Synergistic in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effect of daunomycin-anti-96-kDa melanoma-associated antigen monoclonal antibody CL 207 conjugate and recombinant IFN-gamma

The mAb CL 207 recognizes a 96-kDa melanoma-associated Ag. The latter is not modulated by antibody but is highly susceptible to induction by immune IFN-gamma on human carcinoma and melanoma cells. The mAb CL 207 does not mediate C- and cell-dependent lysis of human carcinoma and melanoma cells. Conjugation of daunomycin with mAb CL 207 causes a slight reduction of its immunoreactivity and affinity but does not affect its serologic specificity or the toxicity of daunomycin. In combination with IFN-gamma, the daunomycin-mAb CL 207 conjugate displays a selective in vitro and in vivo toxic effect on tumor cells that express the 96-kDa MAA. The synergistic effect of IFN-gamma and daunomycin-mAb CL 207 conjugate is specific. The in vivo toxicity is influenced by the interval between injection of human tumor cells into nude mice and that of IFN-gamma and daunomycin-mAb CL 207 conjugate. The present results suggest that the 96-kDa melanoma-associated Ag may be a useful model to investigate the combined use of IFN-gamma and mAb for the selective destruction of tumor cells.     

Differential role of distinct determinants of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in immunologic phenomena

This study analyzed 1) the relationship between the molecules recognized by anti-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mAb RR 1/1 and by anti-96K melanoma-associated Ag mAb CL203.4 in lymphoid cells, 2) the induction of ICAM-1 on activated PBMC, and 3) the functional activity of distinct and spatially distant determinants recognized by mAb CL203.4 and RR1/1. Sequential immunoprecipitation experiments showed that the determinant recognized by mAb CL203.4 is expressed on a slightly broader population of ICAM-1 molecules than that defined by mAb RR1/1. Serologic and immunochemical assays have shown that ICAM-1 is induced on lymphocytes activated with Con A, PHA-M, IL-2, allogeneic HLA mismatched lymphocytes and autologous PHA-M-activated T cells. However, ICAM-1 was not detected on lymphocytes incubated with IFN-gamma. Incubation of monocytes with LPS induced ICAM-1 in the subpopulation which lacks it and increased its density on the cells which express it. Induction of ICAM-1 is an early event in the activation process and precedes the appearance of IL-2 and transferrin receptors. Comparison of the functional activity of the anti-ICAM-1 mAb CL203.4 and RR1/1 showed that both of them inhibit to a similar extent proliferation of lymphocytes stimulated with PHA-M and with allogeneic lymphocytes, but that only mAb RR1/1 inhibits PMA-induced aggregation of cultured B lymphoid cells JY, of promonocytic cells U-937 and of PHA-blasts as well as LAK cell-mediated cytotoxicity of target cells. mAb CL203.4 represents the first example of anti-ICAM-1 mAb without inhibitory effect on the aggregation of lymphoid cells. The differential functional activity of mAb CL203.4 and RR1/1 does not reflect differences in their affinity, because they display a similar affinity constant to lymphoid cells. These results suggest that distinct determinants of ICAM-1 play a different role in immunologic phenomena.     

DNA-mediated gene transfer of a human cell surface 170-kilodalton glycoprotein. Evidence for association with an endogenous murine protein

We have previously reported the identification and characterization of two related human cell surface protein complexes, very common antigens 1 and 2 (VCA-1, VCA-2) (Kantor, R. R. S., Mattes, M. J., Lloyd, K. O., Old, L. J., and Albino, A. P. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 15158-15165). We now report the transfection of DNA sequences encoding the 170-kilodalton heterodimer of VCA-2 from human SK-RC-41 renal cancer cells to B78H1 mouse melanoma cells. B78H1 cells were cotransfected with high molecular weight renal cancer DNA and a plasmid vector containing the neomycin resistance gene. Antibiotic-resistant transfectants were screened for the expression of the 170-kDa heterodimer with mouse monoclonal antibody (mAb) J143. Analysis of mAb J143-positive (J143+) transfectants showed that they expressed a 170-kDa heterodimer with an identical molecular weight, isoelectric point, two-dimensional peptide map, and spatial orientation of surface-exposed epitopes to the homologous 170-kDa species seen in human donor cells. The 170-kDa heterodimer in SK-RC-41 cells is associated with a 140-kDa (designated 140(1] polypeptide to form the VCA-2 complex. The 170-kDa complex and the 140(1)-kDa polypeptides are encoded by genes located on different human chromosomes. J143+ transfectants display a molecule of 140 kDa associated with the 170-kDa complex which is biochemically similar, but non-identical, to the human 140(1)-kDa polypeptide on VCA-2. This evidence supports our interpretation that the transfected human 170-kDa heterodimer associates with a murine counterpart of the human 140(1)-kDa polypeptide in J143+ transfectants.     

Cytotoxic activity toward mouse melanoma following immunization of mice with transfected cells expressing a human melanoma-associated antigen

Summary B78H1 is a mouse melanoma cell line that is weakly antigenic in syngeneic mice. In an attempt to augment their immunogenicity, B78H1 cells were transfected with genomic DNA from a line of human melanoma cells expressing a 96-kDa melanoma-associated antigen (ICAM-1). A selective co-amplification procedure was employed that generated a population of transfected cells (Ui11) that expressed fivefold higher quantities of the melanoma-associated antigen than the cells from which the DNA was obtained. To test the transfected cells' relative capacity to generate a cellular immune response against B78H1 cells, Ui11 cells and B78H1 cells were administered (in parallel) to syngeneic C57BL/6 mice, susceptible to the growth of the melanoma. Each cell line (lethally iradiated beforehand) was injected intraperitoneally at weekly intervals into the mice. After two or three injections, a standard chromium-release assay was employed to detect the presence of cellular immunity toward B78H1 cells. The population of spleen cells from mice immunized with the transfected melanoma cells exhibited higher levels of cytotoxicity toward B78H1 cells than spleen cells from mice immunized with equivalent numbers of nontransfected cells. This observation is consistent with the notion that the transfected human melanoma-associated antigen acted as a second antigen capable of potentiating cellular immune responses against the weakly immunogenic determinants of the mouse melanoma cells. The introduction of genes for foreign antigens into weakly antigenic tumor cells may generate immunogens that can lead to augmented anti-tumor cellular immune responses.     

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody-defined human melanoma-associated antigen susceptible to induction by immune interferon

To develop monoclonal antibodies (mAb) recognizing human melanoma-associated antigens (MAA) susceptible to modulation by immune interferon (IFN-gamma), hybridomas were constructed with splenocytes from a BALB/c mouse immunized with IFN-gamma-treated melanoma cells Colo 38. Screening of supernatants with control and IFN-gamma-treated melanoma cells showed that the mAb CL203 and CL207 display preferential reactivity with IFN-gamma-treated melanoma cells. The two mAb recognize the same (or spatially close) determinant on a 96,000 MAA which has a density of 0.36 X 10(6) antigenic sites/cell on untreated melanoma cells Colo 38 and of 1.39 X 10(6) and 1.54 X 10(6) on melanoma cells Colo 38 treated with IFN-gamma (final concentration, 200 U/ml) for 24 and 48 hr, respectively. The effect of IFN-gamma on the 96,000 MAA is dose- and time-dependent, reversible, and blocked by inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis. Furthermore, the effect of IFN-gamma on the induction of the 96,000 MAA appears to be specific, inasmuch as IFN-alpha and IFN-beta do not induce the expression of the 96,000 MAA. The latter is also induced by IFN-gamma in a variety of carcinoma cell lines, but its level is markedly lower than on melanoma cells. Furthermore, the apparent m.w. of the antigen synthesized by the carcinoma cell lines in the presence of IFN-gamma ranges between 93,000 and 96,000. This molecular heterogeneity appears to reflect differences in the degree of glycosylation of the polypeptide moiety because the antigen synthesized by a variety of cell lines in the presence of tunicamycin has an apparent m.w. of 51,000.     

Cloning and in vitro expression of a melanoma-associated antigen immunogenic in patients with melanoma

The purpose of this study was to identify human melanoma-associated Ag (MAA) that are immunogenic in patients, because these molecules may be useful immunogens to implement active specific immunotherapy. To this end, an expression cDNA library constructed from the human melanoma cell line A375 was screened with sera from patients with melanoma. A 1029-bp cDNA (designated D-1) was isolated. Its nucleotide sequence showed no significant homology with viral and mammalian sequences stored in GE-NETYX. cDNA D-1 hybridized to a 2.0-kb mRNA species from human melanoma, neuroblastoma, erythroleukemia, B lymphoid, and T lymphoid cell lines but not from a renal carcinoma cell line, PBL, and cultured skin fibroblasts. The D-1 clone produced a fusion protein that displayed a significantly higher reactivity with sera from patients with melanoma than from healthy controls. Furthermore, D-1 fusion protein induced in mice antibodies that immunoprecipitated a 50-kDa component from cultured human melanoma cells. The structural properties of D-1 MAA are different from those of previously described MAA. These results suggest that the approach we have applied may be useful to identify novel MAA expressed by melanoma cells. Furthermore, the immunogenicity of recombinant D-1 protein suggests that it may be a valuable immunogen to implement active specific immunotherapy in patients with melanoma, if additional experiments show that it has the appropriate tissue distribution.     

Enhancement of in vitro tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cytotoxicity by heteroconjugated antibodies.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were obtained from a mouse melanoma cell line (CL 62) transfected with the gene for the human melanoma Ag p97. TIL were cultured with anti-CD3 antibody and IL-2 for up to 38 days. Flow cytometry identified these TIL as Thy-1.2 + ve/CD4-ve/CD8 + ve cells. A heteroconjugated antibody 500A2 x 96.5, specific for both the CD3 Ag on TIL and the p97 Ag on CL 62 melanoma cells, was prepared using N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)-propionate as a linking agent. TIL alone demonstrated low levels of cytotoxicity against autologous CL 62 tumor and also against the parental K1735 tumor and an allogeneic murine melanoma (B16). The addition of 500A2 x 96.5 heteroconjugated antibody enhanced TIL-mediated lysis of CL 62 tumor, but not of the K1735 or B16 tumors. This enhanced cytotoxicity was elicited at E:T ratios as low as 0.4:1, and in TIL cultured for 7 to 38 days. These results suggest that hetero-conjugated antibody may enhance the anti-tumor effect of TIL in vivo.     

Homotypic cell aggregation induced by anti-CD44(Pgp-1) monoclonal antibodies and related to CD44(Pgp-1) expression.

The present study shows that a mAb (H4C4) developed against human peripheral blood adherent cells has the unusual property of inducing in vitro homotypic aggregation of several types of hemopoietic cells and cell lines. The Ag recognized by mAb H4C4 is a 85-kDa glycoprotein that corresponds to the human Ag CD44 (equivalent to murine Pgp-1), as determined by protein purification, immunologic cross-reactivity studies, and tryptic fragment sequencing. In addition to H4C4, other mAb directed against some, but not all, epitopes of CD44(Pgp-1) were capable of inducing cell aggregation. This process was temperature sensitive and was almost totally abrogated by cytochalasin B but was unaffected by sodium azide, colchicine, EGTA, trifluoperazine, or staurosporin. A role for CD44 (Pgp-1) in cell-to-cell adhesion was further indicated by an inverse relationship observed between spontaneous aggregation of some hemopoietic cell lines and cell-surface expression of CD44(Pgp-1). These observations provide evidence for a fundamental role of CD44(Pgp-1) in cellular aggregation phenomena with an involvement of the cytoskeleton.     

Association of the CD59 and CD55 cell surface glycoproteins with other membrane molecules.

mAb against human glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked leucocyte surface Ag CD59 and CD55 immunoprecipitated from detergent lysates of HPB ALL cell line in addition to the respective Ag a common 80-kDa glycoprotein component and (glyco)lipids. The 80-kDa glycoprotein is different from otherwise similar CD44 Ag. The CD59 immunoprecipitate contained also a small amount of the CD55 glycoprotein and the CD55 immunoprecipitate minute amount of the CD59 Ag. These results are interpreted in terms of existence of noncovalent complexes resistant to dissociation by mild detergents and consisting of the 80-kDa glycoprotein, CD59 and CD55 glycoproteins, relatively tightly bound (glyco)lipids and possibly other so far unidentified components. These complexes contain probably also other glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked Ag, as an anti-CD48 mAb immunoprecipitated also an apparently very similar complex. The complexes immunoprecipitated by mAb against the CD55, CD59, and CD48 Ag also contain a protein kinase activity. This type of complexes could not be demonstrated in several other cell types such as RBC, PBMC, and HeLa cells. However, a qualitatively very similar set of components was immunoprecipitated from the murine thymoma EL-4 cell line by an anti-Thy-1 mAb.     

C33 antigen recognized by monoclonal antibodies inhibitory to human T cell leukemia virus type 1-induced syncytium formation is a member of a new family of transmembrane proteins including CD9, CD37, CD53, and CD63.

C33 Ag was originally identified by mAb inhibitory to syncytium formation induced by human T cell leukemia virus type 1. The Ag was shown to be a highly heterogeneous glycoprotein consisting of a 28-kDa protein and N-linked oligosaccharides ranging from 10 to 50 kDa. In the present study, cDNA clones were isolated from a human T cell cDNA expression library in Escherichia coli by using mAb C33. The identity of cDNA was verified by immunostaining and immunoprecipitation of transfected NIH3T3 cells with mAb. The cDNA contained an open reading frame of a 267-amino acid sequence which was a type III integral membrane protein of 29.6 kDa with four putative transmembrane domains and three putative N-glycosylation sites. The C33 gene was found to belong to a newly defined family of genes for membrane proteins, such as CD9, CD37, CD53, CD63, and TAPA-1, and was identical to R2, a cDNA recently isolated because of its strong up-regulation after T cell activation. Availability of mAb for C33 Ag enabled us to define its distribution in human leukocytes. C33 Ag was expressed in CD4+ T cells, CD19+ B cells, CD14+ monocytes, and CD16+ granulocytes. Its expression was low in CD8+ T cells and mostly negative in CD16+ NK cells. PHA stimulation enhanced the expression of C33 Ag in CD4+ T cells by about 5-fold and in CD8+ T cells by about 20-fold. PHA stimulation also induced the dramatic size changes in the N-linked sugars previously shown to accompany human T cell leukemia virus type 1-induced transformation of CD4+ T cells.     

Antigenic variation of Giardia lamblia in experimental human infections

To determine if Giardia surface Ag vary in human infections volunteers were inoculated enterally with trophozoites of uncloned GS/M-85 and in later experiments with two clones derived from GS/M. The surface Ag of trophozoites reisolated from 6/6 volunteers differed from the inoculum. To determine if the surface Ag of trophozoites derived from clones would also change, volunteers were inoculated with two clones, B6 or H7. B6 possesses a 200-kDa surface Ag recognized by mAb 3F6 and H7 has a 72-kDa surface Ag recognized by mAb G10/4. One of thirteen B6 and four of four H7-inoculated volunteers became infected. Analysis of Giardia obtained on day 22 from the intestines of the four H7-infected volunteers and cultures derived from these trophozoites revealed loss of the initial major surface Ag as determined by surface IFA using mAb, surface radiolabeling and loss of cytotoxicity to mAb, and Western blots. Loss of the 72-kDa Ag began after day 14 and was practically complete by day 22. The 200-kDa surface Ag was almost totally absent from the surface of Giardia isolated from the single B6-infected volunteer. Serum surface-reactive antibodies, as measured by IFA and cytotoxicity to H7 and the day 22 isolates, showed high levels of antibodies to H7, primarily to the 72-kDa surface Ag, but negligible or low levels of late-appearing antibodies to the day 22 isolates. These studies document antigenic variation of Giardia in human infections and show that humoral responses are in part isolate-specific.     

Identification and immunological characterization of a novel 40-kDa protein linked to CD98 antigen.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were obtained from hybridoma clones established by cell fusion between mouse myeloma cells and spleen cells from a mouse immunized against an affinity-purified 40-kDa component of rat 125-kDa glycoprotein (GP125). Two mAbs designated as 3F2 and 6B4 detected a 40-kDa and a 125-kDa band under reducing and nonreducing conditions, respectively, in extracts prepared from rat, mouse and human tumor cells. Association of the 40-kDa protein with CD98 was revealed by sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The two mAbs were strongly reactive with various tumor cells and activated lymphocytes, but were only weakly reactive with resting lymphocytes. Confocal microscopy indicated colocalization of CD98 and the 40-kDa protein defined with 3F2 and 6B4 at the cell surface and perinuclear regions. On immunohistochemical analysis of frozen sections of rat tongue, the anti-rat CD98 mAb B3 selectively stained the basal layer and 3F2 stained the upper epithelial part in addition to the basal layer, indicating the existence of CD98-unlinked 40-kDa protein.     

Characterization of an immunoreactive 93-kDa core protein of Borrelia burgdorferi with a human IgG monoclonal antibody

Lyme borreliosis is an infectious disease caused by the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, which carries the potential for chronic infection. Ag on the etiologic Borrelia are currently being defined structurally and their ability to elicit immune responses delineated. EBV can be used to immortalize human B. burgdorferi-specific B cells from infected donors and generate antibodies against antigenic epitopes encountered in natural infection. A human mAb secreting EBV-transformed B cell line, D7, has been developed that is specific for a 93-kDa B. burgdorferi protein and has been used to characterize this potentially important Ag. D7 produces an IgG3 antibody that detects the 93-kDa Ag as well as smaller fragments at 46 kDa and lower molecular mass. The antibody detects similar epitopes on all B. burgdorferi isolates tested and on a Borrelia hermsii protein with molecular mass greater than 100 kDa but binds poorly to Treponema species. In contrast, polyclonal sera from Lyme disease patients show little binding to the homologous Ag in B. hermsii. Structurally, the 93-kDa protein is associated with the flagellum and may be firmly anchored in the protoplasmic cylinder. It is not solubilized by nonionic detergent treatment of the whole Borrelia. Antibodies against a comparable m.w. protein are present in sera from patients with both early and late infection. Thus, antibodies against this Ag are a sensitive and specific marker of Borrelia infection. This Ag is likely of structural importance and may represent a target of host defenses.     

The receptor for alpha-melanotropin of mouse and human melanoma cells. Application of a potent alpha-melanotropin photoaffinity label

The melanotropin (MSH) receptor of mouse B16-F1 melanoma cells was characterized by photoaffinity cross-linking, using a potent alpha-MSH photolabel, [norleucine4, D-phenylalanine7, 1'-(2-nitro-4-azidophenylsulfenyl)-tryptophan9]-alpha-melanotropin (Naps-MSH). Its monoiodinated form, 125I-Naps-MSH, displayed a approximately 6.5-fold higher biological activity than alpha-MSH. Scatchard analysis of the saturation curves with 125I-Naps-MSH revealed approximately 20,000 receptors/B16-F1 cell and an apparent KD of approximately 0.3 nM. Analysis of the cross-linked MSH receptor by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that a photolabeled band of approximately 45 kDa occurs in B16-F1, B16-F10, and Cloudman S91 mouse melanoma, as well as in human D10 and 205 melanoma but not in non-melanoma cells. The labeled 45-kDa protein had an isoelectric point of 4.5-4.9 as determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Treatment of the labeled 45-kDa protein of B16-F1 cell membranes by neuraminidase shifted the band to approximately 42 kDa. A similar band of about 42 kDa was also observed after receptor labeling of B16-W4 cells, a cell line with a decreased number of terminal N-linked neuraminyl residues. These results indicate that the labeled 45-kDa glycoprotein contains terminal sialic acid residues, explaining the low pI of this protein, and that it is characteristic for melanoma cells and hence part of the MSH receptor.     

Evidence of transferrin binding sites on the surface of Leishmania promastigotes.

A glycoprotein of 78,000 molecular mass (78 kDa), associated with the membrane of Leishmania infantum promastigotes, was identified and immunopurified by monoclonal antibody (mAb) LD9 produced against isolated membrane preparations. mAb LD9 was subsequently found to bind to human transferrin, also of 78 kDa. Binding of LD9 to transferrin was completely abolished when the mAb was preabsorbed by Leishmania membranes, thereby indicating that the 78-kDa Leishmania membrane-associated glycoprotein and transferrin have common antigenic epitope(s). The 78-kDa Leishmania membrane-associated protein was released in soluble nonaggregated form by mild treatment with acetic acid saline. Anti-transferrin polyclonal antibodies, recognized both the membrane-associated and the soluble form of the 78-kDa glycoprotein. The 78-kDa soluble form was characterized further as an iron-containing protein. The above data combined with iron uptake by promastigotes as demonstrated by the Prussian blue reaction indicate that the 78-kDa Leishmania membrane-associated glycoprotein is transferrin. The binding of 125I-human transferrin to Leishmania-purified membrane preparations was then investigated. The results indicate the presence of a high affinity saturable binding site (Kd = 2.2 10(-8) M) that is specific for transferrin. We suggest that the 78-kDa glycoprotein recognized by mAb LD9 is transferrin that binds to the surface of Leishmania promastigotes via a transferrin receptor.     

CD66 monoclonal antibodies recognize a phosphotyrosine-containing protein bearing a carcinoembryonic antigen cross-reacting antigen on the surface of human neutrophils.

The CD66 Ag is a neutrophil-specific "activation Ag" in that it is detected in low density on resting cells but its surface expression is up-regulated by stimulation (with the chemotactic peptide FMLP, the calcium ionophore A23187, and 12-O-tetradeconoyl-phorbol-13-acetate). Phosphorylation is an important mechanism of regulation of protein function. Although most studies of protein phosphorylation have focused on intracellular reactions, recent studies have provided evidence for the existence of ectoprotein kinase activity on the surface of several types of cells including human neutrophils. The role of ectoprotein kinase activity in cell function is unknown and little is known about the endogenous substrates of this enzyme system. The identification and characterization of physiologic substrates of ectoprotein kinase activity should aid the understanding of the role of this enzyme activity in cell function. Immunoprecipitation and subsequent gel electrophoresis of proteins from neutrophils labeled with [gamma-32P]ATP revealed that CD66 mAb specifically recognize a approximately 180-kDa phosphoprotein on the surface of human neutrophils. This protein was one of the major endogenous substrates for human neutrophil ectoprotein kinase activity. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the 180-kDa protein revealed that it contained predominantly phosphotyrosine. Preclearing studies demonstrated that this protein was also recognized by CD15 mAb, and by polyclonal anticarcinoembryonic Ag antiserum. In addition, the CD66 mAb reacted with purified carcinoembryonic Ag, biliary glycoprotein, and "nonspecific cross-reacting Ag." Thus, the neutrophil protein recognized by CD66 mAb appears to be a approximately 180-kDa form of the classical "nonspecific cross-reacting Ag" on human neutrophils.     

Ly-1 (CD5), a membrane glycoprotein of mouse T lymphocytes and a subset of B cells, is a natural ligand of the B cell surface protein Lyb-2 (CD72).

CD5 is a 67-kDa glycoprotein expressed on the cell surface membrane of all T lymphocytes and on a small proportion of B lymphocytes. The physiologic role of this Ag is still unknown. Structural and functional studies of CD5 suggest that it might act as a receptor for a positive signal. CD5-specific mAb augment CD3- or mitogen-induced T cell proliferation, IL-2 secretion, and IL-2R expression and induce a rise in intracellular [Ca2+]. In this report, we describe the purification of mouse CD5 protein (mCD5) and its use as a probe to search for the ligand of CD5. We demonstrate that mCD5 specifically interacts with the mouse B cell differentiation Ag CD72/Lyb-2. Three serologically defined allelic forms of mouse CD72/Lyb-2 can all interact with mCD5. We further show that mCD5 can interact with human CD72/Lyb-2, and similarly, that human CD5 can interact with mouse CD72/Lyb-2. These studies may have major implications for the mechanisms of T-B cell communication.