Humanized anti-EphB4 antibodies for the treatment of carcinomas and vasculogenesis-related diseases

Genomics of squamous cell lung cancer

Approximately 30% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer have the squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) histological subtype. Although targeted therapies have improved outcomes in patients with adenocarcinoma, no agents are currently approved specifically for use in SQCC. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) recently published the results of comprehensive genomic analyses of tumor samples from 178 patients with SQCC of the lung. In this review, we briefly discuss key molecular aberrations reported by TCGA and other investigators and their potential therapeutic implications. Carefully designed preclinical and clinical studies based on these large-scale genomic analyses are critical to improve the outcomes of patients with SQCC of lung in the near future.

EphB4 cellular kinase activity assayed using an enzymatic protein interaction system

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are important players in various cellular processes, including proliferation, migration, metabolism, and neuronal development. EphB4 RTK is essential for the development of a functional arterial-venous network in embryonic and adult neoangiogenesis. To develop novel inhibitors of EphB4 that might have applications in severe diseases like cancer and retinopathies, assays need to be in place that resemble, in a most physiological fashion, the activation and downstream function of the kinase. In addition, such assays need to be amenable to high-throughput screening to serve efficiently the modern drug discovery processes in the pharmaceutical industry. The authors have developed an enzyme fragment complementation assay that measures the interaction of a downstream docking protein to the activated and phosphorylated full-length EphB4 kinase in cells. The assay is specific, robust, and amenable to miniaturization and high-throughput screening. It covers most steps in the activation process of EphB4, including ligand binding, autophosphorylation, and docking of a downstream interactor. This assay format can be transferred to other RTKs and adds an important cell-based kinase assay option to researchers in the field.

Inhibition of choroidal neovascularization by anti-EphB4 monoclonal antibody

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the EphB4 monoclonal antibody on experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV) progression. Experimental CNV was established by argon laser photocoagulation. In the experimental group, the EphB4 monoclonal antibody was injected into the vitreous space in the eye specimens on days 0, 3, 6 and 9 after CNV model establishment. In the control group, an equal amount of balanced salt solution was injected at the same time points. On day 10 after CNV model establishment, fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran endocardial perfusion and choroidal stretched preparation were conducted, respectively, for the two groups. The CNV area in each light spot and the mean values were determined. Histopathological examination was conducted and the ratio of the maximum thickness of the CNV in each light spot to the surrounding normal choroidal thickness, as well as the mean ratio, were calculated. Choroidal stretched preparation confirmed that the CNV of the experimental group was smaller, whereas the CNV of the control group was wider and larger. Quantitative analysis revealed that CNV in the experimental group was significantly inhibited (t=11.84, P<0.01) and that CNV progression in the experimental group was significantly suppressed (t=7.45, P<0.01). Histopathological examination revealed that CNV in the experimental group was thinner and smaller. Vitreous injection of the EphB4 monoclonal antibody inhibits experimental CNV progression. However, its specific mechanism remains unclear. Endogenous EphrinB2/EphB4 regulates ocular neovascularization and may become a new target in treating CNV diseases.

Essential roles of EphB receptors and EphrinB ligands in endothelial cell function and angiogenesis

Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their Ephrin ligands represent an important signaling system with widespread roles in cell physiology and disease. Receptors and ligands in this family are anchored to the cell surface; thus Eph/Ephrin interactions mainly occur at sites of cell-to-cell contact. EphB4 and EphrinB2 are the Eph/Ephrin molecules that play essential roles in vascular development and postnatal angiogenesis. Analysis of expression patterns and function has linked EphB4/EphrinB2 to endothelial cell growth, survival, migration, assembly, and angiogenesis. Signaling from these molecules is complex, with the potential for being bidirectional, emanating both from the Eph receptors (forward signaling) and from the Ephrin ligands (reverse signaling). In this review, we describe recent advances on the roles of EphB/EphrinB protein family in endothelial cell function and outline potential approaches to inhibit pathological angiogenesis based on this understanding.

Novel strategy for selection of monoclonal antibodies against highly conserved antigens: phage library panning against ephrin-B2 displayed on yeast

Ephrin-B2 is predominately expressed in endothelium of arterial origin, involved in developmental angiogenesis and neovasculature formation through its interaction with EphB4. Despite its importance in physiology and pathological conditions, it has been challenging to produce monoclonal antibodies against ephrin-B2 due to its high conservation in sequence throughout human and rodents. Using a novel approach for antibody selection by panning a phage library of human antibody against antigens displayed in yeast, we have isolated high affinity antibodies against ephrin-B2. The function of one high affinity binder (named as ‘EC8’) was manifested in its ability to inhibit ephrin-B2 interaction with EphB4, to cross-react with murine ephrin-B2, and to induce internalization into ephrin-B2 expressing cells. EC8 was also compatible with immunoprecipitation and detection of ephrin-B2 expression in the tissue after standard chemical fixation procedure. Consistent with previous reports on ephrin-B2 induction in some epithelial tumors and tumor-associated vasculatures, EC8 specifically detected ephrin-B2 in tumors as well as the vasculature within and outside of the tumors. We envision that monoclonal antibody developed in this study may be used as a reagent to probe ephrin-B2 distribution in normal as well as in pathological conditions and to antagonize ephrin-B2 interaction with EphB4 for basic science and therapeutic applications.

Eph receptors and ephrins in cancer: bidirectional signalling and beyond

The Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands have intriguing expression patterns in cancer cells and tumour blood vessels, which suggest important roles for their bidirectional signals in many aspects of cancer development and progression. Eph gene mutations probably also contribute to cancer pathogenesis. Eph receptors and ephrins have been shown to affect the growth, migration and invasion of cancer cells in culture as well as tumour growth, invasiveness, angiogenesis and metastasis in vivo. However, Eph signalling activities in cancer seem to be complex, and are characterized by puzzling dichotomies. Nevertheless, the Eph receptors are promising new therapeutic targets in cancer.