Sensitivity of chronic myeloid leukemia hemopoietic progenitors to PTT-119 in combination with human recombinant interferon alpha and gamma

PTT-119, a new synthetic alkylating compound, has shown a marked "in vitro" inhibitory effect on chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) granulo-monocytic precursors (CFU-GM) at doses greater than 5 micrograms/ml. Based on previous experiences of synergistic associations between alkylating drugs and biological modifiers, we tested the effects of low doses of PTT-119 (from 0.1 to 1 microgram/ml) in concert with alpha, gamma, or alpha + gamma interferons and compared to IFNs alone, in order to investigate an alternative choice for treatment of CML patients in chronic phase. Our results showed a significantly higher CFU-GM cloning inhibition after addition of 100 or 1,000 U/ml of alpha IFN to 0.1 microgram/ml PTT-119 (from 39.6% +/- 26.6 SD to 80.7% +/- 10 SD and 91.5% +/- 8 SD, respectively), while gamma IFN resulted in only a slight increase in colony growth inhibition when compared to the drug used alone. The association of alpha plus gamma IFN coupled with PTT-119 treatment did not significantly improve the results observed after exposure of leukemic progenitors to PTT-119 and alpha IFN alone. We conclude that a combined treatment with PTT-119 and IFN is probably worth testing both for purging methods before autologous bone marrow transplantation and for in vivo administration in chronic myeloid leukemia.     

Inhibition of fibroblast chemotaxis by recombinant human interferon gamma and interferon alpha

Interferons have recently been recognized as potent mediators in inflammatory processes, exerting profound effects on fibroblasts. The influence of interferons gamma and alpha on the chemotactic movement of fibroblasts toward various attractants was, therefore, investigated. Normal human adult and embryonal dermal fibroblasts, fibrosarcoma-derived fibroblasts and SV40-transformed fibroblasts were tested against conditioned medium from fibroblasts, the chemotactic peptide C-140 of fibronectin, platelet-derived growth factor, and leukotriene B4 as attractants in the presence or absence of the interferons. Interferons gamma and alpha inhibited chemotaxis in a dose-dependent manner and at concentrations at least as low as 10(-2) ng/ml. Inhibition was noticeable when the cells were exposed to interferon for as short a period as 60 minutes, and the effect was not readily reversible. Inhibition occurred when the cells came from sparse or dense cultures, but when platelet-derived growth factor was the attractant and the cells had been grown at low density there was no inhibition. It is concluded that this is a specific effect, not to be wholly explained by overall increase in membrane rigidity. Inhibition of fibroblast chemotaxis by interferons may be an important regulatory mechanism during wound healing or fibrosis and metastatic spread of tumor cells.     

Treatment of Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia by gamma interferon

The clinical, hematologic and cytogenetic effects of human recombinant gamma interferon (IFN) were investigated in 14 patients with Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Gamma-IFN was given at a daily dosage of 0.50 mg (= 10 x 10(6) U)/m2 from the 3rd week of treatment on, but the dosage had to be reduced to 0.25 mg/m2 in 10 cases and to 0.35 mg/m2 in 2 cases, because of the severity and persistence of side effects (mainly fever, fatigue, headache and pain). Only 2 patients tolerated the full dosage. The overall response rate was 64% (1 complete and 8 partial hematologic responses). Only patients in stable chronic phase responded. Two out of two patients in unstable chronic phase and two out of two patients in accelerated phase failed to respond. Eight out of nine responding patients remained in remission throughout the duration of treatment (30 to 35 weeks). No karyotypic conversion was detected. These data show that gamma IFN alone is effective in Ph+ CML, but that side effects can limit substantially the dosage and duration of treatment.     

The influence of interferon alpha and gamma,singly or in combination on human natural cell mediated cytotoxicity

The influence of interferon alpha and gamma alone or in combination on the augmentation of human natural cytotoxicity was studied. Treatment of peripheral blood lymphocytes with IFN- led to a rapid augmentation of NK activity, in contrast to IFN- where target cell killing was observed only following 18 hrs exposure of lymphocytes to IFN-. The results of the single cell assay paralleled those obtained using the Chromium release test, but neither interferon type caused an increase in the number of target binding lymphocytes. The combined effect of IFN- and IFN- in stimulating human natural cytotoxicity demonstrated individual lymphocyte responses to be variable. Exposure of lymphocytes to IFN- and IFN- for 18 hrs prior to assay for cytotoxicity usually decreased the level of cytotoxicity compared with control values, whereas other treatment regimes gave an additive and sometimes synergistic effect. Only treatment with IFN- for 18 hrs and IFN- for one hr produced a synergistic response in the majority of individuals tested. We conclude from this study that individual responses to IFN- and IFN- alone or in combination are variable and dependent upon timing of exposure of lymphocytes to individual interferon types, and possibly reflects the donor status at the time of sampling.     

Acute adrenocortical stimulation by recombinant gamma interferon in human controls

We examined the effect of 20 micrograms recombinant gamma-interferon (rec-gamma-IFN) upon corticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol secretion in 10 healthy male controls. We observed that rec-gamma-IFN enhances cortisol secretion with maxima around 3 hours after injection of the test dose. This effect was suppressible by a single dose of 1.5 mg dexamethasone and was not associated with increased ACTH secretion. Rec-gamma-IFN also failed to enhance ACTH secretion from a pituitary cell culture. From these data we conclude that rec-gamma-IFN acts on lymphoid cells which in turn release a yet unidentified substance that directly activates the adrenocortex in a feedback controlled manner.     

High cell density fermentation of recombinant Escherichia coli expressing human interferon alpha 1

Summary A defined medium was developed which, by means of a specific fed-batch mode, allows growth of the recombinant Escherichia coli strain TG1 (pBB210) up to a cell density of 60 g dry weight/l. Apart from glucose and aqueous ammonia fed as carbon and nitrogen sources, it was unnecessary to supply other nutrients or O₂-enriched air. Aqueous ammonia also served for pH control. The pO₂ level was kept at 20% saturation via closed-loop controls operating the two output variables of stirrer speed and glucose feeding rate. This fed-batch method prevented significant accumulation of acetate and other metabolic by-products. The recombinant E. coli expressed interferon alpha 1 more efficiently at a lower specific growth rate (_Pr 0.15 h^–1) than at the maximum specific growth rate (_max = 0.45 h^–1). Therefore, fermentation in the batch phase at _max was only allowed to continue up to a medium cell density. In the succeeding fed-batch phase, the specific growth rate was reduced to _Pr by increasing the stirrer speed according to an empirically developed time scale. Offprint requests to: D. Riesenberg     

Sedimentation equilibrium measurements of recombinant DNA derived human interferon gamma

Recombinant DNA derived human interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) from Escherichia coli was examined by equilibrium ultracentrifugation. Short-column equilibrium experiments at pH 6.9 in 0.1 M ammonium acetate buffer gave a z-average molecular weight of 33,500 +/- 1400 at infinite dilution, corresponding to 1.98 +/- 0.08 times the formula weight. Long- (2.6 mm) column experiments at pH 7.5 in 0.04 M imidazole buffer gave a molecular weight of 33,400 +/- 500. Under the latter conditions IFN-gamma behaves somewhat nonideally, with the departure from ideality accounted for by an effective (Donnan) charge of about 6+. No association of this dimer to form tetramer or higher polymers was observed, with the association constant for formation of tetramer from dimer K24 found to be less than 34 L mol-1. Similarly, no dissociation to monomers was observable, with the dissociation constant to monomer K21 being less than 5 X 10(-8) mol L-1. At pH 3.55 in 0.02 M buffer (acetate plus acetic acid), there was virtually complete dissociation of the dimer to monomer. Extreme nonideality was seen in this low ionic strength system, and the effective charge on the protein was estimated to be about 11+. The reduced molecular weight M(1 -upsilon rho) of the monomer was found to be about 4.09 +/- 0.20 kg mol-1; this corresponds to a molecular weight of 16,410 +/- 820, with the Scatchard definition of components. A small amount of a polymer with a molecular weight of about 0.5 X 10(6) was detected under these conditions.     

Purification and properties of a novel recombinant human hybrid interferon, delta-4 alpha 2/alpha 1

The human interferon (huIFN) delta-4 alpha 2(5-62)/alpha 1(64-166) is a genetically engineered hybrid that consists of residues 5-62 of huIFN alpha 2 and residues 64-166 of huIFN alpha 1. This variant contains four cysteine residues at positions 29, 86, 99 and 139, but does not contain the cysteine at position 1 that is characteristic of naturally occurring huIFN alpha subtypes. This novel recombinant hybrid was purified from Escherichia coli to greater than 95% homogeneity. The purification was based on ethanol extraction of a trichloroacetic acid precipitate and Matrex Gel Blue A chromatography followed by either a selective precipitation or DEAE-Sepharose chromatography. The purified protein that was treated with 2-mercaptoethanol exhibited two closely migrating bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with apparent molecular weight values of 17,800 and 17,100, both of which exhibited antiviral activity. Electrophoresis performed without prior reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol indicated only a minor extent of intermolecular disulfide bonding. The purified protein exhibited a high specific antiviral activity of 7 x 10(7) units/mg when assayed on human fibroblast cells and, in distinction to the parental huIFN alpha 2, it also demonstrated antiviral activity on human fibroblast cells and, in distinction to the parental huIFN alpha 2, it also demonstrated antiviral activity on murine L929 cells. The level of antiproliferative activity of huIFN delta-4 alpha 2(5-62)/alpha 1(64-166) on various cell lines of different histological origin appeared to be more comparable to that of huIFN alpha 1 than huIFN alpha 2. The data suggest that huIFN delta-4 alpha 2(5-62)/alpha 1(64-166) hybrid may be a useful tool for understanding huIFN structure-function relations.     

Acid unfolding and self-association of recombinant Escherichia coli derived human interferon gamma

The secondary and tertiary structure of recombinant human interferon gamma, determined by far- and near-UV circular dichroism, showed a transition from the native state to an unfolded state below pH 4.5. The acid unfolding was extensively studied at pH 3.5 as a function of NaCl concentration. Addition of 0.05-0.2 M NaCl to a pH 3.5 sample increased the amount of beta-sheet structure with no change in the amount of alpha-helix and also induced reversible self-association of interferon gamma to form large aggregates from the monomer. When samples at pH 3.5 were dialyzed against 0.1 M ammonium acetate (pH 6.9) to refold interferon gamma, the samples that contained NaCl in acid formed aggregates upon dialysis while those without NaCl formed a dimer apparently identical with the starting protein (i.e., before acid treatment). Thus, the self-association of interferon gamma in acid is closely correlated with its aggregation behavior in 0.1 M ammonium acetate after removal of acid.     

Structural studies on acid unfolding and refolding of recombinant human interferon gamma

Interferon gamma is distinguished from other types of interferons in its instability upon acid treatment, as demonstrated by a loss of antiviral activity. Acid unfolding and refolding experiments were performed with recombinant DNA derived human interferon gamma. When the protein was subjected to unfolding and refolding, the refolded protein showed two peaks (peaks I and II) in gel filtration which have been shown to differ in size, structure, and antiviral activity. When the smaller, peak II, form was unfolded by dialysis against 0.01 M HCl containing 0.1 M NaCl (pH 2) and refolded by dialysis against various solvents at neutral pH, it re-formed as peak II but also generated peak I, and the ratio of the two forms was dependent on protein concentration and solvent conditions. Higher protein concentrations and higher ionic strength led to a greater ratio of peak I to peak II. Phosphate buffers caused precipitation of peak I. Since peak II is 4-8 times more active than peak I in the antiviral bioassay, generation of peak I by acid treatment of peak II should lead to a decrease in antiviral activity.     

Characterization of commercial laminin preparations from human placenta in comparison to recombinant laminins 2 (alpha2beta1gamma1), 8 (alpha4beta1gamma1), 10 (alpha5beta1gamma1).

Laminins, a family of large heterotrimeric (alphabetagamma) proteins, are major components of basement membranes implicated in a variety of cellular functions. Different commercial laminin preparations isolated from human placenta have been widely used in functional studies but their molecular properties are poorly known. In the present study, we characterized several of these preparations by ELISA, silver staining and Western blotting, in comparison to mouse laminin 1 (alpha1beta1gamma1), and recombinant human laminins 2 (alpha2beta1gamma1), 8 (alpha4beta1gamma1) and 10 (alpha5beta1gamma1). The cell migration-promoting activity of different batches was also tested. The placenta laminin preparations differed from one another and consisted of highly fragmented proteins, a mixture of laminin isoforms, and/or contaminating fibronectin. Major functional differences between batches were also observed, reflecting molecular heterogeneity. Previous data obtained in functional studies using these preparations need to be interpreted with caution and may require revision, and future functional studies demand prior molecular characterization of the laminins, particularly their alpha-chain.     

Effects of recombinant human interferon alpha on human megakaryocyte and fibroblast colony formation

Effects of recombinant human interferon alpha (HuIFN-alpha) on human megakaryocyte (CFU-MK) and fibroblast (CFU-F) colony-forming cell growth were studied. Concentration-dependent inhibition of both CFU-MK and CFU-F by HuIFN-alpha was demonstrated. Statistically significant suppression of both CFU-MK and CFU-F was seen at a HuIFN-alpha concentration of 1000 U/ml or greater. No significant difference was found between HuIFN-alpha treated cultures and controls for the distribution of CFU-MK types and for the size and cell morphology of CFU-F. When a concentration of 1000 u/ml HuIFN-alpha was added at varying time points during the marrow cultures, decreased numbers of megakaryocyte and fibroblast colonies only appeared at the early days of cultures. When bone marrow cells were incubated with HuIFN-alpha for different periods of time prior to initiation of cultures, a reduction of megakaryocyte colony formation also occurred. These studies demonstrate a suppressive effect of HuIFN-alpha on human CFU-MK and CFU-F growth. This effect seems to occur at the initial stages of CFU-MK and CFU-F development.     

Efficacy and toxicity elicited by recombinant interferons alpha and gamma when administered in combination to tumor-bearing mice

Administration of rHuIFN-alpha A/D and rMuIFN-gamma as single agents to tumor-bearing mice resulted in a dose-related antitumor effect in each of the six models studied. When the IFNs were given in combination, the effects varied between the tumor systems. No increase in efficacy was seen in mice bearing B16-F10 melanoma or M5076 reticulum cell sarcoma while additive antitumor activity was shown in the KA31 fibrosarcoma and P388 leukemia systems. Mice inoculated with L1210 lymphoma or colon 38 carcinoma, however, revealed enhanced efficacy which was greater than additive. The data also reveal that combination of IFNs alpha and gamma administered to normal and tumor-bearing mice resulted in toxicity which was not predicted by the appropriate doses of the single agents. These studies suggest that combination of IFNs alpha and gamma may provide greater therapeutic utility than the single agents and underscore the need for additional, carefully designed preclinical and clinical efforts.     

Optimizing secretory expression of recombinant human interferon gamma from Kluyveromyces lactis

Biosimilar/biotherapeutic production is becoming a major area of focus for a big chunk of biotechnology industry. Easy licensing and already approved status for clinical use have given it a boost. In the present study, recombinant human interferon gamma (IFNG) was expressed for the first time in Kluyveromyces lactis expression system and its expression was optimized by varying growth parameters and carbon source concentration with the aim of increasing recombinant protein production level. Human IFNG gene was cloned in the genomic DNA of K. lactis by homologous recombination and under unoptimized conditions in shake flask, IFNγ protein was secreted in the fermentation medium at a level of 175?µg/L quantified by ELISA assay. After the optimization of expression conditions using one-variable-at-a-time technique, expression level was enhanced by 2.2-folds. Substrate inhibition studies revealed that up to 80?g/L of lactose is well tolerated by K. lactis cells for its growth but more than 80?g/L of lactose causes remarkable reduction in biomass production.     

Resistance of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus to alpha/beta interferon and to gamma interferon.

The susceptibility to alpha/beta interferon (IFN-alpha/beta) or to gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) of various lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) strains was evaluated in C57BL/6 mice and in various cell lines. Anti-IFN-gamma treatment in vivo revealed that the LCMV strains Armstrong, Aggressive, and WE were most susceptible to IFN-gamma whereas Traub, Cl 13-Armstrong, and Docile were resistant. The same pattern of susceptibility to recombinant IFN-gamma was observed in vitro. In vivo treatment with anti-IFN-alpha/beta showed a sizeable increase in replication of Aggressive, Armstrong, and WE; effects were less pronounced for Docile, Cl 13-Armstrong, or Traub. Correspondingly, WE, Armstrong, and Aggressive were all relatively sensitive to purified IFN-alpha/beta in vitro, and Cl 13-Armstrong, Docile, and Traub were more resistant. Overall, there was a good correlation between the capacity of LCMV strains to establish a persistent infection in adult immunocompetent mice and their relative resistance to IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha/beta.     

Phase I study of combination recombinant interleukin-2 and interferon gamma in patients with advanced malignancies

A phase I trial of interleukin-2 and interferon gamma combination treatment in patients with advanced malignancies was performed based on preclinical in vitro and in vivo data which demonstrated synergistic antitumor effect. The toxicities, immune parameters, and tumor responses are described. The clinical and biologic maximal tolerated doses were extrapolated from these data.     

Treatment with natural human interferon alpha of a CML-patient with antibodies to recombinant interferon alpha-2b

A patient with Philadelphia-chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukemia developed interferon antibodies on treatment with recombinant interferon alpha-2b. Clinically this event corresponded with progressive disease. No cross-reactivity of antibodies with human leukocyte interferon was found by Western blot. Treatment was switched to human leukocyte interferon with an obvious clinical effect: WBC was reduced and platelet count stabilized, but the effect was transient and no hematologic remission was achieved. Human leukocyte interferon may be an alternative in CML-patients with neutralizing antibodies to recombinant interferon alpha.     

Chondroitin sulphate modification in the alpha4 chain of human recombinant laminin-8 (alpha4beta1gamma1).

We have produced human laminin-8 (alpha4beta1gamma1) using recombinant technology. Approximately half of the recombinant laminin-8 (rLN-8) molecules were found to have a chondroitin sulphate modification in the alpha4 chain. The substituted and non-substituted forms were separated and tested for cell adhesion activity. Lower cell adhesion promoting activity was seen for the substituted form, but the integrin receptor utilization was similar. We also found the human rLN-8 to behave identically in cell adhesion assays compared to a human/mouse hybrid variant of rLN-8.     

The cellular internalization of recombinant gamma interferon differs from that of natural interferon gamma

Purified natural and recombinant murine gamma interferons (MuIFN-gamma) bind at 4 degrees C to cultured L929 mouse fibroblasts with comparable receptor-binding affinity (Kd = 9 x 10(-10) M). Both 125I-labeled MuIFNs are rapidly internalized by cells at 37 degrees C, although recombinant IFN is internalized somewhat more slowly than natural IFN (t1/2 = 90 sec and 45 sec, respectively). Immunoelectronmicroscopy showed that the majority of bound recombinant MuIFN-gamma was located on the plasma membrane outside of coated areas, whereas natural interferon was found mainly in coated pits. At 37 degrees C most of the recombinant molecules entered the cytoplasm in pinocytotic vesicles, while natural interferon was internalized by the specific mechanism of receptor-mediated endocytosis [1]. However, nearly equal amounts of immunocytochemically detectable molecules of both IFNs were found in the cell nucleus within 2-3 min incubation at 37 degrees C. Thus, the process of translocation of the recombinant IFN-gamma appears to differ from that of the natural product.