Design of immunoliposomes directed against human ovarian carcinoma.

Factors (protein/lipid ratio, pH of incubation medium, incubation time, anchor molecule density in the bilayer) affecting the covalent binding of anti-ovarian carcinoma Fab' to liposomes containing the anchor molecule MPB-PE (N-(4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyryl)phosphatidylethanolamine) were explored. Standard experimental conditions were chosen and information on the relevant physicochemical parameters of the liposome dispersions was collected (mean particle diameter, size distribution, charge). The reproducibility of standard immunoliposomes prepared in subsequent batches in terms of Fab' binding, particle size and charge was established. In addition, preservation of immunoreactivity, no marker loss, and no aggregation/fusion was found for the standard immunoliposomes over a period of at least 3 weeks at 4 degrees C. In vitro up to 35,000 immunoliposomes were estimated to bind per human ovarian carcinoma cell. Internalization of the immunoliposomes could not be demonstrated. Electron micrographs showed binding of specific immunoliposomes to human ovarian carcinoma cells growing intraperitoneally in athymic nude mice.

Identification of residues in the monoclonal antitumor antibody L6 important for binding to its tumor antigen.

L6 is a monoclonal antitumor antibody which recognizes an epitope located in a 42-residue extracellular domain of a tumor-associated approximately 22 kDa glycoprotein antigen. The L6 mAb localizes to solid tumors in vivo and triggers complement activation and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. It has been the subject of phase I clinical trials. Previously, we had reported the derivation and analysis of a three-dimensional model of the L6 Fv. The model suggests that L6 displays a generally aromatic CDR surface. We aim at improving the affinity for tumor antigen of L6 by in vitro mutagenesis. As the first step toward this end, we have attempted to identify residues critical for the binding of L6 to tumor antigen. On the basis of the model, seven residues were selected which we thought may be critical for L6 antigen binding. Criteria for the selection of these residues were their accessibility and central position on the CDR surface and the residue character. Large polar or charged residues such as arginine, asparagine, and tyrosine were preferred. Nine site-specific single and double mutants were generated using oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis in an M13 expression vector encoding the L6 Fab. The binding of these mutant Fabs to the L6 tumor antigen and a set of three anti-idiotypic antibodies was quantified in an ELISA. In eight out of nine mutants, binding to L6 tumor antigen was either abolished or substantially reduced. In contrast, the binding of the mutants to the anti-idiotypic antibodies was largely unaffected, suggesting that no significant structural perturbations were introduced as a consequence of these mutations.

Crystal structure of a chimeric Fab' fragment of an antibody binding tumour cells.

The crystal structure of a chimeric Fab' fragment of a monoclonal antibody is presented. The Fab' comprises the murine light chain and heavy chain variable domains of the carcinoma-binding antibody B72.3 fused to the constant domain of human kappa, and the first constant domain and hinge domain of human gamma 4, respectively. A model for the Fab' has been determined by molecular replacement and refined to a resolution of 3.1 A with an R-factor of 17.6%. The additional residues that distinguish a Fab' from a Fab fragment are seen to be disordered in the crystals. The H3 hypervariable loop is short and adopts a sharp hairpin turn in a conformation that results from an interaction between the lysine side-chain of H93 and the main-chain carbonyl group of H96. The remaining hypervariable loops display conformations similar to those predicted from the canonical structures approach, although loop H2 is apparently displaced by a salt-bridge formed between H55 Asp and the neighbouring H73 Lys. These and other features of the structure likely to be important in grafting the hypervariable loops to an otherwise human framework are discussed.

Characterization of crystals of an intact monoclonal antibody for canine lymphoma.

A monoclonal antibody of the subclass IgG2a specific for canine lymphoma cells has been crystallized by vapor diffusion from polyethylene glycol 8000. the crystals, which occasionally measure nearly a millimeter on edge, have been examined by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are of triclinic space group P1 with unit cell parameters of a = 66.39 A, b = 77.34 A, c = 101.42 A, alpha = 87.60 degrees, beta = 92.55 degrees, gamma = 97.54 degrees and cell volume of V = 4.84 x 10(5) A3. There is one entire antibody molecule as the asymmetric unit of the crystals. Three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data have been collected to 2.8 A resolution and a self rotation function calculation shows a pronounced peak indicating at least an approximate non-crystallographic dyad axis.