Inhibition of the biologic response to insulin-like growth factor I in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by a new monoclonal antibody to the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor. The importance of receptor down-regulation.

We developed a mouse monoclonal antibody (4G11) against insulin-like growth factor I receptor by immunizing mice with mouse embryo fibroblasts overexpressing the human insulin-like growth factor-I receptor. Not only did the 4G11 antibody inhibit the binding of (125)I]insulin-like growth factor-I to the fibroblast receptor, but 4G11 antibody also potently down-regulated the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor. 4G11 Fab fragment inhibited ligand binding, but did not down-regulate the receptor, suggesting that receptor aggregation is required for down-regulation. 4G11 antibody also down-regulated the receptor in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, a panel of colon cancer cells and MG-63 osteosarcoma cells. Receptor recovery in MCF-7 cells after down-regulation by 4G11 antibody was slow, requiring 32 - 48 h for full recovery. Receptor down-regulation in MCF-7 cells by 4G11 antibody was confirmed by FACS analysis of intact and permeabilized cells. In contrast to 4G11 antibody, insulin-like growth factor-I did not down-regulate the receptor in MCF-7 cells. Down-regulation of the receptor by 4G11 antibody in MCF-7 cells resulted in inhibition of Akt and MAPK activation by insulin-like growth factor-I. We conclude that the ability of a monoclonal antibody to down-regulate the receptor may be an important antibody property in targeting the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor for the treatment of certain cancers.