Gottfried Himmler

Introducing antigen-binding sites in structural loops of immunoglobulin constant domains: Fc fragments with engineered HER2/neu-binding sites and antibody properties

Yeast surface display libraries of human IgG1 Fc regions were prepared in which loop sequences at the C-terminal tip of the CH3 domain were randomized. A high percentage of these library members bound to soluble CD64 and Protein A indicating that the randomization step did not grossly interfere with the overall structure of the displayed Fc. Sorting these libraries by FACS for binders against HER2/neu yielded antigen-specific Fc binders (Fcab; Fc antigen binding) of which one was affinity matured, resulting in Fcab clone H10-03-6 which showed >10-fold improvement in antigen-binding activity versus the parental clone. Pre-equilibrium surface plasmon resonance experiments revealed a K(D) value of 69 nM. H10-03-6 did not react with other members of the HER family and specifically interacted with HER2-positive but not with HER2-negative cells. Importantly, Fcab H10-03-6 elicited potent antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in vitro. Finally, the in vivo half-life in mice was similar to wild-type Fc indicating that the amino acid changes in the CH3 domain did not affect the pharmacokinetic behavior of the recombinant Fc. Our data demonstrate that the Fcab scaffold combines all features of normal antibodies in a small 50 kD homodimeric protein: antigen binding, effector functions and long half-life in vivo.

Improved Effector Functions of a Therapeutic Monoclonal Lewis Y-Specific Antibody by Glycoform Engineering

The aim of the present study was to produce glycosylation variants of the therapeutic Lewis Y-specific humanized IgG1 antibody IGN311 to enhance cell-killing effector function. This was achieved via genetic engineering of the glycosylation machinery of the antibody-producing host. Antibody genes were transiently cotransfected with acetyl-glycosaminyltransferase-III genes into human embryonic kidney-EBV nuclear antigen cells. A control wild-type antibody, IGN311wt, was expressed in the same host using identical expression vectors, but without cotransfection of genes for acetyl-glycosaminyltransferase-III expression. Both expression products were purified to homogeneity and characterized. The glyco-engineered expression product (IGN312-Glyco-I) showed a remarkably homogenous N-linked glycosylation pattern consisting of one major hybrid-type, non-fucosylated and agalactosylated form carrying a bisecting GlcNAc-group. Wild-type expression product (IGN311wt) on the other hand was glycosylated by a multitude of different core-fucosylated complex-type structures of variable degrees of galactosylation. Target affinity of the glyco-engineered antibody as well as heavy and light chain assembly were not affected by acetyl-glycosaminyltransferase-III expression. In vitro experiments showed a approximately 10-fold increase of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of the glyco-engineered antibody using different Lewis Y-positive target cancer cell lines (SK-BR-3, SK-BR-5, OVCAR-3, and Kato-III). Complement-mediated cytotoxicity of IGN312-Glyco-I was 0.4-fold reduced using SK-BR-5 as target cell line. The reduction of complement activation could be prevented and even converted into a slight increase of activity by using a different molecular-biological approach directing the glycosylation towards increased levels of complex N-linked oligosaccharides of bisected, non-fucosylated type, as a result of cotransfection of mannosidase II together with acetyl-glycosaminyltransferase-III.

A PCR MEMBRANE SPOT ASSAY FOR THE DETECTION OF PLUM POX VIRUS RNA IN BARK OF INFECTED TREES

A procedure for sensitive detection of plum pox virus RNA in infected bark of trees is described. The method is based on the extraction of bark material with buffer containing proteinase K followed by partial purification of RNA using QUIAGEN anion exchange resin. The RNA is then reverse transcribed, the single stranded cDNA is amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using biotinylated deoxynucleotides as label. The amplified cDNA can subsequently be detected by spotting the reaction mixture onto a nitrocellulose membrane. After fixation and washing the incorporated label is detected enzymatically using streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase. It was shown that this non-radioactive detection system is more sensitive than ELISA and a DNA/RNA hybridization test using 32P-labelled probes. It is also possible to detect plum pox virus infection with this assay in trees in the non-vegetative period.

A scFv-alkaline phosphatase fusion protein which detects potato leafroll luteovirus in plant extracts by ELISA

A single chain Fv antibody fragment (scFv) was obtained from a synthetic phage-antibody library after four rounds of selection against purified preparations of potato leafroll luteovirus (PLRV). Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the scFv belongs to the human V(H)3 family. DNA encoding the scFv was sub-cloned into pDAP2 such that a scFv-alkaline phosphatase fusion protein was produced by transformed bacteria following induction by isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). The fusion protein was obtained at concentrations of 10 mg/l of Escherichia coli culture medium and these fusion protein preparations were used directly in ELISA to detect PLRV in sap extracts from infected plants. Our work is the first report of the selection of a scFv specific for a luteovirus from a synthetic phage-display library and the production of a fusion protein with alkaline phosphatase for the detection of PLRV in infected plants. The results demonstrate the potential of scFv and enzyme-scFv fusion proteins in routine testing for plant virus infection.

Antibodies Directed against Lewis-Y Antigen Inhibit Signaling of Lewis-Y Modified ErbB Receptors

The majority of cancer cells derived from epithelial tissue express Lewis-Y (LeY) type difucosylated oligosaccharides on their plasma membrane. This results in the modification of cell surface receptors by the LeY antigen. We used the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor family members ErbB1 and ErbB2 as model systems to investigate whether the sugar moiety can be exploited to block signaling by growth factor receptors in human tumor cells (i.e., SKBR-3 and A431, derived from a breast cancer and a vulval carcinoma, respectively). The monoclonal anti-LeY antibody ABL364 and its humanized version IGN311 immunoprecipitated ErbB1 and ErbB2 from detergent lysates of A431 and SKBR-3, respectively. ABL364 and IGN311 blocked EGF- and heregulin-stimulated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase [MAPK = extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2] in SKBR-3 and A431 cells. The effect was comparable in magnitude with that of trastuzumab (Herceptin) and apparently noncompetitive with respect to EGF. Stimulation of MAPK by ErbB was dynamin dependent and contingent on receptor internalization. ABL364 and IGN311 changed the intracellular localization of fluorescent EGF-containing endosomes and accelerated recycling of intracellular [125I]EGF to the plasma membrane. Taken together, these observations show that antibodies directed against carbohydrate side chains of ErbB receptors are capable of inhibiting ErbB-mediated signaling. The ability of these antibodies to reroute receptor trafficking provides a mechanistic explanation for their inhibitory action.

pDAP2: a vector for construction of alkaline phosphatase fusion-proteins

BACKGROUND Expression of enzymatically active protein fusions in Escherichia coli could facilitate the analysis of proteins and even replace some reagents frequently used in immunology such as chemically produced antibody-enzyme conjugates. For this purpose there is up to now no system of general utility available. OBJECTIVES The vector pDAP2 has been designed for simplified fusion of single-chain Fv fragments to the N-terminus of E. coli alkaline phosphatase. The resulting immunoconjugates can be produced by expression in E. coli and purified in a single step via metal affinity chromatography. STUDY DESIGN Several different single-chain Fv genes as well as peptide coding oligonucleotides have been cloned into pDAP2 and tested for expression levels, purification properties and usefulness in ELISA and immunowestern blotting. RESULTS The fusion proteins from pDAP2 can be prepared at levels of several milligrams per liter culture from the periplasma of the cells. The proteins work well in different immunoassay formats such as ELISA or western blotting. CONCLUSION pDAP2 is compatible to phage display vectors such as pHEN1, pCOCK and the pCANTAB-series (Pharmacia, Sweden). Genes of single-chain antibody fragments can be simply swapped from these vectors into pDAP2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that it is possible to produce alkaline phosphatase-active peptides with this vector by inserting synthetic coding oligonucleotides. This allows simple analysis of the binding properties of peptides and may have some advantages over other systems such as fusion to glutathione-S-transferase.

Fully "recombinant enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays" using genetically engineered single-chain antibody fusion proteins for detection of Citrus tristeza virus.

ABSTRACT Recombinant single-chain variable fragment antibodies (scFv) that bind specifically to Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), which cause the most detrimental viral disease in the citrus industry worldwide, were obtained from the hybridoma cell lines 3DF1 and 3CA5. These scFv were genetically fused with dimerization domains as well as with alkaline phosphatase, respectively, and diagnostic reagents were produced by expressing these fusion proteins in bacterial cultures. The engineered antibodies were successfully used for CTV diagnosis in plants by tissue print enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and double antibody sandwich-ELISA. The fully recombinant ELISAs were as specific and sensitive as conventional ELISAs performed with the parental monoclonal antibodies, showing the usefulness of recombinant antibodies for routine detection of a virus in woody plants for the first time.

Cloning and Expression of an HIV-1 Specific Single-Chain Fv Region Fused to Escherichia coli Alkaline Phosphatasea

We have constructed a single-chain Fv fragment representing the variable domain of the human monoclonal antibody 3D6, binding specifically to HIV-1 gp41. This gene was fused to the coding region of E. coli alkaline phosphatase (EcPhoA) and expressed in E. coli. The EcPhoA signal peptide was used to direct the recombinant fusion protein to the periplasmic space of the bacteria, from where it was purified by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and gel filtration followed by antigen-affinity chromatography using a synthetic HIV-1 peptide as ligand. The purified fusion protein was bifunctional, showing both phosphatase activity as well as antigen-binding specificity identical to that of the original antibody.

Amino-acid sequence comparison of nepovirus coat proteins

The amino acid sequence of the coat proteins of several nepoviruses was determined by a combination of peptide and nucleic acid sequencing (grapevine fanleaf virus, arabis mosaic virus, tomato blackring virus, grapevine chrome mosaic virus). These sequences were compared and showed homologies ranging from 10% to 69%, and 96.7% for the two arabis mosaic virus strains. 10% homology does not reflect any relationship between viruses, and our results implicate, that nepoviruses, considering the homology of the coat protein sequences of viruses as a parameter for virus taxonomy, may be divided into several subgroups.

Isoelectric precipitation and gel chromatography for purification of monoclonal IgM

A preparative scale purification procedure of monoclonal IgM from hybridoma culture supernatant with high protein content is described. The procedure consists of three steps starting with ultrafiltration followed by isoelectric precipitation and gel chromatography. Cells and debris from culture supernatant were removed by microfiltration. The clarified supernatant was concentrated 400-fold in a hollow fibre ultrafiltration apparatus (cut off 100 000 daltons). The concentrate was titrated with dilute histidine/HCl buffer close to the isoelectric point of the IgM. Precipitated proteins were harvested by centrifugation, washed and redissolved. The protein fraction containing the IgM was further purified by gel chromatography on a Sephacryl S300 column. This procedure leads to product recovery of 40% and purity of 99% related to total protein.