Gram scale purification and preparation of rabbit liver zinc metallothionein.

A simplified procedure for purifying gram quantities of rabbit liver metallothionein (MT) using gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography is presented. The MT purification made use of anion exchange batch elution chromatography which greatly shortened the procedure. Quantitation techniques for use with crude and purified MT are discussed. This paper also describes the preparation of large amounts of ZnMT from Cd,ZnMT.

Conjugation of a monoclonal antibody with a DTPA modified random copolymer of hydroxyethyl methylacrylate and methyl methacrylate.

A new approach for covalent coupling diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) molecules to a partially reduced monoclonal antibody utilizes a malemide modified copolymer of hydroxyethyl methylacrylate and methyl methacrylate (DTPA copolymer) prepared by the group transfer polymerization (GTP) method. An average of 6 DTPA molecules were incorporated per mol maleimeide DTPA copolymer and 1.5 mol maleimide DTPA copolymer per mol antibody. Maleimide DTPA copolymer modified antibody was intramolecularly cross-linked, reduced immunoactivity and had a high in vivo liver uptake.

Site-directed chemical modification and cross-linking of a monoclonal antibody using equilibrium transfer alkylating cross-link reagents.

A new, more reactive group of protein cross-linkers in the class of equilibrium transfer alkylating cross-link (ETAC) reagents has been synthesized. These compounds include alpha,alpha-bis[(p-chlorophenyl)methyl]- and alpha,alpha-bis[(p-tolylsulfonyl)methyl]acetophenones substituted in the acetophenone ring with chloro, nitro, amino, and carboxyl groups and derivatives. Included are an 125I-labeled ETAC reagent and a 111In-labeled DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) ETAC for site direction and biodistribution studies. These ETAC compounds were reacted with unreduced and partially reduced antibody under mild pH (pH 4-8) and room temperature conditions to give cross-linked structures. Examination of resultant cross-linked antibody via size-exclusion HPLC, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay revealed that (1) both interantibody as well as intraantibody cross-linking had occurred; (2) the level of inter- and intraantibody cross-linking varied with the substituent on the ETAC; (3) the stability of the cross-links on the reducing SDS gels varied with substituents on the ETAC; (4) little if any immunoreactivity was lost after reaction with one of the more effective ETAC cross-linking compounds; (5) the 125I-labeled ETAC sulfhydryl cross-linking in partially reduced antibody increased with pH whereas amine cross-linking with the unreduced antibody decreased with pH; (6) the optimum pH for sulfhydryl site direction was pH 5.0; (7) the 111In DTPA ETAC labeled antibody had a biodistribution in CD1 mice similar to that of the 111In bis cyclic anhydride DTPA labeled antibody.

Heterobifunctional cross-linking of a monoclonal antibody with 2-methyl-N1-benzenesulfonyl-N4-bromoacetylquinonediimide.

The Cyssor reagent, 2-methyl-N1-benzenesulfonyl-N4-bromoacetylquinonediimide, which will cleave a protein chain at Cys under acidic conditions, cross-linked unreduced and partially reduced antibody at pH 8.0. No cleavage of the antibody occurred suggesting that the Cyssor reagent may be useful with certain proteins as a heterobifunctional cross-linker.

Conjugation of metallothionein to a murine monoclonal antibody.

A method of conjugation of the metal-binding protein, metallothionein, to an anticarcinoma murine monoclonal antibody, B72.3, and its F(ab')2 fragment has been developed utilizing the heterobifunctional crosslinking reagent, succinimidyl 4-(N-maleimidomethyl)-cyclohexane 1-carboxylate. This crosslinking reagent is first reacted with the free amines on the immunoglobulin. After removal of unreacted crosslinker, conjugation is affected through a sulfhydryl group on metallothionein. Under the conditions employed all immunoglobulin aggregates contained metallothionein. The degree of undesired aggregation is directly proportional to the number of metallothioneins attached to the immunoglobulin. This aggregation can be controlled by the amount of crosslinker and metallothionein presented to the immunoglobulin. The immunoglobulin conjugate retains full immunoreactivity and can be readily purified from the unreacted metallothionein and high molecular weight aggregates. The metallothionein-B72.3 conjugate functions as an efficient and stable chelator of radiometals. Thus metallothionein-monoclonal antibody conjugates have potential utility in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Pharmacokinetics of the monoclonal antibody B72.3 and its fragments labeled with either 125I or 111In.

A comparison of the pharmacokinetics of intact B72.3 (a murine monoclonal antibody specific for human breast and colon carcinoma) with F(ab')2 and Fab fragments labeled with 111In and 125I was done in athymic mice bearing target (LS174T) and non-target (HCT-15) tumors. IgG B72.3 labeled with either isotype imaged LS174T. Biodistributions of both labels were similar in all organs except liver. F(ab')2 also imaged the LS174T tumor, while Fab bearing either isotype did not. The blood clearance was Fab greater than F(ab')2 greater than immunoglobulin G B72.3 for both isotopes. 111In-labeled fragments yielded large accumulations in the kidneys which persisted for 2 days. The different patterns of biodistribution for the various forms of B72.3 labeled with the two isotopes suggest that the most desirable combination of fragment and isotope will depend on the intended use.