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The L49 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody binds to p97 (melanotransferrin), a tumor-selective antigen that is expressed on human melanomas and carcinomas. A recombinant fusion protein, L49-sFv-bL, that contains the antibody binding regions of L49 fused to the Enterobacter cloacae r2-1 β-lactamase (bL) was constructed, expressed, and purified to homogeneity in an Escherichia coli soluble expression system. The variable regions of L49 were cloned by reverse transcription−polymerase chain reaction from L49 hybridoma mRNA using signal sequence and constant region primers. Construction of the gene encoding L49-sFv-bL was accomplished by hybridization insertion of VH, VL, and sFv linker sequences onto a pET phagemid template containing the bL gene fused to the pelB leader sequence. Optimal soluble expression of L49-sFv-bL in E. coli was found to take place at 23 °C with 50 μM isopropyl β-d-thiogalactopyranoside induction and the use of the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 for isolation from the bacteria. Construction and expression of a soluble form of the p97 antigen in Chinese hamster ovary cells allowed affinity-based methods for analysis and purification of the fusion protein. Surface plasmon resonance, fluorescent activated cell sorting, and Michaelis−Menten kinetic analyses showed that L49-sFv-bL retained the antigen binding capability of monovalent L49 as well as the enzymatic activity of bL. In vitro experiments demonstrated that L49-sFv-bL bound to 3677 melanoma cells expressing the p97 antigen and effected the activation of 7-(4-carboxybutanamido)cephalosporin mustard (CCM), a cephalosporin nitrogen mustard prodrug. On the basis of these results, L49-sFv-bL was injected into nude mice with subcutaneous 3677 tumors, and localization was determined by measuring bL activity. Tumor to blood conjugate ratios of 13 and 150 were obtained 4 and 48 h post conjugate administration, respectively, and the tumor to liver, spleen, and kidney ratios were even higher. A chemically produced L49-Fab‘-bL conjugate yielded a much lower tumor to blood ratio (5.6 at 72 h post administration) than L49-sFv-bL. Therapy experiments established that well-tolerated doses of L49-sFv-bL/CCM combinations resulted in cures of 3677 tumors in nude mice. The favorable pharmacokinetic properties of L49-sFv-bL allowed prodrug treatment to be initiated 12 h after the conjugate was administered. Thus, L49-sFv-bL appears to have promising characteristics for site-selective anticancer prodrug activation.

The outer membrane (OM) component(s) from Bordetella pertussis which potentiated the antigenicity of purified Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide, polyribosyl ribitol phosphate (PRP), has been isolated and partially characterized. The OM was isolated from spheroplasting medium by precipitating at pH 5.0; fractionation was carried out by dissolving the crude OM in Triton X-100 followed by selective precipitation of OM in 50% ethanol. Further purification of OM was accomplished by DEAE-Sepharose 6BCL and Sephacryl S-300 chromatography. The biochemical composition and protein profiles on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of various OM preparations have been examined. Combined vaccines consisting of OM components and PRP were given to young Sprague-Dawley rats, and the serum antibody to PRP was measured by an [3H]PRP binding assay. The purified OM containing mainly a 30,000-dalton protein, but not purified lipopolysaccharide or leukocytosis-promoting toxin, exhibited strong enhancement of PRP immunogenicity.

CD28 and CTLA-4 are homologous T cell receptors of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily, which bind B7 molecules (CD80 and CD86) on antigen-presenting cells and transmit important costimulatory signals during T cell activation. Here we have investigated the subunit structure of CTLA-4 and the stoichiometry of its binding to B7 molecules. We demonstrate CTLA-4 is a homodimer interconnected by one disulfide bond in the extracellular domain at cysteine residue 120. Each monomeric polypeptide chain of CTLA-4 contains a high affinity binding site for B7 molecules; soluble CTLA-4 and CD86 form complexes containing equimolar amounts of monomeric CTLA-4 and CD86 (i.e. a 2:2 molecular complex). Thus, CTLA-4 and probably CD28 have a receptor structure consisting of preexisting covalent homodimers with two binding sites. Dimerization of CTLA-4 and CD28 is not required for B7 binding, nor is it sufficient to trigger signaling.