IBC's 23rd Annual Antibody Engineering, 10th Annual Antibody Therapeutics international conferences and the 2012 Annual Meeting of The Antibody Society: December 3-6, 2012, San Diego, CA.

The 23rd Annual Antibody Engineering, 10th Annual Antibody Therapeutics international conferences, and the 2012 Annual Meeting of The Antibody Society, organized by IBC Life Sciences with contributions from The Antibody Society and two Scientific Advisory Boards, were held December 3-6, 2012 in San Diego, CA. The meeting drew over 800 participants who attended sessions on a wide variety of topics relevant to antibody research and development. As a prelude to the main events, a pre-conference workshop held on December 2, 2012 focused on intellectual property issues that impact antibody engineering. The Antibody Engineering Conference was composed of six sessions held December 3-5, 2012: (1) From Receptor Biology to Therapy; (2) Antibodies in a Complex Environment; (3) Antibody Targeted CNS Therapy: Beyond the Blood Brain Barrier; (4) Deep Sequencing in B Cell Biology and Antibody Libraries; (5) Systems Medicine in the Development of Antibody Therapies/Systematic Validation of Novel Antibody Targets; and (6) Antibody Activity and Animal Models. The Antibody Therapeutics conference comprised four sessions held December 4-5, 2012: (1) Clinical and Preclinical Updates of Antibody-Drug Conjugates; (2) Multifunctional Antibodies and Antibody Combinations: Clinical Focus; (3) Development Status of Immunomodulatory Therapeutic Antibodies; and (4) Modulating the Half-Life of Antibody Therapeutics. The Antibody Society's special session on applications for recording and sharing data based on GIATE was held on December 5, 2012, and the conferences concluded with two combined sessions on December 5-6, 2012: (1) Development Status of Early Stage Therapeutic Antibodies; and (2) Immunomodulatory Antibodies for Cancer Therapy.

IBC's 23rd Antibody Engineering and 10th Antibody Therapeutics Conferences and the Annual Meeting of The Antibody Society: December 2-6, 2012, San Diego, CA.

Now in its 23rd and 10th years, respectively, the Antibody Engineering and Antibody Therapeutics conferences are the Annual Meeting of The Antibody Society. The scientific program covers the full spectrum of challenges in antibody research and development from basic science through clinical development. In this preview of the conferences, the chairs provide their thoughts on sessions that will allow participants to track emerging trends in (1) the development of next-generation immunomodulatory antibodies; (2) the complexity of the environment in which antibodies must function; (3) antibody-targeted central nervous system (CNS) therapies that cross the blood brain barrier; (4) the extension of antibody half-life for improved efficacy and pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD); and (5) the application of next generation DNA sequencing to accelerate antibody research. A pre-conference workshop on Sunday, December 2, 2012 will update participants on recent intellectual property (IP) law changes that affect antibody research, including biosimilar legislation, the America Invents Act and recent court cases. Keynote presentations will be given by Andreas Plückthun (University of Zürich), who will speak on engineering receptor ligands with powerful cellular responses; Gregory Friberg (Amgen Inc.), who will provide clinical updates of bispecific antibodies; James D. Marks (University of California, San Francisco), who will discuss a systems approach to generating tumor targeting antibodies; Dario Neri (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich), who will speak about delivering immune modulators at the sites of disease; William M. Pardridge (University of California, Los Angeles), who will discuss delivery across the blood-brain barrier; and Peter Senter (Seattle Genetics, Inc.), who will present his vision for the future of antibody-drug conjugates. For more information on these meetings or to register to attend, please visit www.IBCLifeSciences.com/AntibodyEng or call 800-390-4078. Members of The Antibody Society and mAbs journal subscribers receive a 20% discount for meeting registration. To obtain this discount, email kdostie@ibcusa.com. mAbs is the official therapeutics journal of The Antibody Society and offers a discounted subscription to Society members for $49.

Localization of radiolabeled anti-CEA antibody in subcutaneous and intrahepatic colorectal xenografts: influence of tumor size and location within host organ on antibody uptake.

INTRODUCTION: Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) has been shown to be more effective against solid tumor micrometastases, possibly due to an inverse relationship between tumor size and radiolabeled antibody uptake. In this study, the accretion of radiolabeled antibody in intrahepatic micrometastases in an experimental model was investigated using quantitative digital autoradiography, enabling the analysis of antibody uptake in microscopic tumors. METHODS: Mice bearing subcutaneous or intrahepatic metastatic models of LS174T colorectal cancer were injected with radiolabeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody ([(125)I]A5B7). Tissues were taken to investigate distribution of radionuclide and tumor uptake. In a therapy study, mice bearing intrahepatic metastatic tumors were injected with [(131)I]A5B7. RESULTS: Subcutaneous tumors and large metastatic deposits had similar uptake (e.g., approximately 15%ID/g at 24 h). Small metastatic deposits had higher uptake (e.g., approximately 80%ID/g at 24 h) and prolonged retention at later time points. Small deposit uptake was significantly reduced by accompanying large deposits in the same liver. RIT resulted in increased survival time (untreated mean survival of 21.6+/-12.9 vs. treated mean survival of 39.1+/-30.8 days), but there was a large range of response within groups, presumably due to variation in pattern and extent of tumor as observed in the biodistribution study. Liver function tests and body weight did not change with tumor growth or therapy response, strongly supporting the use of in vivo imaging in metastatic tumor therapy studies. CONCLUSIONS: Radioimmunodetection and therapy might be greatly influenced by the size and distribution of intrahepatic tumor deposits.

Engineering a single-chain Fv antibody to alpha v beta 6 integrin using the specificity-determining loop of a foot-and-mouth disease virus.

The alpha v beta 6 integrin is a promising target for cancer therapy. Its expression is up-regulated de novo on many types of carcinoma where it may activate transforming growth factor-beta1 and transforming growth factor-beta 3, interact with the specific extracellular matrix proteins and promote migration and invasion of tumor cells. The viral protein 1 (VP1) coat protein of the O(1) British field strain serotype of foot-and-mouth disease virus is a high-affinity ligand for alpha v beta 6, and we recently reported that a peptide derived from VP1 exhibited alpha v beta 6-specific binding in vitro and in vivo. We hypothesized that this peptide could confer binding specificity of an antibody to alpha v beta 6. A 17-mer peptide of VP1 was inserted into the complementarity-determining region H3 loop of MFE-23, a murine single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody reactive with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The resultant scFv (B6-1) bound to alpha v beta 6 but retained residual reactivity with CEA. This was eliminated by point mutation (Y100bP) in the variable heavy-chain domain to create an scFv (B6-2) that was as structurally stable as MFE-23 and reacted specifically with alpha v beta 6 but not with alpha 5 beta 1, alpha v beta 3, alpha v beta 5, alpha v beta 8 or CEA. B6-2 was internalized into alpha v beta 6-expressing cells and inhibited alpha v beta 6-dependent migration of carcinoma cells. B6-2 was subsequently humanized. The humanized form (B6-3) was obtained as a non-covalent dimer from secretion in Pichia pastoris (115 mg/l) and was a potent inhibitor of alpha v beta 6-mediated cell adhesion. Thus, we have used a rational stepwise approach to create a humanized scFv with therapeutic potential to block alpha v beta 6-mediated cancer cell invasion or to deliver and internalize toxins specifically to alpha v beta 6-expressing tumors.

Microdistribution of targeted, fluorescently labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody in metastatic colorectal cancer: implications for radioimmunotherapy.

PURPOSE: Most radioimmunotherapy studies on radiolabeled antibody distribution are based on autoradiographic and radioluminographic data, which provide a lack of detailed information due to low resolution. We used fluorescently labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) antibody (A5B7) to investigate quantitatively the kinetics and microdistribution of antibody in a clinically relevant orthotopic colorectal cancer model (LS174T) using high-resolution digital microscopy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Nude mice bearing LS174T liver orthotopic tumors received a single i.v. injection of fluorescently labeled A5B7 and were sacrificed at 10 minutes, 1 hour, or 24 hours postinjection. Before sacrifice, mice were injected with the perfusion marker Hoechst 33342. An anti-CD31 antibody was used to detect blood vessel distribution. Cryostat sections were processed with immunofluorescence procedures and analyzed with fluorescence microscopy and image analysis techniques. The fluorescence images were related to morphologic images of the same or adjacent tumor sections. RESULTS: Fluorescently labeled antibody showed rapid, selective uptake into tumor deposits, with a strong negative correlation with tumor size at 10 minutes and 1 hour (P < or = 0.01). By 24 hours, the correlation was no longer significant. The study showed movement of antibody across the tumor with time and a tendency to localize more uniformly by later time points (24 hours). The rate of antibody motility was similar in small and large tumor metastases, but small deposits showed more rapid antibody localization. Intratumoral vessels were positively related to tumor size (P < or = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The obtained data suggest that radioimmunotherapy can be highly efficient in an adjuvant or minimal residual disease setting.

Combining radioimmunotherapy with antihypoxia therapy 2-deoxy-D-glucose results in reduction of therapeutic efficacy.

PURPOSE: The efficacy of solid tumor radioimmunotherapy is reduced by heterogeneous tumor distribution of the radionuclide, with dose mainly deposited in the normoxic region and by the relative radioresistance of hypoxic tumor cells. In an attempt to overcome these challenges, radioimmunotherapy was combined with 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2DG), a hypoxia-selective cytotoxic inhibitor of glucose metabolism. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In vitro toxicity of 2DG in LS174T cultures was tested using a colony-forming assay. The effect of combining 2DG with radioimmunotherapy in vivo was tested by administering radiolabeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody ([(131)I]A5B7 IgG1 whole monoclonal) to nude mice bearing s.c. LS174T tumors, followed by 10 daily injections of 2DG (2.0 g/kg). Tumors were measured to assess therapeutic efficacy. RESULTS: Data from in vitro studies confirmed 2DG cytotoxicity in this cell line. Greater toxicity was observed under standard laboratory conditions and in hypoxic cultures than at intermediate, physiologically relevant levels of glucose and oxygen. Alone, 2DG had no effect on in vivo tumor growth (P = 0.377 compared with saline-treated controls). Combination of radioimmunotherapy with 2DG reduced the therapeutic effect of radioimmunotherapy (e.g., 150 microCi (131)I alone mean survival time, 48.33 +/- 16.83 days; combined with 2DG, 30.67 +/- 5.62 days, P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The combination investigated had a detrimental effect on survival. It is suggested that a cellular metabolic response to more aggressive therapy, previously reported in vitro, caused this. The results of this study have implications for the clinical application of combined cancer therapies with an antimetabolic modality component.

Clearance mechanism of a mannosylated antibody-enzyme fusion protein used in experimental cancer therapy.

MFECP1 is a mannosylated antibody-enzyme fusion protein used in antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT). The antibody selectively targets tumor cells and the targeted enzyme converts a prodrug into a toxic drug. MFECP1 is obtained from expression in the yeast Pichia pastoris and produced to clinical grade. The P. pastoris-derived mannosylation of the fusion protein aids rapid normal tissue clearance required for successful ADEPT. The work presented provides evidence that MFECP1 is cleared by the endocytic and phagocytic mannose receptor (MR), which is known to bind to mannose-terminating glycans. MR-transfected fibroblast cells internalize MFECP1 as revealed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Immunofluorescence microscopy shows that in vivo clearance in mice occurs predominantly by MR on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, although MR is also expressed on adjacent Kupffer cells. In the spleen, MFECP1 is taken up by MR-expressing macrophages residing in the red pulp and not by dendritic cells which are found in the marginal zone and white pulp. Clearance can be inhibited in vivo by the MR inhibitor mannan as shown by increased enzyme activities in blood. The work improves understanding of interactions of MFECP1 with normal tissue, shows that glycosylation can be exploited in the design of recombinant anticancer therapeutics and opens the ways for optimizing pharmacokinetics of mannosylated recombinant therapeutics.

A phase I study of single administration of antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy with the recombinant anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody-enzyme fusion protein MFECP1 and a bis-iodo phenol mustard prodrug.

PURPOSE: Antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy is a two-stage treatment whereby a tumor-targeted antibody-enzyme complex localizes in tumor for selective conversion of prodrug. The purpose of this study was to establish optimal variables for single administration of MFECP1, a recombinant antibody-enzyme fusion protein of an anti-carcinoembryonic antigen single-chain Fv antibody and the bacterial enzyme carboxypeptidase G2 followed by a bis-iodo phenol mustard prodrug. MFECP1 is manufactured in mannosylated form to facilitate normal tissue elimination. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Pharmacokinetic, biodistribution, and tumor localization studies were used to test the hypothesis that MFECP1 localizes in tumor and clears from normal tissue via the liver. Firstly, safety of MFECP1 and a blood concentration of MFECP1 that would avoid systemic prodrug activation were tested. Secondly, dose escalation of prodrug was done. Thirdly, the dose of MFECP1 and timing of prodrug administration were optimized. RESULTS: MFECP1 was safe and well tolerated, cleared rapidly via the liver, and was less immunogenic than previously used products. Eighty-fold dose escalation from the starting dose of prodrug was carried out before dose-limiting toxicity occurred. Confirmation of the presence of enzyme in tumor and DNA interstrand cross-links indicating prodrug activation were obtained for the optimal dose and time point. A total of 28 of 31 patients was evaluable for response, the best response being a 10% reduction of tumor diameter, and 11 of 28 patients had stable disease. CONCLUSIONS: Optimal conditions for effective therapy were established. A study testing repeat treatment is currently being undertaken.

Production of recombinant protein in Pichia pastoris by fermentation.

This protocol is applicable to recombinant protein expression by small-scale fermentation using the Pichia pastoris expression system. P. pastoris has the capacity to produce large quantities of protein with eukaryotic processing. Expression is controlled by a methanol-inducible promoter, which allows a biomass-generation phase before protein production is initiated. The target protein is secreted directly into a protein-free mineral salt medium, and is relatively easy to purify. The protocol is readily interfaced with expanded bed adsorption for immediate capture and purification of recombinant protein. The setting up of the bioreactor plus the fermentation itself takes 1 wk. Making the master and user seed lots takes approximately 2 wk for each individual clone.

Expanded-bed adsorption immobilized-metal affinity chromatography.

The protocol describes a method for capture of secreted hexahistidine-tagged proteins using expanded-bed adsorption immobilized-metal affinity chromatography. The starting material for the procedure is any crude feedstock that contains a histidine (His)-tagged target protein. The protocol is exemplified using unclarified broth from Pichia pastoris fermentation as feedstock. The protocol can be used for laboratory studies or as part of a process for production of recombinant biotherapeutics to standards of good manufacturing practice. It takes approximately 5 h to purify proteins from 10 liters of feedstock and a further 5-6 h to sterilize and regenerate the column.

Advances in antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy.

Antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy has demonstrated feasibility as a treatment for cancer. Numerous prodrug/drug systems have been developed for activation by a variety of enzymes and although many have shown potential in preclinical studies, so far only one system has progressed to the clinic. Clinical studies have identified issues that were not readily apparent in xenograft models, however, these have not been addressed in the development and testing of new prodrugs. The issue of immunogenicity arising from the use of non-human enzymes has also been a major hurdle. The development of recombinant fusion proteins provides reproducible and effective antibody-enzyme products that retain the necessary specificity for prodrug activation. Advances in molecular, structural and systems biology, in combination with bioinformatics, have allowed these molecules to be readily manipulated to provide the desired characteristics.

Tumour parameters affected by combretastatin A-4 phosphate therapy in a human colorectal xenograft model in nude mice.

Combretastatin A-4 phosphate (CA4-P) is an antivascular agent which inhibits tumour blood flow. The effects of CA4-P were studied at 1 and 24h in colorectal xenografts by the concomitant imaging of multiple physiological parameters (hypoxia, blood vessels and perfusion), selected to demonstrate changes related to vascular shut-down. Untreated tumours were viable, with perfused blood vessels throughout and only small areas of hypoxia. At 1h post-treatment, although blood vessels remained throughout the tumour, perfused vessels were mainly restricted to the rim. However, hypoxia was widespread in both peripheral and central parts of the tumour. Quantitative analysis also revealed a significant decrease in perfusion and a maximum increase in hypoxia at this time-point. Conversely, at 24h after treatment, when most of the tumour was necrotic, pathophysiological conditions in the surviving viable rim were already returning to normal: perfusion was increasing, and hypoxia was greatly reduced and restricted to regions bordering central necrosis. In conclusion, these data provide an insight into the actions by which CA4-P may exert its effects on solid tumours.

Sustained tumor regression of human colorectal cancer xenografts using a multifunctional mannosylated fusion protein in antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy.

PURPOSE: Antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT) requires highly selective antibody-mediated delivery of enzyme to tumor. MFE-CP, a multifunctional genetic fusion protein of antibody and enzyme, was designed to achieve this by two mechanisms. First by using a high affinity and high specificity single chain Fv antibody directed to carcinoembryonic antigen. Second by rapid removal of antibody-enzyme from normal tissues by virtue of post-translational mannosylation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate these dual functions in an animal model of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicity, and efficacy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: MFE-CP was expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris and purified via an engineered hexahistidine tag. Biodistribution and therapeutic effect of a single ADEPT cycle (1,000 units/kg MFE-CP followed by 70 mg/kg ZD2767P prodrug at 6, 7, and 8 hours) and multiple ADEPT cycles (9-10 cycles within 21-24 days) was studied in established human colon carcinoma xenografts, LS174T, and SW1222. RESULTS: Selective localization of functional enzyme in tumors and rapid clearance from plasma was observed within 6 hours, resulting in tumor to plasma ratios of 1,400:1 and 339:1, respectively for the LS174T and SW1222 models. A single ADEPT cycle produced reproducible tumor growth delay in both models. Multiple ADEPT cycles significantly enhanced the therapeutic effect of a single cycle in the LS174T xenografts (P = 0.001) and produced regressions in the SW1222 xenografts (P = 0.0001), with minimal toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: MFE-CP fusion protein, in combination with ZD2767P, provides a new and successful ADEPT system, which offers the potential for multiple cycles and antitumor efficacy. These results provide a basis for the next stage in clinical development of ADEPT.

Antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT) for cancer.

Antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT) aims to restrict the cytotoxic action to tumour sites. The obstacles to achieve this were recognised at the outset, but time and experience have given these better definition. The development of fusion proteins has provided the means of making consistent antibody-enzyme constructs on an adequate scale, and glycosylation has provided the means to control the clearance of enzyme from non-tumour sites. Human enzymes have yet to be tested in a clinical setting, and there are pointers indicating that the immunological response to foreign enzymes can be overcome. The relatively small number of purpose-designed prodrugs tested so far leaves this an area ripe for further development. The ongoing iterative process between preclinical and clinical studies is critical to achieving the objective.

Analysis of the regional uptake of radiolabeled deoxyglucose analogs in human tumor xenografts.

UNLABELLED: It has been shown in vitro that the cell uptake of (18)F-FDG, a tracer of glucose metabolism, increases under hypoxia. This is consistent with increased glycolytic metabolism. We have previously shown that in ischemic heart ex vivo the rates of uptake of (18)F-FDG and 2-(14)C-deoxy-D-glucose ((14)C-2DG) are both reduced. In this study, we investigated this effect in tumors by comparing the microdistribution of (18)F-FDG and (14)C-2DG in hypoxic and normoxic regions. METHODS: Mice (MF1) bearing LS174T human tumor xenografts were injected with premixed (18)F-FDG (100 MBq), (14)C-2DG (0.37 MBq), and pimonidazole hydrochloride (60 mg/kg). After 30, 60, and 120 min, tissues (n = 4) were taken and counted for whole-body biodistribution. Tumors were frozen, sectioned, and exposed to phosphor image plates to obtain a quantitative digital image of radionuclide distribution. Sections were then stained to reveal tumor pathophysiology: Hematoxylin and eosin staining demonstrated viable and necrotic regions, and immunohistochemical staining detected pimonidazole metabolism in hypoxic cells. The images of radionuclide microdistribution and histology were then coregistered and analyzed to assess radionuclide trapping throughout the tumor on a pixel-by-pixel basis. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the 2 radionuclides were calculated. The relative amounts of nuclide were then analyzed in viable and necrotic regions and in normoxic and hypoxic regions. RESULTS: Whole-body biodistributions for the 2 radiotracers were similar. A high Pearson correlation coefficient was obtained for the 2 radionuclides throughout the tumors (r = 0.85 +/- 0.10, P < 0.0001), indicating a highly similar microdistribution. When the tumors were divided into viable and necrotic regions, the ratio of mean counts per pixel was 1.96 (P < 0.0001), whereas for hypoxic versus normoxic regions it was 1.26 (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in selectivity for hypoxia between the 2 radiotracers (P = 0.86). CONCLUSION: The tumor microdistribution of deoxyglucose in viable, hypoxic, and necrotic regions show that there was little change in the microdistribution of deoxyglucose throughout this time course. This study extends previous in vitro work and confirms the selectivity of deoxyglucose for viable cells over necrotic regions and for hypoxic cells over normoxic regions in vivo.

Glycoforms obtained by expression in Pichia pastoris improve cancer targeting potential of a recombinant antibody-enzyme fusion protein.

MFE-CP is a recombinant antibody-enzyme fusion protein used for antibody-mediated delivery of an enzyme to cancer deposits. After clearance from normal tissues, the tumor-targeted enzyme is used to activate a subsequently administered prodrug to give a potent cytotoxic in the tumor. MFE-CP localizes to cancer deposits in vivo, but we propose that its therapeutic potential could be improved by N-glycosylation, obtained by expression in Pichia pastoris. Glycosylation could enhance clearance from healthy tissue and result in better tumor:normal tissue ratios. To test this, glycosylated MFE-CP was expressed and purified from P. pastoris. The resultant MFE-CP fusion protein was enzymatically active and showed enhanced clearance from normal tissues in vivo. Furthermore, it showed effective tumor localization. This favorable glycosylation pattern was analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. High-resolution, high-detection sensitivity collision-induced dissociation experiments proved essential for this task. Results showed that of the three potential N-glycosylation sites only two were consistently occupied with oligomannose structures. Asn-442 appeared the most heterogeneously populated with oligomannose carbohydrates extending from 5 to 13 units in length. Asn-484 was found only in its nonglycosylated form. There was less heterogeneity at Asn-492, which was glycosylated with oligosaccharide structures ranging from 8 to 10 mannose units. Nonglycosylated forms of Asn-442 and Asn-492 were not observed.

The nonuniformity of antibody distribution in the kidney and its influence on dosimetry.

The therapeutic efficacy of radiolabeled antibody fragments can be limited by nephrotoxicity, particularly when the kidney is the major route of extraction from the circulation. Conventional dose estimates in kidney assume uniform dose deposition, but we have shown increased antibody localization in the cortex after glomerular filtration. The purpose of this study was to measure the radioactivity in cortex relative to medulla for a range of antibodies and to assess the validity of the assumption of uniformity of dose deposition in the whole kidney and in the cortex for these antibodies with a range of radionuclides. Storage phosphor plate technology (radioluminography) was used to acquire images of the distributions of a range of antibodies of various sizes, labeled with 125I, in kidney sections. This allowed the calculation of the antibody concentration in the cortex relative to the medulla. Beta-particle point dose kernels were then used to generate the dose-rate distributions from 14C, 131I, 186Re, 32P and 90Y. The correlation between the actual dose-rate distribution and the corresponding distribution calculated assuming uniform antibody distribution throughout the kidney was used to test the validity of estimating dose by assuming uniformity in the kidney and in the cortex. There was a strong inverse relationship between the ratio of the radioactivity in the cortex relative to that in the medulla and the antibody size. The nonuniformity of dose deposition was greatest with the smallest antibody fragments but became more uniform as the range of the emissions from the radionuclide increased. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between the actual dose-rate distribution and the distribution when assuming a uniform source in the kidney for intact antibodies along with medium- to long-range radionuclides, but there was no correlation for small antibody fragments with any radioisotope or for short-range radionuclides with any antibody. However, when the cortex was separated from the whole kidney, the correlation between the actual dose-rate distribution and the assumed dose-rate distribution, if the source was uniform, increased significantly. During radioimmunotherapy, the extent of nonuniformity of dose deposition in the kidney depends on the properties of the antibody and radionuclide. For dosimetry estimates, the cortex should be taken as a separate source region when the radiopharmaceutical is small enough to be filtered by the glomerulus.

Synergy between vascular targeting agents and antibody-directed therapy.

PURPOSE: Tumor heterogeneity necessitates the use of combined therapies. We have shown that combining antibody-directed therapy with antivascular agents converts a subcurative to a curative treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate, by radioluminographic and microscopic techniques, the regional effects of the two complementary therapies. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Nude mice bearing colorectal tumors were injected with 125I-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody, and images were obtained for antibody distribution and modeling studies using radioluminography. For therapy studies, the mice were given radioimmunotherapy alone (131I-A5B7 anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody), the antivascular agent combretastatin A-4 3-0-phosphate (200 mg/kg), or both. Extra mice were used to study the regional tumor effects of these therapies over time: relevant histochemical procedures were performed on tissue sections to obtain composite digital microscopic images of apoptosis, blood vessels, perfusion, hypoxia, and morphology. RESULTS: Antibody distribution, modeling, and immunohistochemistry showed how radioimmunotherapy (7.4 MBq/40 microg antibody) effectively treated the outer, well-oxygenated tumor region only. Combretastatin A-4 3-0-phosphate treated the more hypoxic center, and in doing so altered the relationship between tumor parameters. CONCLUSION: The combined complementary therapies produced cures by destroying tumor regions with different pathophysiologies. Relating these regional therapeutic effects to the relevant tumor parameters microscopically allows optimization of therapy and improved translation to clinical trials.

Reversible dimer formation and stability of the anti-tumour single-chain Fv antibody MFE-23 by neutron scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation, and NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy.

MFE-23 is a single chain Fv (scFv) antibody molecule used to target colorectal cancer through its high affinity for the tumour marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). ScFv molecules are formed from peptide-linked antibody V(H) and V(L) domains, and many of these form dimers. Our recent crystal structure for MFE-23 showed that this formed an unusual symmetric back-to-back association of two monomers that is consistent with a domain-swapped diabody structure. Neutron scattering and modelling fits showed that MFE-23 existed as compact V(H)-V(L)-linked monomers at therapeutically relevant concentrations below 1 mg/ml. Size-exclusion gel chromatography showed that the monomeric and dimeric forms of MFE-23 could be separated, and that the proportions of these two forms depended on the starting MFE-23 concentration. Sedimentation equilibrium experiments by analytical ultracentrifugation at nine concentrations of MFE-23 indicated a reversible monomer-dimer self-association equilibrium with an association constant of 1.9x10(3)-2.2x10(3) M(-1). Sedimentation velocity experiments using the time derivative g(s(*)) method showed that MFE-23-His has a concentration-dependent weight average sedimentation coefficient that increased from 1.8 S for the monomer to about 3-6 S for the dimer. Both values agreed with those calculated from the MFE-23 crystal structure. In relation to the thermal stability of MFE-23, denaturation experiments by (1)H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy showed that the molecule is stable up to 47 degrees C, after which denaturation was irreversible. MFE-23 dimerisation is discussed in terms of a new model for diabody structures, in which the V(H) and V(L) domains in the monomer are able to dissociate and reassociate to form a dimer, or diabody, but in which symmetric back-to-back contacts between the two monomers are formed. This dimerisation in solution is attributed to the complementary nature of the C-terminal surface of the MFE-23 monomer. Crystal structures for seven other scFv molecules have shown that, while the contact residues for symmetric back-to-back dimer formation in MFE-23 are not fully conserved, in principle, back-to-back contacts can be formed in these too. This offers possibilities for the creation of other forms of scFv molecules.