PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Ménard

Publications and source records attributed to S Ménard.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Anti-drug monoclonal antibodies antagonize toxic effect more than anti-tumor activity of doxorubicin.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) able to bind epitope(s) of drug molecule can interfere with the biologic action of the drug. This is known and already exploited in some instances of practical relevance, as in the reversal of the digoxin effect. Similar antidotal action is exhibited by MAbs reacting with a cytotoxic antibiotic, doxorubicin (DXR), and in such a way as to induce differential neutralization of drug action. Indeed, within certain limits, the cytotoxic action of DXR in vitro as well as in vivo is more effectively neutralized on normal than on tumor cells, with consequent increase in therapeutic index.

Animals↗

Selection of monoclonal antibodies which induce internalization and phosphorylation of p185HER2 and growth inhibition of cells with HER2/NEU gene amplification.

In order to obtain further information on the biological role of the HER2/neu oncoprotein monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced against the p185 extracellular domain. To immunize the mice and screen the hybridoma supernatants we selected a lung adenocarcinoma cell line (Calu-3), which demonstrated an over-expression of p185HER2 measured as the reactivity with polyclonal rabbit serum to the 14-amino-acid carboxy-terminal-HER2/neu. Two MAbs, designated MGR2 (IgG1) and MGR3 (IgG2), selected for reactivity on Calu-3 and negativity on A43I live cells, the reference target cell for EGF receptor expression, were found to immunoprecipitate a 185-kDa molecule. Immunodepletion experiments with the polyclonal antiserum and cross-competition experiments indicated that the 2 reagents recognized 2 different epitopes located on the p185HER2 molecule. One of the 2 MAbs, MGR3, was found to internalize, induce p185HER2 phosphorylation and inhibit tumor cell growth in vitro. These results indicate that MGR3 is directed against a determinant located in the p185HER2 ligand binding site and may compete with the p185HER2 ligand, but is incapable of inducing a complete mitotic signal.

Animals↗

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor binding site.

In this work a new monoclonal antibody (mAb), designated MGR1, which recognizes the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) binding site, is described. The main characteristic of this mAb is its ability to discriminate between cells that express normal levels of EGF-R from cells with overexpression, the detectability threshold by immunocytochemical tests being 5 x 10(4) receptors/cell of 10 microns diameter. MGR1 was found to inhibit EGF binding on the relevant target cells, and vice versa its binding was inhibited by EGF, which indicated that MGR1 recognizes the EGF receptor binding site. MGR1 exerted an inhibitory effect on both the in vitro and in vivo growth of cells with EGF-R overexpression, but had no effect on cells with a normal expression of the receptor. Tumour growth inhibition in athymic mice was also obtained on already implanted tumours. MGR1 therefore seems to be an adequate reagent for the development of immunotherapeutical approaches suitable for the treatment of tumours with EGF-R overexpression.

Animals↗

Laminin receptors on SCLC cells.

Several studies have suggested a correlation between the metastatic potential and the expression of adhesion molecules and/or their receptors on tumour cell surface membranes. In this study we investigated the expression of functional laminin receptors on small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells. To this aim we set up an adherence assay to determine the in vitro binding capability of tumour cell lines to laminin. All of the three SCLC lines tested and cells from a short-term SCLC line adhered to laminin in cell culture plates, and the affinity of cell-matrix adhesion proved to be higher than the cell-cell adhesion. This effect was always laminin dose-dependent. On a laminin affinity chromatography column three major proteins could be eluted with EDTA from soluble extracts of SCLC lines. Their molecular weights of 120, 90 and 30 kDa suggested a possible relationship with the integrin family. This putative integrin laminin receptor expressed on SCLC does not react with fibronectin, vitronectin or collagen.

Carcinoma, Small Cell↗

Evaluation of resection margins after breast conservative surgery with monoclonal antibodies.

An immunocytochemical method for the detection of cancer cells, in the cell suspension obtained by scraping the surface of the surgical resection margins is described and its sensitivity compared to the conventional histology performed on random biopsies from the same margins. The reactivity of the cells with a pool of monoclonal antibodies (Mab) directed against epithelial markers indicated that in 80% of the 42 cases tested, the scraping method was adequate for the gathering of cells from the margins. The analysis of the samples using B72.3 Mab specific for tumor cells revealed that, among B72.3-positive tumor cases, 31% of breast margins contained tumor cells, whereas only 12% were histologically positive. Our results indicate that the immunocytological methodology is therefore more sensitive and should be used alongside histological examination to detect the tumor contamination in the surgical resection margins.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Monoclonal antibodies as carriers for delivering cytotoxic agents.

Because of their high level of specificity monoclonal antibodies can be used as carriers for delivering cytotoxic agents. However they need to have some other features to be usefully used for this purpose. First of all monoclonal antibodies need to be specific for those membrane antigens which are strongly expressed on target cells but absent from normal cells. Secondly it is important to obtain monoclonal antibodies with as a high affinity as possible, and the biodistribution of the molecule recognized by the monoclonal antibody must be considered with the best attention. Chemical treatment of monoclonal antibodies needs to be performed in such a way that neither the antibody nor the toxic agent will result denaturated. Finally, as an alternative to chemically linked immunoconjugates, bispecific antibodies have successfully been used for delivering cytotoxic agents.

Animals↗

Expression of two antigens defined by monoclonal antibodies in normal, benign and malignant human mammary tissues.

We examined the reactivity of two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), MBrI and MBr8, on sections from normal breast tissues, benign lesions, primary infiltrating carcinomas and distant breast cancer metastases and compared the expression of the recognized antigens (CaMBr1 and CaMBr8 respectively) in these different normal and pathologic conditions. The expression of both antigens was found to significantly decrease in the neoplastic tissues, in comparison to normal breast tissue (34% vs 61% for MBr1 and 52% vs 86% for MBr8; p less than 0.001 for both). Atypical epithelial hyperplasia was found to be reactive on the same level (31%) of the tumors when tested with MBr1, whereas its reactivity was similar to that of normal tissues (78%) when MBr8 was used. Nonatypical epithelial hyperplasia showed the same reactivity with both MAbs (positive staining on about 50% of the cells). 65% of the "in situ" ductal carcinoma cases was MBr1-positive, whereas 50% was MBr8-positive; these values, when compared with the reactivity on normal glands, were significantly lower for MBr8, but not for MBr1. When testing sections from premenopausal women who had biopsies performed on different days during their menstrual cycle a correlation was found between the expression of CaMBr1 in normal breast epithelial cells and the stimulatory phase of the cycle. These findings suggest that both antigens are typical of normal breast and their expression could possibly decrease in pathologic tissues.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

MOv18 monoclonal antibody in diagnostic applications: capability to recognize the histotype of the original tumor.

Cells from 52 ascitic fluids and 28 abdominopelvic cavity washings, obtained from 46 ovarian cancer patients, 17 patients bearing malignancies of non ovarian sites and 17 patients with non-malignant ovarian diseases, were tested using 2 methods: traditional cytology and monoclonal antibody immunofluorescence. The immunologic test using the MOv18 MAb, raised against ovarian carcinoma, revealed immunoreactive cells in 83% of the 36 cytologically positive fluids and in one of the 8 negative fluids from ovarian carcinoma patients and in 18% of the 17 fluids from patients with non-malignant ovarian disease. Forty six cytologically positive ascitic fluids from malignant patients were analyzed in order to evaluate the ability of this MAb to identify the histotype of metastatic cells. Ninety-three percent (26/28) of the effusions from nonmucinous ovarian carcinomas contained MOv18-positive cells, whereas no reactive cells were found in cytologically malignant fluids from patients with ovarian tumors of other oncotypes or with carcinomas of non-ovarian origin. The MOv18 reagent, used as an adjuvant in cytological analysis, can help in the identification of the histotype of metastatic cells of unknown origin.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Evaluation of the immunoreactive fraction of an anti-tumour monoclonal antibody.

Over a period of approximately 1 year, the immunoreactivity of the anti-ovary carcinoma MAb MOv18 was evaluated after radiolabelling with 125I on two different ovarian carcinoma cell lines, OvCa432 and IGROV1. A high variability of the immunoreactive values was observed by analysing different preparations of radiolabelled MOv18 (from 12 to 21% on OvCa432 and from 22 to 56% on IGROV1) and by using the same radiolabelled preparation (12% on OvCa432 and 51% on IGROV1). Since the variability could be due to the target cells, we set up an alternative binding assay using the anti-idiotypic MAb anti-Id18.1 directed against a private idiotype closely associated with the MOv18 paratope. Three different experiments carried out with the anti-idiotypic MAb gave reproducible results with an immunoreactive range from 71 to 83%. A direct comparison between the reactivity of the same 125I-MOv18 preparation on anti-Id18.1 and on IGROV1 confirmed the higher value of the immunoreactive fraction estimated on the more homogeneous anti-idiotypic reagent (71%), rather than on the tumour cells (56%). These data suggest that anti-idiotypic MAbs could represent suitable reagents for the evaluation of the immunoreactivity of an antibody preparation after radiolabelling and before in vivo administration.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

In vivo and in vitro growth of SCLC cells derived from biopsies.

In order to increase the availability of SCLC cells derived from biopsies, in vivo and in vitro growth methods were investigated. The cells grown in both conditions were periodically monitored for reactivity with 2 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs): MLuC1 directed against SCLC cells and IM1 which recognizes the class II antigen on activated lymphocytes and macrophages. About 50% of the 28 analyzed SCLC specimens were found to proliferate in one or both systems. The in vitro-grown cells exhibited the same heterogeneity found in the original cell suspensions and moreover, in some cases only normal cells were recovered after several in vitro passages. From the subcutaneous transplanted tumors a large number of MLuC1-positive tumor cells could easily be recovered, thus indicating the validity of the in vivo methodology. The MBr1 MAb, directed against an epithelial antigen, was found to react with about 50% of the 26 tested tumors, mainly those which demonstrated in vivo and/or in vitro growth capacity. These data suggest that only some tumors, presumably with peculiar biological characteristics, can efficiently grow in these artificial systems.

Adult↗

Idiotypic replica of an anti-human tumor-associated antigen monoclonal antibody. Analysis of monoclonal Ab1 and Ab3 fine specificity.

CaMBr1 is a tissue-specific and tumor-associated saccharidic epitope, defined by mAb MBr1 (Ab1), expressed on glycoconjugates of the human mammary carcinoma cell line MCF-7 and of normal and neoplastic mammary epithelial cells. An anti-anti-idiotypic monoclonal Ab3, 2G-3, identifying a human breast tumor associated antigen, was raised by using as immunogen a mouse anti-idiotypic monoclonal Ab2, A3B10, which behaves as the internal image of CaMBr1. mAb 2G-3, as well as MBr1, defines a saccharidic epitope on glycoconjugates extracted from MCF-7 cells and shows MBr1-like reactivity on normal and neoplastic-tissues. Experimental evidence, however, suggests that the fine immunoreactivity of the two antibodies is not identical, because MBr1 has a preferential reactivity with glycolipids and 2G-3 with glycoproteins. We suggest that a possible biologic explanation for our findings could reside in the nature of the immunogens used to raise the two mAb (glycolipid vs protein "internal image").

Animals↗

Immunohistochemical reactivity of a monoclonal antibody prepared against human ovarian carcinoma on normal and pathological female genital tissues.

The reactivity profile of the monoclonal antibody (MAb) MOv18, raised against a poorly differentiated ovarian carcinoma specimen, was studied on normal tissues and tumors from the female reproductive system and on the kidney, which like the oviducts, vagina and uterus, also derives from the intermediate mesoderm. The obtained results indicate that MOv18 recognizes an epitope present on the normal epithelium of the oviducts, on 14-week old fetal kidney and, focally, on proximal and distal tubules of normal adult kidney. A strong reactivity was found on ovarian carcinomas, on invasive squamous carcinomas of the cervix and on endometrial carcinomas and hyperplasias. The antigen recognized by MOv18 (CaMOv18) therefore seems to be an epithelial cell marker associated with intermediate mesoderm differentiation, which can be derepressed during the neoplastic transformation of the ovary and the uterus.

Adult↗

Relationship between CaMBr1 expression and tumor progression in small cell lung carcinomas.

In order to study the possible relationship between antigenic phenotype and tumor progression, 63 small cell lung carcinomas (SCLC) biopsies derived from primary or metastatic tumors were tested by immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase techniques with an anti-carcinoma monoclonal antibody designated MBr1. Primary tumors were found to be less reactive with MBr1 than the local and distant metastatic lesions (57% versus 75% and 89% positivity respectively). A life table analysis on the tested cases indicated an inverse association between the expression of the marker recognized by the MBr1 MAb (CaMBr1) and overall survival (p less than 0.01): patients with MBr1-positive tumors showed a shorter survival time in comparison to patients whose tumors did not express the marker. The same correlation between survival and CaMBr1 expression was found even when only the 31 cases of early stage disease patients were considered (p less than 0.05). Different tumor aggressiveness or resistance to therapy of MBr1-positive tumors could be responsible for the shorter survival time of the patients.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Re-targeting of human lymphocytes expressing the T-cell receptor gamma/delta to ovarian carcinoma cells by the use of bispecific monoclonal antibodies.

TcR gamma/delta+ lymphocytes represent a small subset homogeneously composed of cytolytic T cells displaying unique motility and homing properties. Since the lytic machinery of these cells can be efficiently triggered by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed to the TcR gamma/delta, such MAbs were used for the construction of bispecific MAbs in conjunction with an MAb specific for ovarian carcinoma cells. Hybrid hybridomas were obtained by fusing the Mov19 MAb (IgG2a)-producing hybridoma with either GI (IgG2a) or A13 (IgG1) hybridomas, secreting MAbs specific for 2 peripheral blood subsets of TcR gamma/delta+ lymphocytes. Hybrid hybridomas producing bispecific MAbs were screened according to their ability to induce ovarian carcinoma (IGROVI) target cell lysis by GI+ or A13+ T cell clones, respectively. The GI-derived GM33.9 bispecific MAb induced selective lysis of Mov19+ ovarian carcinoma target cells only by GI+ clones, whereas the A13-derived AM18.4 MAb was effective only in combination with A13+ clones. Neither the anti-TcR gamma/delta nor the Mov19 parental MAbs (used alone or in combination) induced target-cell lysis. The hybrid nature (IgG1/IgG2a) of the AM18.4 bispecific MAb was indicated by 2-color immunofluorescence experiments. Thus, both ovarian carcinoma and A13+ effector cells were double stained by AM18.4 bispecific MAb followed by PE-conjugated anti-IgG1 and FITC-conjugated anti-IgG2a second reagents. Polyclonal TcR gamma/delta+ cells were obtained by direct stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with Sepharose bead-conjugated anti-TcR gamma/delta MAbs and IL-2. The lines so obtained contained more than 90% of TcR gamma/delta+ cells after 4 weeks of culture, with an increase in TcR gamma/delta+ cell numbers ranging from 200 to 1,000-fold. These TcR gamma/delta+ cell lines efficiently lysed ovarian carcinoma target cells in the presence of bispecific MAb and may therefore represent a suitable source of effector cells for induction of ovarian carcinoma cell lysis.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Activation of mononuclear cells to be used for hybrid monoclonal antibody-induced lysis of human ovarian carcinoma cells.

Recently we reported that cytotoxic T-cell clones can be retargeted to unrelated tumor cells by bispecific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), anti-CD3 and anti-ovarian carcinoma (alpha OC/TR) (Mezzanzanica et al., 1988). In the perspective of in vivo tumor immunotherapy, as an alternative to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) from T-cell clones, since human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) without stimulation were quite ineffective, a suitable in vitro activation method was developed to render PBMCs lytic for relevant targets in the presence of the bispecific hybrid MAb alpha OC/TR. This activation protocol was applied to PBMCs from 9 healthy donors (HD) and 6 ovarian carcinoma patients (P) and to tumor-associated lymphocytes (TAL) from 4 ovarian carcinoma P. The method consisted of in vitro stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) for 2 days, followed by culture with a low dose of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rIL-2) for 6 to 10 days. The antibody-mediated lysis of CTL from HD PBMCs was found to be specifically directed against cells expressing the relevant ovarian tumor antigen when different tumor cell lines and short-term cultures of tumor and normal cells were tested. The antibody-mediated lysis of CTL from P PBMCs or TAL was efficient both on autologous and allogeneic ovarian tumor cells, whereas no reactivity with autologous normal cells was observed and LAK activity was only evident in 1 out of 4 cases. The hybrid antibody induced cytotoxic activity of CTL from P was, however, lower than that of CTL from HD.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Histopathological characterization of a novel monoclonal antibody, MLuC1, reacting with lung carcinomas.

A monoclonal antibody (MoAb), MLuC1, derived from the fusion of P3-X63-Ag 8-U1 mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells from an HR mouse immunized with the carcinoma cell line SW626, was studied to define its reactivity profile on normal and neoplastic human tissues and its potential clinical applications in lung cancer. Evaluation of paraffin sections using the ABC immunoperoxidase method showed a "pan-epithelial" reactivity; a large majority of epithelial components of organs in the respiratory, digestive and urogenital systems (except liver, rectum and ovary) were immunostained. As regard to neoplastic tissues MLuC1 recognized 84% of lung carcinomas (82% of small cell, 100% of squamous cell, 74% of adenocarcinomas), 86% of breast and 62% of ovarian carcinomas. On the contrary, MLuC1 was non-reactive with the other normal and tumoral non-epithelial tissues. Due to its spectrum of reactivity this MoAb could be useful for different diagnostic purposes such as differential diagnosis and lung cancer cytology.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Monoclonal antibody detection of carcinoma cells in bone marrow biopsy specimens from breast cancer patients.

The possibility of using immunologic methods for detecting metastatic cells in bone marrow samples from breast cancer patients was investigated. The MBr1 monoclonal antibody, which recognizes a membrane antigen on breast carcinoma cells and is unreactive on normal bone marrow cells, seemed to be an adequate reagent for this kind of approach. When human leukocyte suspensions artificially contaminated with mammary tumor cells were tested by MBr1 immunofluorescence, it was demonstrated that the added tumor cells could be specifically discriminated from normal cells and that as little as one tumor cell in 200,000 could be detected. With the same methodology we screened bone marrow biopsies from breast cancer patients with apparently uninvolved lymph nodes at the moment of surgery. Immunoreactive tumor cells were detected by the MBr1 antibody in 17% of N- patients. None of the bone marrow samples showed any evidence of tumor involvement by conventional histologic analysis.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗