Monoclonal antibodies as agonists: an expanded role for their use in cancer therapy.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
E S Vitetta
Publications and source records attributed to E S Vitetta.
From the basic science of B cells to biological missiles at the bedside.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Allergy and Immunology↗
Eradication of minimal disease in severe combined immunodeficient mice with disseminated Daudi lymphoma using chemotherapy and an immunotoxin cocktail.
Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice injected intravenously with a human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line (Daudi) develop disseminated lymphoma (SCID/Daudi), which is fatal in 100% of the mice. Early treatment of these mice with either an immunotoxin (IT) cocktail (consisting of anti-CD19-ricin A chain plus anti-CD22-ricin A chain) or chemotherapy significantly prolonged survival but was not curative. Combination therapy with the IT cocktail and any one of three chemotherapeutic drugs (doxorubicin, cytoxan, or camptothecin) cured the mice. Cure was demonstrated by both histopathologic examination of treated mice and, more importantly, by adoptive transfer of cells from organs of the cured mice to naive SCID mice where 100 tumor cells would have caused disease in the recipients. These results provide a strong rationale for combining IT therapy with conventional chemotherapy in the treatment of B-cell neoplasia.
Animals↗
Lyn tyrosine kinase signals cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis in B-lineage lymphoma cells.
Signal transduction initiated by binding of antibodies to cell surface molecules can have an important impact on the growth of tumor cells. The malignant behavior of the murine lymphoma BCL1 can be suppressed and the neoplastic cells can be induced to enter a dormant state by in vivo ligation of membrane immunoglobulin. Anti-CD19 antibodies can prolong the survival of SCID mice challenged with the human Burkitt lymphoma cell line, Daudi. Here, we show that cross-linking of membrane immunoglobulin on both murine BCL1 and human Daudi cells initiates a cascade of signals leading to the induction of both apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in vitro. Using antisense oligonucleotides, we demonstrate that the immunoglobulin-associated Lyn tyrosine kinase is required for anti-immunoglobulin-mediated cell cycle arrest but is not required for the signal leading to apoptosis. These results define a branch point in the cytosolic signaling pathways mediating cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In Daudi cells, Lyn is also critical for cell cycle arrest induced by anti-CD19 signaling. Thus, the Lyn tyrosine kinase may be an important mediator of cell cycle arrest in neoplastic B lymphocytes and, perhaps, other cell types.
Animals↗
Anti-CD19 inhibits the growth of human B-cell tumor lines in vitro and of Daudi cells in SCID mice by inducing cell cycle arrest.
In this report, we extend our previous findings that IgG or F(ab')2 fragments of HD37 anti-CD19 antibody (Ab) in combination with the immunotoxin (IT), RFB4-anti-CD22-deglycosylated ricin A chain (dgA) (but neither reagent alone), prolonged the survival of SCID mice with disseminated human Daudi lymphoma (SCID/Daudi mice) to 1 year at which time they still remained tumor-free. We explored the mechanisms by which the HD37 Ab exerts antitumor activity in vivo by studying its activity in vitro. We found that it has antiproliferative activity (IC50 = 5.2 - 9.8 x 10(-7) mol/L) on three CD19+ Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines (Daudi, Raji, and Namalwa) but not on a weakly CD19-positive (CD19lo) pre-B cell tumor (Nalm-6). The inhibitory effect was manifested by cell cycle arrest, but not apoptosis. Results using three additional anti-CD19 Abs, suggest that the affinity of the antibody and possibly the epitope which it recognizes may effect its capacity to transmit a signal that induces cell cycle arrest. Hence, therapeutically useful Abs may exert anti-tumor activity by a variety of mechanisms, each of which should be evaluated before undertaking clinical trials in humans.
Animals↗
Bispecific anti-CD22/anti-CD3-ricin A chain immunotoxin is cytotoxic to Daudi lymphoma cells but not T cells in vitro and shows both A-chain-mediated and LAK-T-mediated killing.
We have generated a bispecific anti-CD22/anti-CD3 immunotoxin (IT) and determined whether it would exert both lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) T cell-mediated and ricin A chain (dgA)-mediated toxicity to Daudi tumor cells but not to T cells in vitro. One parental IT, Fab'-anti-CD22-dgA makes a potent immunotoxin for B cells, but not T cells, while the other, Fab'-anti-CD3-dgA, kills neither T nor B cells. Three mouse quadromas were generated and the bispecific Abs (BsAbs) were purified by double affinity chromatography. Two of the three purified BsAbs induced significant proliferation and IL-2 production in T cells. All three BsAbs induced LAK-T cell-mediated specific lysis of CD22+ Daudi cells. Two of the purified Ab were conjugated to dgA. Using a 51Cr release assay in the presence of LAK-T cells and Daudi target cells, the IC50s of the BsAbs were 3.5 x 10(-10) M and 9 x 10(-11) M, as compared to 2.1 x 10(-11) M and 3.2 x 10(-11) M, for their respective ITs. Hence, in the presence of LAK-T cells, the BsITs were 3- to 17-fold more cytotoxic than unconjugated BsAbs in 51Cr-release assays. Daudi cells were also treated in vitro with different mixtures of LAK-T cells, BsAbs, and BsITs and then adoptively transferred into SCID mice. As determined by the mean paralysis time of the recipients, in the presence of LAK-T cells the BsITs had impressive anti-tumor activity.
Antibodies, Bispecific↗
Recent developments in immunotoxin therapy.
Immunotoxin (IT) research has been ongoing for 15 years. During the past 2 years, work has focused on several areas: on improvements and developments in first- and second-generation ITs; the preparation of new immunotoxin constructs with anti-tumor activity; novel animal models for preclinical evaluation of immunotoxins; and clinical trials, which are now entering Phase II or III in humans.
Animals↗
Purification and properties of immunotoxins containing one vs. two deglycosylated ricin A chains.
A method for the preparation of immunotoxins (ITs) containing one and two molecules of deglycosylated ricin A chain (dgA) bound to each molecule of anti-human CD22 mouse IgG1 monoclonal antibody is described. The cross-linking of antibody and dgA molecules was accomplished with N-succinimidyl-oxycarbonyl-alpha-methyl-(2-pyridyldithio) toluene. The two ITs were purified by successive chromatographies on Blue-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, Blue-Sepharose with NaCl gradient and Sephacryl S-300. The IT with two dgAs was seven-fold more cytotoxic to CD22+ Daudi cells than that containing one molecule of dgA.
Animals↗
Role of CD25+ and CD25-T cells in acute HIV infection in vitro.
T cell activation plays a major role in the ability of the HIV to remain latent or establish a productive infection. The alpha-chain of the IL-2R (CD25, Tac, p55) is expressed on activated but not resting T cells and therefore represents an ideal marker to distinguish activated from resting T cells. The present studies were designed to define the role of CD25+ (activated) and CD25- (resting) T cells in an acute HIV infection in vitro. This objective was accomplished by selectively killing CD25+ cells with an anti-CD25-ricin A chain immunotoxin (RFT5-deglycosylated ricin A (dgA)) either before or after HIV infection, and then determining the effect of eliminating these cells on the secretion of viral p24 Ag. Three major findings have emerged from this study: 1) Elimination of the small population (3 to 5%) of activated, CD25+ cells present in normal PBMC before HIV infection results in a 99% reduction in p24 secretion. 2) RFT5-dgA, an immunotoxin directed against CD25, kills HIV-infected CD25+ cells. Elimination of the CD25+ cells after infection with HIV virtually stops viral production and the spread of the infection in these cultures. This was confirmed by coculturing RFT5-dgA-treated PBMC with H9 cells. 3) When RFT5-dgA-treated PBMC (CD25-cells) were infected with HIV and then activated with a solid phase anti-CD3 mAb, the levels of p24 produced were comparable with those of PBMC from which the CD25+ cells had not been eliminated. Taken together these findings suggest that both activated (CD25+) and resting/quiescent (CD25-) cells can be infected with HIV but that only the CD25+ cells produce viral proteins in the absence of additional activation.
Cell Survival↗
Disseminated growth of a human multiple myeloma cell line in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency disease.
We have successfully engrafted a human multiple myeloma cell line, ARH-77, into C.B. 17 SCID mice. When ARH-77 cells were injected s.c., tumors grew only at the site of inoculation (five of five). When ARH-77 cells were injected i.v. tumors did not grow in any of the mice (zero of five). However, when mice were given gamma-irradiation with 150 rads and then inoculated i.v. with 10(7) ARH-77 cells, 100% (13 of 13) of the mice developed tumors. Hind leg paralysis was observed in 13 of 16 mice as a result of compression of the spinal cord by tumor. Histological analysis demonstrated that myeloma cells proliferated and formed osteolytic lesions (15 of 16) in the vertebrae and bones of the skull (14 of 16). Tumor cells also invaded the brain and meninges (14 of 16), lung (13 of 15), liver (seven of 15), and kidney (two of 15). Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that the phenotype of 31% of the bone marrow cells in the vertebrae and 79% of s.c. tumor cells was similar to ARH-77 cells (CD38+, PCA-1+, HLA-Classes 1 and II+). Furthermore, DNA hybridization with a human AluI probe confirmed their human origin. ARH-77-derived human immunoglobulin was detected in the serum of SCID/ARH-77 mice by ELISA. These observations demonstrate systemic involvement of human multiple myeloma following i.v. injection of ARH-77 cells into irradiated mice. This in vivo model should be useful for evaluating new therapeutic modalities for myeloma.
Animals↗
Cancer dormancy: isolation and characterization of dormant lymphoma cells.
"Tumor dormancy" is an operational term used to describe a prolonged quiescent state in which tumor cells are present, but tumor progression is not clinically apparent. Although clinical examples of tumor dormancy abound, little is known regarding the mechanisms underlying this state. Here we utilize an antibody-induced dormancy model of an aggressive murine B-cell lymphoma (BCL1) and show that the induction of the dormant state is accompanied by dramatic changes in tumor cell morphology and cell cycle status. These data indicate the feasibility of altering the malignant phenotype of transformed cells by specific signals originating at the cell surface, and they suggest new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in cancer.
Animals↗
Combined use of an immunotoxin and cyclosporine to prevent both activated and quiescent peripheral blood T cells from producing type 1 human immunodeficiency virus.
Two different populations of infected T cells are present in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals: activated cells that produce virions and quiescent cells that harbor the viral genome but are unable to produce virus unless they are activated. Using an in vitro model of acute HIV infection, we have evaluated the effect of depleting activated T cells with an immunotoxin and subsequently inhibiting activation of quiescent T cells with an immunosuppressive agent. CD25 (Tac, p55), the alpha chain of the interleukin 2 receptor, is expressed on activated, but not quiescent, T cells. An anti-CD25-ricin A chain immunotoxin eliminated activated, CD25+ HIV-infected cells and, thereby, inhibited viral production by these cells. Subsequent addition of cyclosporine to the residual CD25- cells prevented their activation and thereby suppressed their ability to produce virus and to propagate the infection to uninfected T cells.
Antibodies↗
Ricin A-chain and ricin A-chain immunotoxins rapidly damage human endothelial cells: implications for vascular leak syndrome.
The results of Phase I/II clinical trials indicate that ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins cause vascular leak syndrome, characterized by hypoalbuminemia with resultant weight gain and edema. Vascular leak syndrome may be a dose-limiting factor during treatment with ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins. In this report, we determined the effect of ricin A-chain and ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins on human umbilical vein endothelial cells with the aim of developing an in vitro model to study vascular leak syndrome. The major findings of our study are: (1) Human umbilical vein endothelial cells undergo rapid and dramatic changes in morphology after treatment with ricin A-chain and ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins. These changes include rounding of the cells and, eventually, the formation of gaps between them. (2) The permeability of human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers to passage of molecules increases after exposure to ricin A-chain or ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins and this is consistent with the morphologic changes. (3) Human umbilical vein endothelial cells bind 125I-rRTA in a dose-dependent manner but binding is not specific. (4) Human umbilical vein endothelial cells are moderately more sensitive to ricin A-chain-induced inhibition of protein synthesis and proliferation than simian virus-transformed mouse endothelial cells. (5) The morphologic changes are observed 1 h after exposure to the toxins, whereas inhibition of protein synthesis is not detectable until 4 h after a similar exposure. The in vitro model represents a first step in dissecting the complex events which occur in cancer patients who develop vascular leak syndrome after treatment with ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins.
Animals↗
Immunotoxins: magic bullets or misguided missiles?
Thirteen years have passed since specific in vitro and in vivo killing of tumour cells by immunotoxins was first described. Why, then, has it taken so long to determine whether these drugs will have a major impact on the treatment of cancer, AIDS and autoimmune disease? The answer is that the transfer of basic discoveries to the clinic is a slow, multistep, interdisciplinary process. Thus, immunotoxin molecules must be designed and redesigned by the basic scientist depending on the efficacy and toxicity shown in vitro and in relevant experimental models. Next, each version must be evaluated by clinicians in humans through a lengthy process (1-3 years) in which the dose regimen is optimized and in which new problems and issues frequently emerge. These problems must again be modelled and studied in animals before additional clinical trials are initiated. In this article, Ellen Vitetta and colleagues discuss both basic and clinical aspects of the development of immunotoxin therapy.
Animals↗
Immunotoxins: magic bullets or misguided missiles?
Thirteen years have passed since specific in vitro and in vivo killing of tumor cells by immunotoxins was first described. Why, then, has it taken so long to determine whether these pharmaceuticals will have a major impact on the treatment of cancer, AIDS and autoimmune disease? The answer is that the transfer of basic discoveries to the clinic is a slow, multistep, interdisciplinary process. Thus, immunotoxin molecules must be designed and redesigned by the basic scientist depending on the efficacy and toxicity shown in vitro and in relevant experimental models. Next, each version must be evaluated by clinicians in humans through a lengthy process (1-3 years) in which the dose regimen is optimized and in which new problems and issues frequently emerge. These problems must again be modeled and studied in animals before additional clinical trials are initiated. In this article, Ellen Vitetta and colleagues discuss both basic and clinical aspects of the development of immunotoxin therapy.
Animals↗
Induction of B cell tumor dormancy by anti-idiotypic antibodies.
Long-term dormancy of murine B-cell lymphomas can be experimentally induced by immunizing the host with the idiotype expressed on the tumor. Interaction of the cells with anti-idiotype antibodies is sufficient to induce and maintain the dormant state. The growth of lymphoma cells interacting with anti-idiotype antibodies is arrested and they undergo dramatic changes in their morphology, cell-cycle status and oncogene expression. Regrowth of a tumor after long-term dormancy results from the emergence of a tumor cell variant that no longer responds to the antibodies with growth inhibition. These data demonstrate the feasibility of reversing a malignant phenotype of cells by specific growth arrest signals and suggest new approaches for therapeutic intervention in cancer.
Animals↗
A monoclonal anti-human IL-6 receptor antibody inhibits the proliferation of human myeloma cells.
A monoclonal antibody (UV4) against the human IL-6 receptor (hIL-6R) was generated by immunizing BALB/c mice with both a human myeloma cell line (U266) and a murine cell line (M12.4/R) transfected with the hIL-6R cDNA. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that UV 4 stains the hIL-6R+ cell lines U266 and U937, but not the hIL-6R- cell lines Daudi and K562. Competitive inhibition assays demonstrated that preincubation of U266 cells with UV4 inhibited the binding of a phycoerythrin (PE)-IL-6 conjugate to the hIL-6R and also inhibited the proliferative activity of IL-6 on the IL-6-dependent human myeloma cell lines ILKM2 and ILKM3. In contrast, UV4 did not interfere with the proliferation of the hIL-6R- Burkitt's lymphoma cell line, Daudi. Direct sandwich radioimmunoassays further confirmed that the UV4 bound to the same molecule as the goat anti-hIL-6R antibody. These results suggest that both UV4 and human IL-6 bind to the same or adjacent epitopes on the hIL-6R. This monoclonal antibody should facilitate studies of the structure-function relationship of IL-6R and may be useful for the treatment of IL-6-dependent diseases such as multiple myeloma.
Animals↗
Cytotoxicity of a novel anti-ICAM-1 immunotoxin on human myeloma cell lines.
We have generated a murine monoclonal antibody (UV3) which recognizes an epitope on ICAM-1 expressed on myeloma cells. By flow cytometric analysis, the epitope on ICAM-1 recognized by this antibody is strongly expressed on human myeloma cells, pre-B leukemia cells and Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines. Most human T cell lines are weakly positive. The antibody does not react with red blood cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) or resting B lymphocytes from normal donors, and reacts very weakly with resting T cells. Immunohistochemical assays indicate that the antibody does not react with normal liver, kidney, heart, brain, thymus or lung. An immunotoxin (IT) was prepared by coupling UV3 to deglycosylated ricin A-chain (dgA). In protein synthesis inhibition assays it was highly cytotoxic to the human myeloma cell lines HS-SULTAN (IC50 = 1 x 10(-11)M) and ARH-77 (IC50 = 9 x 10(-11)M), but not to cell lines of T cell lineage or most cell lines of the B lineage. Our results suggest that the UV3-dgA may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of human multiple myeloma.
Animals↗