenic primer
30gccgaatgtg aggggggtgc tataatactg ctgacaata 393137DNAArtificial
SequenceMutagenic primer 31gtttcaccca gtgcattgca taatcagtga aggtgta
373256DNAArtificial SequenceMutagenic primer 32gtggccttgc
cctggaactt ctgtgagtac ttaaaatcat cgtttccggg agagaa 563323PRTHomo
sapiens 33Asp Ile Val Met Thr Gln Ser Pro Asp Ser Leu Ala Val Ser
Leu Gly1 5 10 15Glu Arg Ala Thr Ile Asn Cys 203415PRTHomo sapiens
34Trp Tyr Gln Gln Lys Pro Gly Gln Pro Pro Lys Leu Leu Ile Tyr1 5 10
153532PRTHomo sapiens 35Gly Val Pro Asp Arg Phe Ser Gly Ser Gly Ser
Gly Thr Asp Phe Thr1 5 10 15Leu Thr Ile Ser Ser Leu Gln Ala Glu Asp
Val Ala Val Tyr Tyr Cys 20 25 303610PRTHomo sapiens 36Phe Gly Gln
Gly Thr Lys Leu Glu Ile Lys1 5 103730PRTHomo sapiens 37Gln Val Gln
Leu Val Gln Ser Gly Ala Glu Val Lys Lys Pro Gly Ala1 5 10 15Ser Val
Lys Val Ser Cys Lys Ala Ser Gly Tyr Thr Phe Thr 20 25 303814PRTHomo
sapiens 38Trp Val Arg Gln Ala Pro Gly Gln Arg Leu Glu Trp Met Gly1
5 103932PRTHomo sapiens 39Arg Val Thr Ile Thr Arg Asp Thr Ser Ala
Ser Thr Ala Tyr Met Glu1 5 10 15Leu Ser Ser Leu Arg Ser Glu Asp Thr
Ala Val Tyr Tyr Cys Ala Arg 20 25 304011PRTHomo sapiens 40Trp Gly
Gln Gly Thr Leu Val Thr Val Ser Ser1 5 1041424DNAArtificial
SequenceMouse and Human Nucleotide Sequences Encoding a Chimeric
Antibody Light Chain Variable Region Together with Flanking
Oligomers 41gcaagcttcc accatggata gccaggccca ggtgctcatg ctcctgctgc
tgtgggtgag 60cggcacatgc ggcgacatcg tgatgagcca gtctccagac tccctggccg
tgtcccaggg 120cgagagggtg actctgaatt gcaagtccag ccagtccctg
ctctatagcg gaaatcagaa 180gaactatctc gcctggtatc agcagaaacc
agggcagagc cctaaactgc tgatttactg 240ggcatccgct agggaatccg
gcgtgcctga tcgcttcagc ggcagcggat ctgggacaga 300cttcactctg
acaatcagca gcgtgcaggc agaagacgtg gcagtctatt attgtcagca
360gtattatagc tatcccctca cattcggcgc tggcaccaag ctggaactga
aacgggccgc 420ggct 42442424DNAArtificial SequenceNucleotide
Sequences Complementary to Mouse and Human Nucleotide Sequences
Encoding a Chimeric Antibody Light Chain Variable Region Together
with Flanking Oligomers 42agccgcggcc cgtttcagtt ccagcttggt
gccagcgccg aatgtgaggg gatagctata 60atactgctga caataataga ctgccacgtc
ttctgcctgc acgctgctga ttgtcagagt 120gaagtctgtc ccagatccgc
tgccgctgaa gcgatcaggc acgccggatt ccctagcgga 180tgcccagtaa
atcagcagtt tagggctctg ccctggtttc tgctgatacc aggcgagata
240gttcttctga tttccgctat agagcaggga ctggctggac ttgcaattca
gagtcaccct 300ctcgcccagg gacacggcca gggagtctgg agactggctc
atcacgatgt cgccgcatgt 360gccgctcacc cacagcagca ggagcatgag
cacctgggcc tggctatcca tggtggaagc 420ttgc 42443434DNAArtificial
SequenceMouse and Human Nucleotide Sequences Encoding a Chimeric
Antibody Heavy Chain Variable Region Together with Flanking
Oligomers 43ctaagcttcc accatggagt ggtcctgggt cttcctcttc ctcctgctgc
tgtgggtgag 60agtgcactcc caggtccagc tggtgcagtc cggcgctgag tccctggccg
tgtcccaggg 120cgtgaagatt tcctgcaagg caagcggcta caccttcact
ctctatagcg gaaatcagaa 180gaaacagaat cctggacagc gcctggagtg
gattggatat ttctctcccg gaaacgatga 240ttttaagtac aatgagaggt
tcaagggcaa ggccacactg actgcagaca catctgccag 300cactgcctac
gtggagctct ccagcctgag atccgaggat actgcagtgt acttctgcac
360aagatccctg aatatggcct actggggaca gggaaccctg gtcaccgtct
ccagcgccaa 420aactacgggc ccat 43444434DNAArtificial
SequenceNucleotide Sequences Complementary to Mouse and Human
Nucleotide Sequences Encoding a Chimeric Antibody Heavy Chain
Variable Region Together with Flanking Oligomers 44atgggcccgt
agttttggcg ctggagacgg tgaccagggt tccctgtccc cagtaggcca 60tattcaggga
tcttgtgcag aagtacactg cagtatcctc ggatctcagg ctggagagct
120ccacgtaggc agtgctggca gatgtgtctg cagtcagtgt ggccttgccc
ttgaacctct 180cattgtactt aaaatcatcg tttccgggag agaaatatcc
aatccactcc aggcgctgtc 240caggattctg tttcttctga tttccgctat
agagagtgaa ggtgtagccg cttgccttgc 300aggaaatctt cacgcccagg
gacacggcca gggactcagc gccggactgc accagctgga 360cctgggagtg
cactctcacc cacagcagca ggaggaagag gaagacccag gaccactcca
420tggtggaagc ttag 434
* * * * *