Lymphocyte-dependent antibodies to antigen 3.1, a cell-surface antigen expressed by a subgroup of human melanomas

Cellular cytotoxicity mediated by isotype-switch variants of a monoclonal antibody to human neuroblastoma

The biological property of an antibody is determined by its antigen binding characteristics and its isotype-related effector functions. We have established monoclonal antibodies of different isotypes by stepwise selection and cloning of the hybridoma CE7. The original CE7 secretes an IgG1/kappa (CE7 gamma 1) antibody that recognises a 185 kD cell surface glycoprotein expressed on all human sympatho-adrenomedullary cells. Isotype-switch variants were isolated in the following sequence: from the original CE7 gamma 1, CE7 gamma 2b variants were isolated, and from a CE7 gamma 2b variant CE7 gamma 2a variants were isolated. The antibodies of three different isotype variant cell lines possess identical antigen binding characteristics, but display distinct effector functions as demonstrated by antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). ADCC was performed with the neuroblastoma line IMR-32 as the target cells, and different FcR gamma positive cells were either freshly isolated from human peripheral blood leukocytes or cultured for 6-10 days and tested as potential effector cells. Tumour lysis mediated by monocyte-derived macrophages depended on the presence of CE7 gamma 2a antibodies; antibodies from the CE7 hybridomas of gamma 2b and gamma 1 isotypes were virtually inactive in ADCC assay. Pre-exposure of macrophages to rIFN-gamma enhanced their ADCC activity, a result that is compatible with the notion that the high affinity Fc IgG receptor (FcR gamma I/CD64) is involved in the triggering of ADCC in macrophages. In contrast to macrophages, mononuclear cells, nonadherent cells and monocytes displayed considerable non-specific lytic activity, which was little influenced by the presence of antibody regardless of the isotype added.

Antitumor effects of L6, an IgG2a antibody that reacts with most human carcinomas

Mouse monoclonal antibody L6 (IgG2a subtype) recognizes a ganglioside antigen expressed at the surface of cells from human non-small-cell lung carcinomas, breast carcinomas, and colon carcinomas. We now show that this antibody can lyse L6 antigen-positive human tumor cells in the presence of Leu-11b-positive human lymphocytes (i.e., mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity) or human serum (mediate complement-dependent cytotoxicity) and that it can inhibit the outgrowth of an L6 antigen-positive human tumor transplanted onto nude mice.

Monoclonal anti-human tumor antibodies of six isotypes in cytotoxic reactions with human and murine effector cells

Eighty-seven murine monoclonal antibodies (MAb) produced against human tumors of various origins and representing six different immunoglobulin classes were tested for antitumor reactivity in antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) assays. Mouse splenocytes, thioglycolate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages, freshly obtained nonadherent human peripheral blood lymphocytes, and human monocytes were used as effector cells, and human or rabbit serum as the source of complement. Of all four effector cell types tested, mouse macrophages showed the highest cytotoxic activity, based on net cytotoxicity, minimum requirement for Mab concentration, and effector cell number. Different immunoglobulin classes were associated with characteristic patterns of reactivity with the various effector cells or complement, independent of the target cell type used. MAb able to mediate ADCC were found among all IgG subclasses, with IgG2a and IgG3 MAb inducing lysis with all effector cell types. IgM and IgA MAb were nonreactive in the various ADCC assays, but IgM MAb were highly cytotoxic with complement.

Strong antitumor activities of IgG3 antibodies to a human melanoma-associated ganglioside

Three mouse monoclonal IgG3 antibodies, 2B2, IF4, and MG-21, recognize a GD3 ganglioside antigen that is expressed at the cell surface of most human melanomas. All three antibodies mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in vitro when tested with human lymphocytes as effector cells in a 2-hr or 4-hr 51Cr-release test, and one antibody, MG-21, also gives strong complement-dependent cytotoxicity with human serum. Antibody 2B2, which gives ADCC also in the presence of mouse lymphocytes, inhibited the outgrowth of a human melanoma in nude mice, but antibody IF4, which showed no ADCC with mouse lymphocyte effectors, did not.

Importance of immunoglobulin isotype in human antibody-dependent, cell-mediated cytotoxicity directed by murine monoclonal antibodies

Using the fluorescence activated cell sorter to select rare IgG2a- and IgG2b-producing variants, we developed switch variant families of hybridomas from IgG1-producing hybridomas, ME1 and MA2.1. The IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies produced by such switch variants have the same binding activities for HLA as the IgG1 antibodies produced by the parent hybridomas. Using these antibodies, we directly compared the IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b murine Ig isotypes for their capacities to direct human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against a B lymphoblastoid cell line. We demonstrate that, for antibodies of identical binding affinity and specificity, the murine IgG2a isotype is the most effective in directing ADCC by human effector cells. The murine IgG2b directs intermediate levels of ADCC activity while IgG1 is inactive. We identified the effector cells in human PBL that mediate IgG2a or IgG2b ADCC as nonadherent killer (K) cells. These cells express the C3bi receptor and have cytolytic activity which is specifically blocked by a monoclonal antibody (anti-Leu-11a) that binds the Fc receptor (FcR) of such cells. Finally, FcR-bearing K cells bind to target cell-bound, rather than free, IgG2a or IgG2b molecules.

Diagnostic and therapeutic use of monoclonal antibodies to human tumor antigens

Monoclonal antibodies have been obtained to various differentiation antigens that are more strongly expressed on tumor cells than on normal cells from the adult host, some of these antigens are relatively specific for tumors of a given type, e.g. melanoma. Monoclonal anti-tumor antibodies offer strong promise for clinical use, initially for tumor diagnosis and, ultimately, also for therapy.

Immunochemical characterization of a human high molecular weight--melanoma associated antigen identified with monoclonal antibodies

Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel analysis of a high molecular weight (HMW) human melanoma associated antigen (MAA) defined by murine monoclonal antibodies revealed a number of distinct polypeptides ranging from 80,000 up to 280,000 daltons, in addition to an extremely heterogeneous group of components distributed over a wide range in apparent molecular weight (300,000-700,000 daltons). The 280,000 dalton and the larger heterogeneous molecular weight material are glycosylated since they are labeled with 3H-sugars. The HMW-MAA is readily solubilized in the absence of detergents and the entire series of polypeptides fractionates together in the void volume of a Sephadex G200 column. Peptide maps of the various polypeptides of the HMW-MAA, generated by Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease, are essentially the same except that some of the proteolytic fragments derived from the lower molecular weight polypeptides (80,000 daltons) are present in greater amounts than are similar fragments derived from the larger molecular weight polypeptides; the latter finding suggests that the complexity in molecular weight of the MAA may reflect combinations of several base subunits. Proteolytic cleavage of the HMW-MAA generates a number of peptides ranging in molecular weight from 77,000 daltons to less than 12,000 daltons, which still react with monoclonal antibodies and can distinguish monoclonal antibodies specific for different antigenic determinants of this MAA.

Human melanoma-associated antigens identified with monoclonal antibodies

Using monoclonal antibodies three types of membrane-bound tumour-associated antigens have been identified on human melanoma cells. The tissue distribution, the immunological profile and the structural properties of these melanoma associated antigens (MAA) are described. The applications of the monoclonal antibodies to one of the MAA in the area of immunodiagnosis and immunotherapy are discussed.