ABSTRACT
TGF-beta isoforms are key modulators of a broad range of biological pathways and increasingly are exploited as therapeutic targets. Here, we describe the crystal structures of a pan-TGF-beta neutralizing antibody, GC-1008, alone and in complex with TGF-beta3. The antibody is currently in clinical evaluation for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, melanoma, and renal cell cancer. GC-1008 recognizes an asymmetric binding interface across the TGF-beta homodimer with high affinity. Whereas both cognate receptors, TGF-beta-receptor types I and II, are required to recognize all 3 TGF-beta isoforms, GC-1008 has been engineered to bind with high affinity to TGF-beta1, 2, and 3 via a single interaction surface. Comparison with existing structures and models of TGF-beta interaction with its receptors suggests that the antibody binds to a similar epitope to the 2 receptors together and is therefore a structurally different but functionally identical mimic of the binding mode of both receptors.
Subject(s)
Antibodies/metabolism , Cytokines/immunology , Molecular Mimicry , Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism , Epitopes , Humans , Protein Binding , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I , Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II , Transforming Growth Factor beta/immunology , Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism , Transforming Growth Factor beta2/metabolism , Transforming Growth Factor beta3/metabolismABSTRACT
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a small neuropeptide and a potent vasodilator that is widely associated with chronic pain and migraine. An antibody that inhibits CGRP function would be a potential therapeutic for treatment of these disorders. Here we describe the isolation of highly potent antibodies to CGRP from phage and ribosome display libraries and characterization of their epitope, species cross-reactivity, kinetics, and functional activity. Homogenous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) binding assays identified antibodies with the desired species cross-reactivity from naïve libraries, and HTRF epitope competition assays were used to characterize and group scFv by epitope. The functional inhibition of CGRP and species cross-reactivity of purified scFv and antibodies were subsequently confirmed using cAMP assays. We show that epitope competition assays could be used as a surrogate for functional cell-based assays during affinity maturation, in combination with scFv off-rate ranking by biolayer interferometry (BLI). This is the first time it has been shown that off-rate ranking can be predictive of functional activity for anti-CGRP antibodies. Here we demonstrate how, by using just four simple assays, diverse panels of antibodies to CGRP can be identified. These assay formats have potential utility in the identification of antibodies to other therapeutic targets.