Jay S. Dela Cruz

Recombinant Anti-Human HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) Fusion Protein Retains Antigen Specificity and Cytokine Function and Demonstrates Antitumor Activity

Anti-HER2/neu therapy of human HER2/neu-expressing malignancies such as breast cancer has shown only partial success in clinical trials. To expand the clinical potential of this approach, we have genetically engineered an anti-HER2/neu IgG3 fusion protein containing GM-CSF. Anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) expressed in myeloma cells was correctly assembled and secreted. It was able to target HER2/neu-expressing cells and to support growth of a GM-CSF-dependent murine myeloid cell line, FDC-P1. The Ab fusion protein activated J774.2 macrophage cells so that they exhibit an enhanced cytotoxic activity and was comparable to the parental Ab in its ability to effect Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity-mediated tumor cell lysis. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) is stable in the blood. Interestingly, the half-life of anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) depended on the injected dose with longer in vivo persistence observed at higher doses. Biodistribution studies showed that anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) is mainly localized in the spleen. In addition, anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) was able to target the HER2/neu-expressing murine tumor CT26-HER2/neu and enhance the immune response against the targeted Ag HER2/neu. Anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) is able to enhance both Th1- and Th2-mediated immune responses and treatment with this Ab fusion protein resulted in significant retardation in the growth of s.c. CT26-HER2/neu tumors. Our results suggest that anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) fusion protein is useful in the treatment of HER2/neu-expressing tumors.

An anti-transferrin receptor-avidin fusion protein exhibits both strong proapoptotic activity and the ability to deliver various molecules into cancer cells.

We have developed an antibody fusion protein (anti-rat TfR IgG3-Av) with the ability to deliver different molecules into cancer cells. It consists of avidin genetically fused to the CH3 region of a human IgG3 specific for the rat transferrin receptor. It forms strong, noncovalent interactions with biotinylated molecules such as glucose oxidase and β-galactosidase, and delivers them into the rat myeloma cell line Y3-Ag1.2.3 through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Importantly, the β-galactosidase retains activity after internalization. Furthermore, we have unexpectedly discovered that anti-rat TfR IgG3-Av, but not a recombinant anti-rat TfR IgG3 or a nonspecific IgG3-Av, possesses proapoptotic activities against Y3-Ag1.2.3 and the rat T cell lymphoma cell line C58 (NT) D.1.G.OVAR.1. These activities were not observed in two rat cell lines of nonhematopoietic lineage (bladder carcinoma BC47 and gliosarcoma 9L). Anti-human TfR IgG3-Av also demonstrated proapoptotic activity against the human erythroleukemia cell line K562. Studies showed that anti-rat TfR IgG3-Av exists as a dimer, suggesting that cross-linking of the surface transferrin receptor may be responsible for the cytotoxic activity. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to transform an antibody specific for a growth factor receptor that does not exhibit inhibitory activity into a drug with significant intrinsic cytotoxic activity against selected cells by fusing it with avidin. The antitumor activity may be enhanced by delivering biotinylated therapeutics into cancer cells. Further development of this technology may lead to effective therapeutics for in vivo eradication of hematological malignancies, and ex vivo purging of cancer cells in autologous transplantation.

Protein vaccination with the HER2/neu extracellular domain plus anti-HER2/neu antibody-cytokine fusion proteins induces a protective anti-HER2/neu immune response in mice.

Previously protein vaccines consisting of the extracellular domain of HER2/neu (ECD(HER2)) were shown to elicit an immune response that does not provide protection against transplantable tumors expressing HER2/neu. Here, we showed that when mice were vaccinated with a mixture of human ECD(HER2) and anti-human HER2/neu IL-12, IL-2 or GM-CSF fusion proteins, significant retardation of the growth of a syngeneic carcinoma expressing rat HER2/neu, and long-term survivors were observed. Immune sera inhibited the in vitro growth of SK-BR-3, a human breast cancer overexpressing HER2/neu. Transfer of immune sera into mice challenged with TUBO also led to partial inhibition of tumor growth. Splenocytes from mice vaccinated with ECD(HER2) plus IgG3-(GM-CSF) incubated with ECD(HER2) demonstrated significant proliferation and IFN-gamma secretion. Taken together these results suggest that vaccines including ECD(HER2) and Ab-cytokine fusion proteins may be used to elicit both humoral and cell-mediated responses against HER2/neu.

Mechanism of Antitumor Activity of a Single-Chain Interleukin-12 IgG3 Antibody Fusion Protein (mscIL-12.her2.IgG3)

We have constructed an antibody interleukin-12 (IL-12) fusion protein (mscIL-12.her2.IgG3) that demonstrates significant antitumor activity against the murine carcinoma CT26-expressing human HER2/neu. We now report that this antitumor activity is dose dependent and comparable to or better than recombinant murine IL-12 (rMuIL-12) using subcutaneous and metastatic models of disease. The antitumor activity of mscIL-12.her2.IgG3 is reduced in Rag2 knockout mice, suggesting that T cells play a role in tumor rejection. In SCID-beige mice, the antitumor activity is further reduced, suggesting that natural killer (NK) cells or macrophages or both are also important. The isotype of the antibody response to HER2/neu is consistent with a switch from a Th2 to a Th1 immune response and the infiltration of mononuclear cell in tumors from mice treated with mscIL-12.her2.IgG3. Immunohistochemistry reveals that mscIL-12.her2.IgG3 is antiangiogenic. Thus, the mechanism of the antitumor activity exhibited by mscIL-12.her2.IgG3 is highly complex and involves a combination of T and NK cell activity, a switch to a Th1 immune response, and antiantiogenic activity. This is the first study comparing the in vivo antitumor activity of an antibody-IL-12 fusion protein and free IL-12. Our results suggest that antibody-IL-12 fusion proteins may be useful for the treatment of human cancer.

A murine B cell lymphoma expressing human HER2 / neu undergoes spontaneous tumor regression and elicits antitumor immunity.

Abstract In the present study we describe a novel murine tumor model in which the highly malignant murine B cell lymphoma 38C13 has been transduced with the cDNA encoding human tumor-associated antigen HER2/neu. This new cell line (38C13-HER2/neu) showed stable surface expression but not secretion of human HER2/neu. It also maintained expression of the idiotype (Id) of the surface immunoglobulin of 38C13, which serves as another tumor-associated antigen. Surprisingly, spontaneous tumor regression was observed following s.c. but not i.v. injection of 38C13-HER2/neu cells in immunocompetent syngeneic mice. Regression was more frequently observed with larger tumor cell challenges and was mediated through immunological mechanisms because it was not observed in syngeneic immunodeficient mice. Mice that showed complete tumor regression were immune to challenge with the parental cell line 38C13 and V1, a variant of 38C13 that does not express the Id. Immunity could be transferred with sera, suggesting that an antibody response mediated rejection and immunity. Continuously growing s.c. tumors as well as metastatic tumors obtained after the i.v. injection of 38C13-HER2/neu maintained expression of human HER2/neu, which can serve as a target for active immunotherapy. As spontaneous tumor regression has not been observed in other human murine models expressing human HER2/neu, our results illustrate the enormous differences that can exist among different murine tumors expressing the same antigen. The present model provides a useful tool for the study of the mechanisms of protective immunity to B cell lymphoma and for the evaluation of different therapeutic approaches based on the stimulation or suppression of the immune response.