Specification
USE OF THE ANTIBODY 1-3859 FOR THE DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS OF
CANCER
The present invention relates to the field of prognosis and/or diagnosis and/or therapy
monitoring of a proliferative disease in a patient. More particularly, the invention relates to an
antibody capable of binding specifically to the CXCR4, as well as the use of said antibody, and
corresponding processes, for detecting and diagnosing pathological hyperproliferative oncogenic
disorders associated with expression of CXCR4. In certain embodiments, the disorders are
oncogenic disorders associated with increased expression of CXCR4 relative to normal or any
other pathology connected with the overexpression of CXCR4. The invention finally comprises
products and/or compositions or kits comprising at least such antibody for the prognosis and/or
diagnostic and/or therapy monitoring of certain cancers.
Chemokines are small, secreted peptides that control the migration of leukocytes along a
chemical gradient of ligand, known as chemokine gradient, especially during immune reactions
(Zlotnick A. et al., 2000). They are divided into two major subfamilies, CC and CXC, based on
the position of their H2-terminal cysteine residues, and bind to G protein coupled receptors,
whose two major sub families are designated CCR and CXCR. More than 50 human chemokines
and 18 chemokine receptors have been discovered so far.
Many cancers have a complex chemokine network that influences the immune-cell
infiltration of tumor, as well as tumor cell growth, survival, migration and angiogenesis. Immune
cells, endothelial cells and tumor cells themselves express chemokine receptors and can respond
to chemokine gradients. Studies of human cancer biopsy samples and mouse cancer models
show that cancer cell chemokine-receptor expression is associated with increase metastatic
capacity. Malignant cells from different cancer types have different profiles of chemokinereceptor
expression, but Chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is most commonly found. Cells from at
least 23 different types of human cancers of epithelial, mesenchymal and haematopoietic origin
express CXCR4 receptor (Balkwill F. et al., 2004).
Chemokine receptor 4 (also known as fusin, CD184, LESTR or HUMSTR) exists as two
isoforms comprising 352 or 360 amino acids. Isoform a has the amino acid sequence depicted
under the Genbank accession number NP_00 1008540, while isoform b has the amino acid
sequence depicted under the Genbank accession number NP_003458. Residue Asnl l is
glycosylated, residue Tyr21 is modified by the addition of a sulfate group and Cys 109 and 186
are bond with a disulfide bridge on the extracellular part of the receptor (Juarez J . et al., 2004).
This receptor is expressed by different kind of normal tissues, naive, non-memory Tcells,
regulatory T cells, B-cells, neutrophils, endothelial cells, primary monocytes, dendritic
cells, Natural Killer cells, CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells and at a low level in heart, colon,
liver, kidneys and brain. CXCR4 plays a key role in leukocytes trafficking, B cell lymphopoiesis
and myelopoiesis.
CXCR4 receptor is over-expressed in a large number of cancers including but not limited
to lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, colon (Ottaiano A. et al., 2004), breast (Kato M. et
al., 2003), prostate (Sun Y.X. et al., 2003), lungs [small-cell- and non-small-cell- carcinoma
(Phillips R.J. et al., 2003)], ovary (Scotton C.J. et al., 2002), pancreas (Koshiba T. et al., 2000),
kidneys, brain (Barbero S et al., 2002), glioblastoma and lymphomas.
The unique ligand of CXCR4 receptor described so far i s the Stromal-cell-Derived
Factor- 1 (SDF-1) or CXCL12. SDF-1 is secreted in large amount in lymph nodes, bone marrow,
liver, lungs and to a less extent by kidneys, brain and skin. CXCR4 is also recognized by an
antagonistic chemokine, the viral macrophage inflammatory protein II (vMIP-II) encoded by
human herpesvirus type III.
CXCR4/SDF-1 axis plays a key role in cancer and is implicated directly in migration,
invasion leading to metastases. Indeed, cancer cells express CXCR4 receptor, they migrate and
enter the systemic circulation. Then cancer cells are arrested in vascular beds in organs that
produce high levels of SDF-1 where they proliferate, induce angiogenesis and form metastatic
tumors (Murphy PM., 2001). This axis is also involved in cell proliferation via activation of
Extracellular-signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) pathway (Barbero S. et al, 2003) and angiogenesis
(Romagnani P., 2004). Indeed, CXCR4 receptor and its ligand SDF-1 clearly promote
angiogenesis by stimulating VEGF-A expression which in turns increases expression of
CXCR4/SDF-1 (Bachelder R E. et al., 2002). It is also known that tumor associated
macrophages (TAM) accumulated in hypoxic areas of tumors and are stimulated to co-operate
with tumor cells and promote angiogenesis. It was observed that hypoxia up-regulated
selectively expression of CXCR4 in various cell types including TAM (Mantovani A. et al.,
2004). It has been recently demonstrated that CXCR4/SDF-1 axis regulates the
trafficking/homing of CXCR4+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSC) and could play a role
in neovascularization. Evidence indicates that besides HSC, functional CXCR4 is also expressed
on stem cells from other tissues (tissue-committed stem cells = TCSCs) so SDF-1 may play a
pivotal role in chemottracting CXCR4+ TCSCs necessary for organ/tissue regeneration but these
TCSC may also be a cellular origin of cancer development (cancer stem cells theory). A stem
cell origin of cancer was demonstrated for human leukemia and recently for several solid tumors
such as brain and breast. There are several examples of CXCR4+ tumors that may derive from
the normal CXCR4+ tissue/organ-specific stem cells such as leukemias, brain tumors, small cell
lung cancer, breast cancer, hepatoblastoma, ovarian and cervical cancers (Kucia M. et al.,
2005).
Targeting cancer metastases by interfering with CXCR4 receptor was demonstrated in
vivo using a monoclonal antibody directed against CXCR4 receptor (Muller A. et al., 2001).
Briefly, it was shown that a monoclonal antibody directed against CXCR4 receptor (Mab 173
R&D Systems) decreased significantly the number of lymph node metastases in an orthotopic
breast cancer model (MDA-MB231) in SCID mice. Another study (Phillips R.J et al., 2003) also
showed the critical role of SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in metastases in an orthotopic lung carcinoma
model (A549) using polyclonal antibodies against SDF-1 but in this study there was no effect
neither on tumor growth nor on angiogenesis. Several other studies described also the inhibition
of either metastasis in vivo using siRNAs duplexes of CXCR4 (Liang Z. et al., 2005) biostable
CXCR4 peptide antagonists (Tamamura H. et al., 2003) or tumor growth in vivo using small
molecule antagonist of CXCR4 like AMD 3 100 (Rubin J.B. et al., 2003; De Falco V. et al.,
2007) or Mab (patent WO2004/059285 A2). Thus, CXCR4 is a validated therapeutic target for
cancers.
Chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2), another chemokine receptor is also described as an
interesting target in oncology. Indeed, CXCR2 transmits an autocrine cell growth signal in
several tumor cell types and can also affect tumor growth indirectly by promoting angiogenesis
(Tanaka T. et al. 2005).
CXCR2 chemokine receptor encompasses 360 amino acids. It is expressed mainly in
endothelial cells and especially during neovascularization. Several chemokines bind CXCR2
receptor: CXCL5, -6, -7, IL-8, GRO-oc , -b and g □ which belong to ERL+ pro-angiogenic
chemokines. The CXCR2 receptor share sequence homologies with CXCR4 receptor: 37%
sequence identity and 48% sequence homology. The CXCR2/ligands axis is involved in several
tumor growth mechanisms such as metastasis (Singh RK. et al., 1994) cell proliferation (Owen
J.D. et al., 1997) and in ERL+ chemokines-mediated angiogenesis (Strieter R.M. et al., 2004).
Finally, tumor-associated macrophages and neutrophils are key elements of inflammatoryinduced
tumor growth and chemokines such as CXCL5, IL-8 and GRO- initiate neutrophils
recruitment.
Dimerization has emerged as a common mechanism for regulating the function of Gprotein-
coupled receptors, among these are chemokine receptors (Wang J . and Norcross M.,
2008) . Homo- and heterodimerization in response to chemokine binding has been shown to be
required for the initiation and the alteration of signaling by a number of chemokine receptors.
Growing evidence supports the concept that receptor dimers or oligomers are probably the basic
functional unit of chemokine receptors. Chemokine receptor dimers are found in the absence of
ligands and chemokines induce conformational changes of receptor dimers. CXCR4 is known
to form homodimers but also heterodimers, for examples with the d-opioid receptor (DOR)
(Hereld D., 2008) or CCR2 (Percherancier Y. et al, 2005). In the latter example, peptides
derived from the transmembrane domains of CXCR4 inhibited activation by blocking the ligandinduced
conformational transitions of the dimer (Percherancier Y. et al., 2005). Another study
showed that CXCR4-TM4 peptide, a synthetic peptide of the transmembrane region of CXCR4,
decreases energy transfer between protomers of CXCR4 homodimers and inhibits SDF-1-
induced migration and actin polymerization in malignant cells (Wang J . et al., 2006). More
recently, it was also described that CXCR7 formed functional heterodimers with CXCR4 and
enhanced SDF-1-induced signaling (Sierro F. et al., 2007). Other examples of constitutive
heterodimers include studies showing CXCR1 and CXCR2 interact as well as forming respective
homodimers. No interactions were noted for either of them with another GPCR (alpha(lA)-
adrenoreceptor), indicating the specificity of CXCR1 and CXCR2 interaction (Wilson S. et al.,
2005).
As previously mentioned, CXCR4 and CXCR2 receptors are interesting tumor targets.
Interfering with those receptors should inhibit tumor growth and metastases in a very efficient
way, by decreasing tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, tumor cell migration and invasion,
neutrophils and macrophages recruitment by tumors and by inhibiting CXCR4 cancer stem cells.
Two monoclonal antibodies, referred as 5 15H7 and 414H5, which bind and induce
conformational changes in both CXCR4 homodimers and CXCR4/CXCR2 heterodimers, and
have strong anti-tumor activities, have been previously characterized (see WO 2010/037831).
Moreover, the applicant has demonstrated the existence of such a CXCR4/CXCR2 heterodimer.
The present invention aims at providing at least one reagent, devoid of any in vivo
activity in cancer models, which can be used as a diagnosis or prognosis tool for oncogenic
disorders, especially those characterized by expression of CXCR4 or those that are mediated by
aberrant CXCR4 expression.
The published patent application WO 2010/125162 discloses two anti-CXCR4
monoclonal antibodies, referred as 515H7 and 301 aE5, and their uses in the field of the HIV
treatment.
Surprisingly, the inventors have now demonstrated that the said antibody 301aE5 (also
referred in the present specification as 301E5 or more preferably, by reference to the deposited
hybridoma, 1-3859: for the purpose of the present application, these terms are similar) does not
have any in vivo activity in the field of the treatment of cancer, contrary to the other antibody
515H7 which presents strong anti-tumoral activities (as described in WO 2010/03783 1). In
particular, 1-3859 does not prevent the binding of the CXCR4 ligand to the receptor.
Moreover, the applicants found that the antibody 1-3859 is capable of:
i) recognizing CXCR4 as monomers;
ii) recognizing CXCR4 as CXCR4/CXCR4 homodimers;
iii) recognizing CXCR4 as CXCR4/CXCR2 heterodimers;
iv) immunoprecipitating the CXCR4 from cellular lysat;
v) recognizing the CXCR4 at the surface of CXCR4-expressing cells by
Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS); and
vi) recognizing the CXCR4 by the immunohistochemistry method.
Because of these novel properties, which had never been disclosed previously for the
antibody 1-3859, the inventors have found that the said antibody can be used for identifying
CXCR4-expressing cells and, in particular, CXCR4-expressing tumor cells.
Thus, the present invention relates to the use of said antibody for detecting the presence
and/or location of CXCR4-expressing disease. The invention can then be utilized in diagnosing
and/or prognosing, preferably in vitro, CXCR4-expressing diseases. Preferably, the said
CXCR4-expressing disease is a cancer.
Another advantageous property of the antibody 1-3859 of the invention is that it
recognizes an epitope close to the epitope of the therapeutic monoclonal antibody 515H7. More
particularly, as demonstrated in the experimental examples, 1-3859 is capable of competing with
the binding of the therapeutic antibody 515H7 to its epitope. The said 1-3859 antibody can thus
be used for, e.g., selecting patients to be treated with the 1 H7 Mab. In particular, the antibody
1-3859 of the invention could be used to check that the conformation of the CXCR4 present at
the surface of the cells of a patient is similar to the conformation recognized by the antibody
515H7, indicating that the said patient is amenable to a 515H7 antibody-based therapy.
A first aspect of the invention relates to an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding
fragment or derivative thereof, that specifically binds to CXCR4 with high affinity, the said
antibody being devoid of any in vivo activity. The said isolated antibody, or antigen-binding
fragment or derivative thereof, can be used in methods for diagnosing or prognosing pathological
hyperproliferative oncogenic disorders mediated by CXCR4 expression. In particular, the said
isolated antibody can be used for in vivo imaging. Preferably, the isolated antibody of the
invention binds human CXCR4.
In a preferred embodiment, an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding fragment or
derivative thereof, is provided for use in detecting the presence of a CXCR4-expressing tumor,
wherein said antibody comprises at least one complementary determining region (CDR) chosen
from CDRs comprising the amino acid sequence SEQ ID Nos. 1 to 6 or at least one CDR whose
sequence has at least 80%, preferably 85%, 90%, 95% and 98% identity after optimal alignment
with sequences 1 to 6 .
More preferably, the invention comprises the antibodies, their antigen-binding fragments
or derivatives, according to the present invention, obtained by genetic recombination or chemical
synthesis.
According to a preferred embodiment, the antibody according to the invention, or its
derived compounds or antigen-binding fragments, i s characterized in that it consists of a
monoclonal antibody.
A "monoclonal antibody", as used herein, means an antibody arising from a nearly
homogeneous antibody population. More particularly, the individual antibodies of a population
are identical except for a few possible naturally-occurring mutations which can be found in
minimal proportions. In other words, a monoclonal antibody consists of a homogeneous antibody
arising from the growth of a single cell clone (for example a hybridoma, a eukaryotic host cell
transfected with a DNA molecule coding for the homogeneous antibody, a prokaryotic host cell
transfected with a DNA molecule coding for the homogeneous antibody, etc.) and is generally
characterized by heavy chains of one and only one class and subclass, and light chains of only
one type. Monoclonal antibodies are highly specific and are directed against a single antigen. In
addition, in contrast with preparations of polyclonal antibodies which typically include various
antibodies directed against various determinants, or epitopes, each monoclonal antibody is
directed against a single epitope of the antigen.
A typical IgG antibody is composed of two identical heavy chains and two identical light
chains that are joined by disulfide bonds. Each heavy and light chain contains a constant region
and a variable region. Each variable region contains three segments called "complementaritydetermining
regions" ("CDRs") or "hypervariable regions", which are primarily responsible for
binding an epitope of an antigen. They are usually referred to as CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3,
numbered sequentially from the N-terminus. The more highly conserved portions of the variable
regions are called the "framework regions".
Three heavy chain CDRs and 3 light chain CDRs exist. The term CDR or CDRs is used
here in order to indicate, according to the case, one of these regions or several, or even the
whole, of these regions which contain the majority of the amino acid residues responsible for the
binding by affinity of the antibody for the antigen or the epitope which it recognizes.
According to the invention, the CDRs of the antibody will be defined according to the
IMGT numbering system. It will be obvious for the man skilled in the art to deduce the CDRs
according to Kabat from the CDRs according to EVIGT. The CDRs according to Kabat must be
considered as part of the scope of the invention.
The IMGT unique numbering has been defined to compare the variable domains
whatever the antigen receptor, the chain type, or the species [Lefranc M.-P., Immunology
Today 18, 509 (1997) / Lefranc M.-P., The Immunologist, 7, 132-136 (1999) / Lefranc, M.-P.,
Pommie, C , Ruiz, M., Giudicelli, V., Foulquier, E., Truong, L., Thouvenin-Contet, V. and
Lefranc, Dev. Comp. Immunol., 27, 55-77 (2003)]. In the IMGT unique numbering, the
conserved amino acids always have the same position, for instance cystein 23 (lst-CYS),
tryptophan 4 1 (CONSERVED-TRP), hydrophobic amino acid 89, cystein 104 (2nd-CYS),
phenylalanine or tryptophan 118 (J-PHE or J-TRP). The IMGT unique numbering provides a
standardized delimitation of the framework regions (FR1-IMGT: positions 1 to 26, FR2-IMGT:
39 to 55, FR3-IMGT: 66 to 104 and FR4-IMGT: 118 to 128) and of the complementarity
determining regions: CDR1-IMGT: 27 to 38, CDR2-IMGT: 56 to 65 and CDR3-IMGT: 105 to
117. As gaps represent unoccupied positions, the CDR-IMGT lengths (shown between brackets
and separated by dots, e.g. [8.8.13]) become crucial information. The IMGT unique numbering is
used in 2D graphical representations, designated as IMGT Colliers de Perles [Ruiz, M. and
Lefranc, M.-P., Immunogenetics, 53, 857-883 (2002) / Kaas, Q. and Lefranc, M.-P., Current
Bioinformatics, 2, 21-30 (2007)], and in 3D structures in EVIGT/3Dstructure-DB [Kaas, Q., Ruiz,
M. and Lefranc, M.-P., T cell receptor and MHC structural data. Nucl. Acids. Res., 32, D208-
D210 (2004)].
More particularly, according a first aspect, the invention relates to an antibody, or a
antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, capable of binding specifically to the CXCR4,
comprising i) a heavy chain comprising at least one of the following CDR-H1, CDR-H2 and
CDR-H3, as defined according to IMGT numbering system, wherein CDR-H1 comprises the
sequence SEQ ID No. 1, CDR-H2 comprises the sequence SEQ ID No. 2 and CDR-H3
comprises the sequence SEQ ID No. 3; and/or ii) a light chain comprising at least one of the
following CDR-L1, CDR-L2 and CDR-L3, as defined according to IMGT numbering system,
wherein CDR-L1 comprises the sequence SEQ ID No. 4, CDR-L2 comprises the sequence SEQ
ID No. 5 and CDR-L3 comprises the sequence SEQ ID No. 6 .
In still another embodiment, the invention can also be described as an antibody, or an
antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, comprising:
- a heavy chain comprising the following three CDRs as defined according to EVIGT,
respectively CDR-H1 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 1, CDR-H2 having the sequence SEQ ID
No. 2 and CDR-H3 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 3, or a sequence having at least 80%,
preferably 85%, 90%, 95% and 98% identity after optimal alignment with sequences SEQ ID
Nos.l, 2 or 3, respectively; and
- a light chain comprising the following three CDRs as defined according to IMGT,
respectively CDR-L1 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 4, CDR-L2 having the sequence SEQ ID
No. 5 and CDR-L3 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 6, or a sequence having at least 80%,
preferably 85%, 90%, 95% and 98% identity after optimal alignment with sequences SEQ ID
Nos. 4, 5 or 6, respectively.
In the sense of the present invention, the "percentage identity" between two sequences of
nucleic acids or amino acids means the percentage of identical nucleotides or amino acid
residues between the two sequences to be compared, obtained after optimal alignment, this
percentage being purely statistical and the differences between the two sequences being
distributed randomly along their length. The comparison of two nucleic acid or amino acid
sequences is traditionally carried out by comparing the sequences after having optimally aligned
them, said comparison being able to be conducted by segment or by using an "alignment
window". Optimal alignment of the sequences for comparison can be carried out, in addition to
comparison by hand, by means of the local homology algorithm of Smith and Waterman (1981)
[Ad. App. Math. 2:482], by means of the local homology algorithm of Neddleman and Wunsch
(1970) [J. Mol. Biol. 48:443], by means of the similarity search method of Pearson and Lipman
(1988) [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:2444] or by means of computer software using these
algorithms (GAP, BESTFIT, FASTA and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software
Package, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Dr., Madison, WI, or by the comparison
software BLAST NR. or BLAST P).
The percentage identity between two nucleic acid or amino acid sequences is determined
by comparing the two optimally-aligned sequences in which the nucleic acid or amino acid
sequence to compare can have additions or deletions compared to the reference sequence for
optimal alignment between the two sequences. Percentage identity is calculated by determining
the number of positions at which the amino acid or nucleotide residue is identical between the
two sequences, dividing the number of identical positions by the total number of positions in the
alignment window and multiplying the result by 100 to obtain the percentage identity between
the two sequences.
For example, the BLAST program, "BLAST 2 sequences" (Tatusova et al, "Blast 2
sequences - a new tool for comparing protein and nucleotide sequences", FEMS Microbiol.,
1999, Lett. 174:247-250) available on the site http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gorf/bl2.html, can be
used with the default parameters (notably for the parameters "open gap penalty": 5, and
"extension gap penalty": 2; the selected matrix being for example the "BLOSUM 62" matrix
proposed by the program); the percentage identity between the two sequences to compare is
calculated directly by the program.
For the amino acid sequence exhibiting at least 80%, preferably 85%, 90%, 95% and
98% identity with a reference amino acid sequence, preferred examples include those containing
the reference sequence, certain modifications, notably a deletion, addition or substitution of at
least one amino acid, truncation or extension. In the case of substitution of one or more
consecutive or non-consecutive amino acids, substitutions are preferred in which the substituted
amino acids are replaced by "equivalent" amino acids. Here, the expression "equivalent amino
acids" is meant to indicate any amino acids likely to be substituted for one of the structural
amino acids without however modifying the biological activities of the corresponding antibodies
and of those specific examples defined below.
Equivalent amino acids can be determined either on their structural homology with the
amino acids for which they are substituted or on the results of comparative tests of biological
activity between the various antibodies likely to be generated.
As a non-limiting example, table 1 below summarizes the possible substitutions likely to
be carried out without resulting in a significant modification of the biological activity of the
corresponding modified antibody; inverse substitutions are naturally possible under the same
conditions.
Table 1
Original residue Substitution(s)
Ala (A) Val, Gly, Pro
Arg (R) Lys, His
Asn (N) Gin
Asp (D) Glu
Cys (C) Ser
Gin (Q) Asn
Glu (E) Asp
Gly (G) Ala
His (H) Arg
(I) Leu
Leu (L) e, Val, Met
Lys (K) Arg
Met (M) Leu
Phe (F) Tyr
Pro (P) Ala
Ser (S) Thr, Cys
Thr (T) Ser
Trp (W) Tyr
Tyr (Y) Phe, Trp
Val (V) Leu, Ala
According to still another embodiment, the invention relates to the antibody 1-3859, or
one of its antigen-binding fragment or derivative, said antibody comprising a heavy-chain
variable domain sequence comprising the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 7 or a sequence with
at least 80%, preferably 85%, 90%, 95% and 98% identity after optimal alignment with sequence
SEQ ID No. 7; and/or in that it comprises a light-chain variable domain sequence comprising the
amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 8, or a sequence with at least 80%, preferably 85%, 90%, 95%
and 98% identity after optimal alignment with sequence SEQ ID No. 8 .
In particular, the said antigen binding derivative consists of a binding protein comprising
a peptide scaffold on which is grafted at least one CDR, the said CDR being grafted in such a
way as to preserve all or part of the paratope recognition properties of the initial antibody. In a
preferred embodiment, the said antigen binding protein is a fusion protein of a peptide scaffold
and of the said at least one CDR.
One or more sequences among the six CDR sequences described in the present invention
can also be present on the various immunoglobulin protein scaffolding. In this case, the protein
sequence makes it possible to recreate a peptide skeleton suitable for the correct folding of the
grafted CDRs, enabling them to preserve their paratope antigen-recognition properties.
The person skilled in the art will be aware of means to select the type of protein scaffold
for CDR grafting. More particularly, it is known that to be selected, such scaffolds must meet as
many criteria as possible (Skerra A., J . Mol. Recogn., 2000, 13:167-187):
good phylogenetic conservation;
known three-dimensional structure (as determined by, e.g., crystallography, NMR
spectroscopy or any other technique known to a person skilled in the art);
small size;
- few or no post-transcriptional modifications; and/or
easy to produce, express and purify.
The origin of such protein scaffolds can be, but is not limited to, the structures selected
among: fibronectin and preferentially fibronectin type III domain 10, lipocalin, anticalin (Skerra
A., J . Biotechnol., 2001, 74(4):257-75), protein Z arising from domain B of protein A of
Staphylococcus aureus, thioredoxin A or proteins with a repeated motif such as the "ankyrin
repeat" (Kohl et ah, PNAS, 2003, vol. 100, No. 4, 1700-1705), the "armadillo repeat", the
"leucine-rich repeat" and the "tetratricopeptide repeat". All such protein motifs have been
extensively characterized in the art, and are thus well known to the skilled person.
As described above, such peptide scaffolds comprises from one to six CDRs arising from
the original antibody. Preferably, but not being a requirement, a person skilled in the art will
select at least one CDR from the heavy chain, the latter being known to be primarily responsible
for the specificity of the antibody. The selection of one or more relevant CDRs is obvious to a
person skilled in the art, who will then choose suitable known techniques (Bes e t al., FEBS
letters 508, 2001, 67-74).
By antigen-binding fragments of the antibody according to the invention, it must be
understood, for example, the fragments Fv, scFv (sc=single chain), Fab, F(ab')2, Fab', scFv-Fc
or diabodies, or any fragment whose half-life has been increased by chemical modification, such
as the addition of polyalkylene glycol such as polyethylene glycol (PEGylation) (PEGylated
fragments are referred to as Fv-PEG, scFv-PEG, Fab-PEG, F(ab ')2 -PEG and Fab'-PEG), or by
incorporation in a liposome, microspheres or PLGA, said fragments possessing at least one of
the characteristic CDRs of the invention which is notably capable of exerting in a general
manner activity, even partial, of the antibody from which it arises.
Preferably, said antigen-binding fragments will comprise or include a partial sequence of
the variable heavy or light chain of the antibody from which they are derived, said partial
sequence being sufficient to retain the same binding specificity as the antibody from which it
arises and sufficient affinity, preferably at least equal to 1/100, more preferably at least 1/10 of
that of the antibody from which it arises.
Such a antigen-binding fragment will contain at least five amino acids, preferably 6, 7, 8,
10, 15, 25, 50 or 100 consecutive amino acids of the sequence of the antibody from which it
arises.
Preferably, these antigen-binding fragments will be of the types Fv, scFv, Fab, F(ab') 2,
F(ab'), scFv-Fc or diabodies, which generally have the same binding specificity as the antibody
from which they result. According to the present invention, antigen-binding fragments of the
antibody of the invention can be obtained from the antibodies described above by methods such
as enzyme digestion, including pepsin or papain, and/or by cleavage of the disulfide bridges by
chemical reduction. The antibody fragments can be also obtained by recombinant genetics
techniques also known to a person skilled in the art or by peptide synthesis by means, for
example, of automatic peptide synthesizers such as those sold by Applied BioSystems, etc.
The murine hybridoma capable of secreting the monoclonal antibody according to the
invention, has been deposited at the CNCM, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, on October 22, 2007,
under the number 1-3859. Said hybridoma was obtained by the fusion of Balb/C immunized mice
splenocytes and cells of the myeloma Sp 2/0- Ag 14 lines.
The monoclonal antibody, here referred to as 301aE5 or 1-3859, or its antigen-binding
fragment or derivative, is characterized in that it is secreted by said hybridoma.
The antibody 1-3859 can also be described by its nucleic sequences, i.e. as comprising a
heavy chain comprising a CDR-H1 encoded by the sequence SEQ ID No. 9, a CDR-H2 encoded
by the sequence SEQ ID No. 10 and a CDR-H3 encoded by the sequence SEQ ID No. 11; and/or
a light chain comprising a CDR-L1 encoded by the sequence SEQ ID No. 12, a CDR-L2
encoded by the sequence SEQ ID No. 13 and a CDR-L3 encoded by the sequence SEQ ID No.
14.
The antibody 1-3859 comprises a heavy chain encoded by the nucleic sequences SEQ ID
No. 15, or a nucleic sequence exhibiting a percentage identity of at least 80%, preferably 85%,
90%, 95% and 98%, after optimal alignment with SEQ ID No. 15; and/or a light chain encoded
by the nucleic sequence SEQ ID No. 16, or a nucleic sequence exhibiting a percentage identity
of at least 80%, preferably 85%, 90%, 95% and 98%, after optimal alignment with SEQ ID No.
16.
The terms "nucleic acid", "nucleic sequence", "nucleic acid sequence", "polynucleotide",
"oligonucleotide", "polynucleotide sequence" and "nucleotide sequence", used interchangeably
in the present description, mean a precise sequence of nucleotides, modified or not, defining a
fragment or a region of a nucleic acid, containing unnatural nucleotides or not, and being either a
double-strand DNA, a single-strand DNA or transcription products of said DNAs.
"Nucleic sequences exhibiting a percentage identity of at least 80%, preferably 85%,
90%, 95% and 98%, after optimal alignment with a preferred sequence" means nucleic
sequences exhibiting, with respect to the reference nucleic sequence, certain modifications such
as, in particular, a deletion, a truncation, an extension, a chimeric fusion and/or a substitution,
notably punctual. Preferably, these are sequences which code for the same amino acid sequences
as the reference sequence, this being related to the degeneration of the genetic code, or
complementarity sequences that are likely to hybridize specifically with the reference sequences,
preferably under highly stringent conditions, notably those defined below.
Hybridization under highly stringent conditions means that conditions related to
temperature and ionic strength are selected in such a way that they allow hybridization to be
maintained between two complementarity DNA fragments. On a purely illustrative basis, the
highly stringent conditions of the hybridization step for the purpose of defining the
polynucleotide fragments described above are advantageously as follows.
DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA hybridization is carried out in two steps: (1) prehybridization
at 42°C for three hours in phosphate buffer (20 mM, pH 7.5) containing 5X SSC (IX SSC
corresponds to a solution of 0.15 M NaCl + 0.015 M sodium citrate), 50% formamide, 7%
sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 10X Denhardt's, 5% dextran sulfate and 1% salmon sperm DNA;
(2) primary hybridization for 20 hours at a temperature depending on the length of the probe
(i.e.: 42°C for a probe >100 nucleotides in length) followed by two 20-minute washings at 20°C
in 2X SSC + 2% SDS, one 20-minute washing at 20°C in 0.1X SSC + 0.1% SDS. The last
washing is carried out in 0.1X SSC + 0.1% SDS for 30 minutes at 60°C for a probe >100
nucleotides in length. The highly stringent hybridization conditions described above for a
polynucleotide of defined size can be adapted by a person skilled in the art for longer or shorter
oligonucleotides, according to the procedures described in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular cloning:
a laboratory manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 3rd edition, 2001).
In another aspect, the invention relates to an antibody of the invention, or an antigenbinding
fragment or derivative thereof, for the in vitro or ex vivo diagnosis or prognosis of an
oncogenic disorder associated with expression of CXCR4.
The invention thus relates to a method of in vitro or ex vivo diagnosing of prognosing an
oncogenic disorder associated with expression of CXCR4, comprising the step of testing the
binding of an antibody of the invention, or an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, to
CXCR4.
In particular, the invention provides the use of the antibody 1-3859, or an antigen-binding
fragment or derivative thereof, for in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of an oncogenic disorder
associated with expression of CXCR4.
Importantly, the said antibody, or antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, does
not have any in vivo anti-tumoral activity. This property is clearly advantageous for diagnosis
application since it allows screening patient, or monitoring the progress of a treatment with an
antibody which does not have any impact or consequence on the said patient. This property
makes the antibody of the invention a preferred tool for screening patients to be treated as it will
have no deleterious effect on the patient. The antibody of the invention, or a antigen-binding
fragment or derivative thereof, will find use in various medical or research purposes, including
the detection, diagnosis, and staging of various pathologies associated with expression of
CXCR4
"Diagnosing" a disease as used herein refers to the process of identifying or detecting the
presence of a pathological hyperproliferative oncogenic disorder associated with or mediated by
expression of CXCR4, monitoring the progression of the disease, and identifying or detecting
cells or samples that are indicative of a disorder associated with the expression of CXCR4.
"Prognosis" as used herein means the likelihood of recovery from a disease or the
prediction of the probable development or outcome of a disease. For example, if a sample from a
subject i s negative for staining with the antibody of the invention, then the "prognosis"
for that subject is better than if the sample is positive for CXC 4 staining. Samples may be
scored for CXCR4 expression levels on an appropriate scale as it will be more detailed
hereinafter.
The antibody can be present in the form of an immunoconjugate or of a labeled antibody
to obtain a detectable/quantifiable signal. When used with suitable labels or other appropriate
detectable biomolecules or chemicals, the antibody of the invention is particularly useful for in
vitro and in vivo diagnosis and prognosis applications.
Labels for use in immunoassays are generally known to those skilled in the art and
include enzymes, radioisotopes, and fluorescent, luminescent and chromogenic substances,
including colored particles such as colloidal gold or latex beads. Suitable immunoassays include
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Various types of labels and methods of
conjugating the labels to the antibodies of the invention are well known to those skilled in the
art, such as the ones set forth below.
As used herein, the term "an oncogenic disorder associated with expression of CXCR4"
is intended to include diseases and other disorders in which the presence of high levels of
CXCR4 (aberrant) in a subject suffering from the disorder has been shown to be or is suspected
of being either responsible for the pathophysiology of the disorder or a factor that contributes to
a worsening of the disorder. Alternatively, such disorders may be evidenced, for example, by an
increase in the levels of CXCR4 on the cell surface in the affected cells or tissues of a subject
suffering from the disorder. The increase in CXCR4 levels may be detected using the antibody I-
3859 of the invention.
In certain embodiments, "increased expression" as it relates to CXCR4 refers to protein
or gene expression levels that demonstrate a statistically significant increase in expression (as
measured by RNA expression or protein expression) relative to a control.
A preferred aspect of the invention is a method for detecting in vitro or ex vivo the
presence of a CXCR4-expressing tumor in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) contacting a biological sample from the subject with the antibody of the invention, or
an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, and
(b) detecting the binding of said antibody with the said biological sample.
The binding of the antibody of the invention may be detected by various assays available
to the skilled artisan. Although any suitable means for carrying out the assays are included
within the invention, FACS, ELISA, western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) can be
mentioned in particular.
In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method for detecting in vitro or ex vivo
the location of a CXCR4-expressing tumor in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) contacting a biological sample from the subject with the antibody of the invention, or
an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, and
(b) detecting the binding of the said antibody, or antigen-binding fragment or derivative
thereof, with the sample.
As for the detection of the presence of an expressing tumor, many techniques known by
the man skilled in the art can be used. Preferred methods include IHC and FACS.
The invention also relates to a method for detecting in vitro or ex vivo the percentage of
cells expressing CXCR4 in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) contacting a biological sample from the subject with the antibody of the invention, or
an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, and
(b) quantifying the percentage of cells expressing CXCR4 in the said biological sample.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for determining in vitro or ex vivo the
expression level of CXCR4 in a CXCR4-expressing tumor from a subject, said method
comprising the steps of:
(a) contacting a biological sample from the subject with the antibody of the invention, or
an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, and
(b) quantifying the level of antibody binding to CXCR4 in said biological sample.
As will be apparent to the skilled artisan, the level of antibody binding to CXCR4 may be
quantified by any means known to the person of skills in the art. Preferred methods involve the
use of immunoenzymatic processes, such as ELISA assays, immunofluorescence, IHC, radio
immunoassay (RIA), or FACS.
Preferably, the biological sample is a biological fluid, such as serum, whole blood cells, a
tissue sample or a biopsy of human origin. The sample may for example include, biopsied tissue,
which can be conveniently assayed for the presence of a pathological hyperproliferative
oncogenic disorder associated with expression of CXCR4.
Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method for determining in vitro or ex vivo
the expression level of CXCR4 in a tumor from a subject, the said method comprising the steps
of:
(a) contacting a sample from the subject with an antibody according the invention, or an
antigen binding fragment or derivative thereof, and
(b) quantifying the level of binding of the said antibody, or antigen binding fragment or
derivative thereof, to CXCR4 in the sample.
Once a determination is made of the amount of CXCR4 present in the test sample, the
results can be compared with those of control samples, which are obtained in a manner similar to
the test samples but from individuals that do not have a hyperproliferative oncogenic
disorder associated with expression of CXCR4. If the level of CXCR4 is significantly elevated in
the test sample, it may be concluded that there is an increased likelihood of the subject from
which it was derived has or will develop said disorder.
The invention relates, more particularly, to a process of in vitro or ex vivo diagnosis or
prognosis of a CXCR4-expressing tumor, wherein said process comprises the steps of (i)
determining the expression level of CXCR4 as above described, and (ii) comparing the
expression level of step (i) with a reference expression level of CXCR4 from normal tissue or a
non expressing CXCR4 tissue.
With regards to the development of targeted antitumor therapy, the diagnosis with
immunohistological techniques gives in situ information on the receptor expression level and
thus enables to select patients susceptible to be treated following the expression level of
receptors needed for such treatment.
Stage determination has potential prognosis value and provides criteria for designing
optimal therapy. Simpson et al , J . Clin. Oncology 18:2059 (2000). For example, treatment
selection for solid tumors is based on tumor staging, which is usually performed using the
Tumor/Node/Metastasis (TNM) test from the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). It is
commonly acknowledged that, while this test and staging system provides some valuable
information concerning the stage at which solid cancer has been diagnosed in the patient, it is
imprecise and insufficient. In particular, it fails to identify the earliest stages of tumor
progression.
The invention relates to a method for determining in vitro or ex vivo the scoring of a
tumor of a subject, said method comprising the steps of :
(a) contacting a biological sample from the subject with an antibody, or an antigenbinding
fragment or derivative thereof, capable of binding specifically to CXCR4;
(b) quantifying the level of binding of the said antibody, or antigen-binding fragment or
derivative thereof, to CXCR4 in the said biological sample; and
(c) scoring the tumor by comparing the quantified level of binding of the said antibody,
or antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, from the subject to an appropriate scale,
characterized in that the said antibody, or antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof,
comprises i) a heavy chain comprising the following three CDRs, respectively CDR-H1 having
the sequence SEQ ID No. 1, CDR-H2 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 2 and CDR-H3 having
the sequence SEQ ID No. 3; and ii) a light chain comprising the following three CDRs,
respectively CDR-L1 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 4, CDR-L2 having the sequence SEQ ID
No. 5 and CDR-L3 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 6 .
In a preferred embodiment, the antibody for diagnosis is capable of binding
the targeted receptor when tissue samples are, formalin fixed-, formol substituted fixed-, Glycofixx
fixed-, paraffin embedded and/or frozen.
Any conventional hazard analysis method may be used to estimate the prognostic value
of CXCR4. Representative analysis methods include Cox regression analysis, which is a
semiparametric method for modeling survival or time-to-event data in the presence of censored
cases (Hosmer and Lemeshow, 1999; Cox, 1972). In contrast to other survival analyses, e.g. Life
Tables or Kaplan-Meyer, Cox allows the inclusion of predictor variables (covariates) in the
models. Using a convention analysis method, e.g., Cox one may be able to test hypotheses
regarding the correlation of CXCR4 expression status of in a primary tumor to time-to-onset of
either disease relapse (disease- free survival time, or time to metastatic disease), or time to death
from the disease (overall survival time). Cox regression analysis is also known as Cox
proportional hazard analysis. This method is standard for testing the prognostic value of a tumor
marker on patient survival time. When used in multivariate mode, the effect of several covariates
are tested in parallel so that individual covariates that have independent prognostic value can be
identified, i.e. the most useful markers. The term negative or positive "CXCR4 status" can also
be referred as [CXCR4 (-)] or [CXCR4 (+)].
A sample may be "scored" during the diagnosis or monitoring of cancer. In its simplest
form, scoring may be categorical negative or positive as judged by visual examination of
samples by immunohistochemistry. More quantitative scoring involves judging the two
parameters intensity of staining and the proportion of stained ("positive") cells that are sampled.
"CXCR4 status" within the meaning of the invention, relates to the classification of
tumor to a CXCR4 positive [CXCR4 (+)] or CXCR4 negative [CXCR4 (-)] class based on the
determination of the expression level of the CXCR4 as measured by any methods such as
immunohistochemistry (IHC), FACS, or other methods known by the man skilled in the art.
In an embodiment of the invention, to ensure standardization, samples may be scored for
CXCR4 expression levels on different scales, most of them being based on an assessment of the
intensity of the reaction product and the percentage of positive cells (Payne et al., Predictive
markers in breast cancer - the present, Histopathology 2008, 52, 82-90).
In a more preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, said scoring
comprises using an appropriate scale based on two parameters which are the intensity of the
staining and the percentage of positive cells.
As a first example, by analogy with the Quick Allred scoring for IHC assessment of
oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor, samples may be scored for CXCR4 expression
levels on a global scale from 0 to 8 combining scores for intensity of reactivity and for the
proportion of cells stained (Harvey JM, Clarck GM, Osborne CK, Allred DC; J . Clin. Oncol.
1999; 17; 1474-1481). More particularly, the first criteria of intensity of reactivity is scored on a
scale from 0 to 3, 0 corresponding to "No reactivity" and 3 corresponding to "Strong reactivity".
The second criteria of proportion reactive is scored on a scale from 0 to 5, 0 corresponding to
"No reactivity" and 5 to "67-100% proportion reactive". The intensity of reactivity score and the
proportion reactive score are then summed to produce total score of 0 through 8 .
A total score of 0-2 is regarded as negative while a total score of 3-8 is regarded as
positive.
According to this scale, the terms negative or positive "CXCR4 status" of tumors used in
the present description refers to levels of expression of CXCR4 that correspond to scores 0-2 or
3-8 on the Allred scale, respectively.
Table 2 hereinafter illustrates the guidelines for interpreting IHC results according to
Allred method.
Table 2
Intensity of imniunoreactivity Score 1 Proportion reactive Score 2
No reactivity 0 No reactivity 0
Weak reactivity 1 <\% 1
Moderate reactivity 2 1-10% 2
Strong reactivity 3 11-33% 3
- 34-66% 4
- 67-100% 5
Total Score (Score 1 + Score 2) Interpretation
0-2 Negative
3-8 Positive
In a preferred embodiment, the process according to the invention refers to an appropriate
scale which is a scale of 0 to 8 wherein no reactivity is scored 0, and a strong reactivity in a
proportion of 67-100% reactive is scored 8 .
In another embodiment of the invention, it is described a process of determining in vitro
or ex vivo the status of a tumor from a subject, wherein said process comprises the steps of (a)
scoring a tumor from a subject according to the Allred scale; and (b) determining that the status
of the tumor is [CXCR4(+)] with an Allred score of 3 to 8 ; or (c) determining that the status of
the tumor is [CXCR4(-)] with an Allred score of 0 to 2 .
In a particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with an Allred score of 3.
In a particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with an Allred score of
4 .
In a particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with an Allred score of 5 .
In a particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with an Allred score of 6 .
In a particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with an Allred score of 7 .
In a particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with an Allred score of 8 .
In another particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with an Allred score
of 3 to 8 .
As a second example, by analogy with the conventional scoring for IHC assessment of
HER-2 receptor for example, samples may be scored for CXCR4 expression levels on a
somewhat simpler scoring method integrating the intensity of staining (preferentially
membranous staining) and the proportion of cells that display staining into a combined scale
from 0 to 3+.
In this scale, referred as the simplified scale, 0 and 1+ are negative whereas 2+ and 3+
represents positive staining. Nevertheless, scores 1+-3+ can be recoded as positive because each
positive score may be associated with significantly higher risk for relapse and fatal disease when
compared to score 0 (negative), but increasing intensity among the positive scores may provide
additional risk reduction.
Generally speaking, the terms negative or positive "CXCR4 status" of tumors used in the
present description refers to levels of expression of CXCR4 that correspond to scores 0-1+ or
2+-3+ on the simplified scale, respectively. Only complete circumferential membranous
reactivity of the invasive tumor should be considered and often resembled a "chicken wire"
appearance. Under current guidelines, samples scored as borderline (score of 2+ or 3+) for
CXCR4 are required to undergo further assessment. The IHC analysis should be rejected, and
either repeated or tested by FISH or any other method if, as non limitative example, controls are
not as expected, artifacts involve most of the sample and the sample has strong membranous
positivity of normal breast ducts (internal controls) suggesting excessive antigen retrieval.
For more clarity, table 3 hereinafter summarizes these parameters.
Table 3
In a preferred embodiment, the process according to the invention refers to an appropriate
scale which is a scale of 0 to 3+ wherein no membranous reactivity of tumor cells is scored 0,
and strong complete reactivity in more than 10% of tumor cells is scored 3+.
In more details, as above described, said appropriate scale is a scale of 0 to 3 wherein no
membranous reactivity of tumor cells is scored 0; faint perceptible membranous reactivity in
more than 10% of tumor cells is scored 1+; weak to moderate complete membranous reactivity
in more than 10% of tumor cells is scored 2+; and strong complete reactivity in more than 10%
of tumor cells is scored 3+.
In another embodiment of the invention, it is described a process of determining in vitro
or ex vivo the status of a tumor from a subject, wherein said process comprises the steps of (a)
scoring a tumor from a subject according to the simplified scale as above described; and (b)
determining that the status of the tumor i s [CXCR4(+)] with a score of 2+ or 3+ ; or (c)
determining that the status of the tumor is [CXCR4(-)] with a score of 0 or 1+.
In a particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with a score of 2+.
In a particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with a score of 3+.
In another particular aspect of the invention, a tumor is [CXCR4 (+)] with a score of 2+
or 3+.
Generally, the results of a test or assay according to the invention can be presented in any
of a variety of formats. The results can be presented qualitatively. For example, the test report
may indicate only whether or not a particular polypeptide was detected, perhaps also with an
indication of the limits of detection. The results may be displayed as semi-quantitative. For
example, various ranges may be defined, and the ranges may be assigned a score (e.g., 0 to
3+ or 0 to 8 depending on the used scale) that provides a certain degree of quantitative
information. Such a score may reflect various factors, e.g., the number of cells in which CXCR4
is detected, the intensity of the signal (which may indicate the level of expression of CXCR4 or
CXCR4-bearing cells), etc. The results may be displayed in a quantitative way, e.g., as a
percentage of cells in which the polypeptide (CXCR4) is detected, as a protein concentration,
etc.
As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the type of output provided by a
test will vary depending upon the technical limitations of the test and the biological significance
associated with detection of the polypeptide. For example, in the case of certain polypeptides a
purely qualitative output (e.g., whether or not the polypeptide is detected at a certain detection
level) provides significant information. In other cases a more quantitative output (e.g., a ratio of
the level of expression of the polypeptide in the sample being tested versus the normal level) is
necessary.
The invention also provides a method for determining whether an oncogenic disorder is
susceptible to treatment with a anti-CXCR4 antibody, or a fragment or derivative thereof,
wherein said process comprises the steps of:
(a) determining in vitro or ex vivo the CXCR4 status of a tumor of a subject according to
the methods of the invention, and
(b) determining that, if the status is CXCR4 (+), the oncogenic disorder is susceptible to
treatment with an anti-CXCR4 antibody, or a fragment or derivative thereof.
I n another aspect, the invention relates to a method of diagnosing pathological
hyperproliferative oncogenic disorder or a susceptibility to a pathological condition associated
with expression of CXCR4 in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) determining the presence or absence of CXCR4-carrying cells in a sample, and
(b) diagnosing a pathological condition or susceptibility to a pathological condition based
on the presence or absence of said CXCR4 bearing cells.
In the methods of the invention, the detection of CXCR4-expressing cells or an increase
in the levels of CXCR4 is generally indicative of a patient with or suspected of presenting a
CXCR4-mediated disorder.
The present invention thus provides a method for predicting the risk of an individual to
develop a cancer, said method comprising detecting the expression level of CXCR4 in a tissue
sample, wherein a high level of CXCR4 expression is indicative of a high risk of developing a
cancer.
It has been observed that CXCR4 expression is significantly associated with progressed
tumor stages in several types of cancers (Schimanski et al., J Clin Oncol, ASCO
Annual Meeting Proceedings Part , 24(18S): 14018, 2006; Lee et al., IntJOncol, 34(2):473-
480, 2009; Pagano, Tesi di dottorato, Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 2008). Thus
the invention also relates to a method for evaluating tumor aggressiveness. "Tumor
aggressiveness" as used herein refers to a tumor quickly growing and tending to spread rapidly.
In one embodiment, the said method comprises the step of:
(a) determining the level of CXCR4 expressed by cells in a tumor sample, and
(b) determining the level of CXCR4 expressed in an equivalent tissue sample taken from
the same individual at a later time,
(c) determining the ratio between the expression level obtained in step (a) and the ratio
obtained in step (b)
wherein the ratio of CXCR4 expression in the tumor sample over time provides
information on the risks of cancer progression.
In a preferred embodiment, a ratio of the level obtained in step (a) to the level obtained in
step (b) greater than 1 indicates aggressiveness. In another embodiment, a ratio inferior or equal
to 1 indicates non aggressiveness.
Another aspect of the invention is the monitoring of CXCR4 expression in response to
the administration of a CXCR4-targeted therapy. Such a monitoring can be very useful when the
said therapy triggers the downregulation and/or the degradation of CXCR4.
In particular, monitoring CXCR4 expression on the cell surface could be a critical tool
for evaluating the efficacy of the treatment during clinical trials and "personalized" therapies.
The application thus provides methods for determining the appropriate therapeutic
regimen for a subject.
An increase or a decrease in the level of CXCR4 is indicative of the evolution of a cancer
associated with CXCR4. Thus, by measuring an increase in the number of cells expressing
CXCR4 or changes in the concentration of CXCR4 present in various tissues or cells, it is
possible to determine whether a particular therapeutic regimen aimed at ameliorating a
malignancy associated with CXCR4 is effective.
Therefore, the present invention is also directed to a method for determining the efficacy
of a therapeutic regimen designed to alleviate an oncogenic disorder associated with CXCR4 in a
subject suffering from said disorder, the said method comprising the steps of:
(a) determining a first expression level of CXCR4 in a first biological sample, said
biological sample corresponding to first time point of the said treatment ;
(b) determining a second expression level of CXCR4 in a second biological sample, said
second biological sample corresponding to a second, later time point of the said treatment;
(c) calculating the ratio of the said first expression level obtained in step (a) to the said
second expression level obtained in step (b); and
(d) determining that the efficacy of said therapeutic regimen is high when the ratio of step
(c) is greater than 1; or
(e) determining that the efficacy of said therapeutic regimen is low when the ratio of step
(c) is inferior or equal to 1.
In a preferred embodiment, the said therapeutic regime designed to alleviate an
oncogenic disorder associated with CXCR4 in a subject suffering from said disorder includes the
administration of a CXCR4 inhibitor to the said subject.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a method for selecting a cancer
patient predicted to benefit, or not, from the administration of a therapeutic amount of a CXCR4
inhibitor, the said method comprising the steps of:
(a) determining the expression level of CXCR4 according to the methods of the
invention;
(b) comparing the expression level obtained in step (a) with a reference expression level;
and
(c) selecting the patient as being predicted to benefit from the administration of a
therapeutic amount of a CXCR4 inhibitor, if the ratio of the expression level obtained in (a) to
the reference expression level is greater than 1; or
(d) selecting the patient as being not predicted to benefit from the administration of a
therapeutic amount of a CXCR4 inhibitor, if the ratio of the expression level obtained in (a) to
the reference expression level is equal to or smaller than 1.
In the sense of the present specification, the expression "CXCR4 inhibitor" is intended to
encompass any compound or molecule capable of binding to CXCR4 and inhibiting the binding
of the ligand. As a non limitative example, CXCR4 inhibitors include AMD3 100 and AMD3465.
Other CXCR4 inhibitors that may be used include but are not limited to CTCE-0214; CTCE-
9908; CP- 1221 (linear peptides, cyclic peptides, natural amino-acids, unnatural amino acids, and
peptidomimetic compounds); T140 and analogs; 4F-benzoyl-TN24003; KRH-1120; KRH-1636;
KRH-2731; polyphemusin analogue; ALX40-4C. Still other CXCR4 inhibitors are described in
WO 01/85196; WO 99/50461; WO 01/94420; and WO 03/090512, each of which is incorporated
herein by reference.
In a preferred embodiment, the CXCR4 inhibitor consists of the monoclonal antibody
515H7.
In the most preferred embodiment, the said CXCR4 inhibitor is the monoclonal antibody
515H7 (WO2010/037831).
It is also an object of the invention to provide an in vivo method of imaging an
oncogenic disorder associated with expression of CXCR4 as monomer and/or homodimer. Such
a method is useful for localizing in vivo the tumor, as well as monitoring its invasiveness.
Likewise, the method is useful for monitoring the progression and/or the response to treatment in
patients previously diagnosed with a monomeric/homodimeric CXCR-mediated cancer.
In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for detecting the location of a
CXCR4-expressing tumor in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
a) administering the antibody 1-3859, or an antigen-binding fragment or derivative
thereof, to the subject; and
b) detecting binding of said antibody,
wherein said binding indicates the presence of the tumor.
In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method for detecting the location of a
CXCR-expressing tumor in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) administering the antibody 1-3859, or an antigen-binding fragment or derivative
thereof, to the subject; and
(b) detecting the binding of said antibody,
wherein said binding indicates the location of the tumor.
As for the detection of the presence of an expressing tumor, many techniques known by
the man skilled in the art can be used. Nevertheless, preferred means are IHC and FACS.
In another aspect, the invention provides an in vivo imaging reagent, the said reagent
comprising an antibody according to the invention, or an antigen-binding fragment or derivative
thereof, the said antibody or a fragment or derivative thereof being preferably labeled, more
preferably radiolabeled. The said reagent can be administered to a patient suffering from a
CXCR4-mediated cancer in combination with a pharmaceutically effective carrier.
The present invention also contemplates the use of the said reagent in medical imaging of
a patient suffering from a CXCR4-mediated cancer.
The method of the invention comprises the steps of:
(a) administering to the said patient an imaging-effective amount of an imaging reagent
and
(b) detecting the said reagent.
In one embodiment, the method of the invention allows detection of the presence of a
CXCR4-expressing tumor in the said patient. In another embodiment, the method of the
invention allows the detection of the location of a CXCR4-expressing tumor in the said patient.
In a preferred embodiment, the imaging agent comprises a targeting moiety and an active
moiety.
As used herein, the term "targeting moiety" refers to an agent that specifically
recognizes and binds CXCR4 on the cell surface. In a particular embodiment, the targeting
moiety is an antibody or a fragment or a derivative thereof which binds specifically to CXCR4.
Specifically, the targeting moiety is an antibody or a fragment or derivative thereof as described
above. Preferably, the targeting moiety is the 1-3859 antibody.
An "active moiety" as used herein is an agent which permits in vivo detection of the said
imaging reagent. The active moiety according to the invention includes in particular radioelements
such as Technetium-99m (99mTc), Copper-67 (Cu-67), Scandium-47 (Sc-47),
Luthetium-77 (Lu-177) copper-64 (Cu-64), Yttrium-86 (Y-86) or Iodine-124 (1-124).
The imaging agent is administered in an amount effective for diagnostic use in a mammal
such as a human and the localization and accumulation of the imaging agent is then detected.
The localization and accumulation of the imaging agent may be detected by radionucleide
imaging, radioscintigraphy, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography,
positron emission tomography, computerized axial tomography, X-ray or magnetic resonance
imaging method, fluorescence detection, and chemiluminescent detection.
With regards to the development of targeted antitumor therapy, the diagnosis with
immunohistological techniques gives in situ information on the receptor expression level, e.g. as
regards the size and/or the location of the tumor. The diagnosis thus enables to select patients
susceptible to be treated following the expression level of receptors needed for such a treatment.
More particularly, the CXCR4 expression level i s measured preferentially by
Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) or imunohistochemistry (IHC).
FACS analysis is extensively used in immunology and hematology to assess the presence
of different cellular populations within a heterogeneous cell suspension. The number of
monoclonal antibodies available for FACS analysis is very large, and they are coupled to
different fluorochromes, allowing an easy multiple antigen staining. Immunophenotype is an
essential parameter in the diagnosis of hematological malignancies. FACS analysis is used in the
analysis of bone marrow, peripheral blood samples and tissues biopsies with suspected
hematological malignancies (Martinez A. Cytometry Part B (Clinical Cytometry) 2003 56B 8-
15). For example, Fiedler W et al. (Fiedler W. Blood 2003 102 2763-2767) reported the use of
FACS analysis to screen AML patients for c-kit expression before treatment with SU5416, a
small molecule inhibiting the phosphorylation of the VEGF receptors 1 and 2, c-kit, the SCF
receptor and fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3).
A "biological sample" may be any sample that may be taken from a subject. Such a
sample must allow for the determination of the expression levels of the biomarker of the
invention. The nature of the sample will thus be dependent upon the nature of the tumor.
Preferred biological samples for the determination of the said biomarkers
expression level by detection of the activated Akt and/or Erk proteins include samples such as a
blood sample, a plasma sample, or a lymph sample, if the cancer is a liquid tumor. By "liquid
tumor", it is herein referred to tumors of the blood or bone marrow, i.e. hematologic
malignancies such as leukemia and multiple myeloma. Preferably, the biological sample is a
blood sample. Indeed, such a blood sample may be obtained by a completely harmless blood
collection from the patient and thus allows for a non-invasive diagnosis of a CXCR4-inhbitor
responding or non-responding phenotype.
A "biological sample" as used herein also includes a solid cancer sample of the patient to
be tested, when the cancer is a solid cancer. Such solid cancer sample allows the skilled person
to perform any type of measurement of the level of the biomarker of the invention. In some
cases, the methods according to the invention may further comprise a preliminary step of taking
a solid cancer sample from the patient. By a "solid cancer sample", it is referred to a tumor tissue
sample. Even in a cancerous patient, the tissue which is the site of the tumor still comprises non
tumor healthy tissue. The "cancer sample" should thus be limited to tumor tissue taken from the
patient. Said "cancer sample" may be a biopsy sample or a sample taken from a surgical
resection therapy.
According to one aspect, the sample from the patient is a cancer cell or a cancer tissue.
This sample may be taken and if necessary prepared according to methods known to a
person skilled in the art.
The cancer cell or cancer tissue in the present invention is not particularly limited.
As used herein, the term "cancer" refers to or describes the physiological condition in
mammals that is typically characterized by unregulated cell proliferation. The terms "cancer"
and "cancerous" as used herein are meant to encompass all stages of the disease. Thus, a
"cancer" as used herein may include both benign and malignant tumors. Examples of cancer
include but are not limited to, carcinoma, lymphoma, blastoma, sarcoma, and leukemia or
lymphoid malignancies. More specifically, a cancer according to the present invention is selected
from the group comprising squamous cell cancer (e.g., epithelial squamous cell cancer), lung
cancer including small-cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma of the lung
and squamous carcinoma of the lung, cancer of the peritoneum, hepatocellular cancer, gastric or
stomach cancer including gastrointestinal cancer and gastrointestinal stromal cancer, pancreatic
cancer, glioblastoma, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, cancer of the
urinary tract, hepatoma, breast cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial
or uterine carcinoma, salivary gland carcinoma, kidney or renal cancer, prostate cancer, vulval
cancer, thyroid cancer, hepatic carcinoma, anal carcinoma, penile carcinoma, melanoma,
superficial spreading melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma, acral lentiginous
melanomas, nodular melanomas, multiple myeloma and B-cell lymphoma (including low
grade/foil icular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL); small lymphocytic (SL) NHL; intermediate
grade/follicular NHL; intermediate grade diffuse NHL; high grade immunoblastic NHL; high
grade lymphoblastic NHL; high grade small non-cleaved cell NHL; bulky disease NHL; mantle
cell lymphoma; AID S -related lymphoma; and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia); chronic
lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL); hairy cell leukemia; chronic
myeloblastic leukemia (CML); Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia (AML); and post-transplant
lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), as well as abnormal vascular proliferation associated with
phakomatoses, edema (such as that associated with brain tumors), Meigs' syndrome, brain, as
well as head and neck cancer, and associated metastases.
In a preferred embodiment, said cancer is selected among prostate cancer, osteosarcoma,
lung cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, ovarian
cancer, pancreatic cancer and colon cancer. In a more preferred embodiment, said cancer
comprises lymphoma cell, leukemia cell or multiple myeloma cell.
The expression level of CXCR4 is advantageously compared or measured in relation to
levels in a control cell or sample also referred to as a "reference level" or "reference expression
level". "Reference level", "reference expression level", "control level" and "control" are used
interchangeably in the specification. A "control level" means a separate baseline level measured
in a comparable control cell, which is generally disease or cancer free. The said control cell may
be from the same individual, since, even in a cancerous patient, the tissue which is the site of the
tumor still comprises non tumor healthy tissue. . it may also originate from another individual
who is normal or does not present with the same disease from which the diseased or test sample
is obtained. Within the context of the present invention, the term "reference level" refers to a
"control level" of expression of CXCR4 used to evaluate a test level of expression of CXCR4 in
a cancer cell-containing sample of a patient. For example, when the level of CXCR4 in the
biological sample of a patient is higher than the reference level of CXCR4, the cells will be
considered to have a high level of expression, or overexpression, of CXCR4. The reference level
can be determined by a plurality of methods. Expression levels may thus define CXCR4 bearing
cells or alternatively the level of expression of CXCR4 independent of the number of cells
expressing CXCR4. Thus the reference level for each patient can be prescribed by a reference
ratio of CXCR4, wherein the reference ratio can be determined by any of the methods for
determining the reference levels described herein.
For example, the control may be a predetermined value, which can take a variety of
forms. It can be a single cut-off value, such as a median or mean. The "reference level" can be a
single number, equally applicable to every patient individually, or the reference level can
vary, according to specific subpopulations of patients. Thus, for example, older men might have
a different reference level than younger men for the same cancer, and women might have a
different reference level than men for the same cancer. Alternatively, the "reference level" can
be determined by measuring the level of expression of CXCR4 in non-oncogenic cancer cells
from the same tissue as the tissue of the neoplastic cells to be tested. As well, the "reference
level" might be a certain ratio of CXCR4 in the neoplastic cells of a patient relative to the
CXCR4 levels in non-tumor cells within the same patient. The "reference level" can also be a
level of CXCR4 of in vitro cultured cells, which can be manipulated to simulate tumor cells, or
can be manipulated in any other manner which yields expression levels which accurately
determine the reference level. On the other hand, the "reference level" can be established based
upon comparative groups, such as in groups not having elevated CXCR4 levels and groups
having elevated CXCR4 levels. Another example of comparative groups would be groups having
a particular disease, condition or symptoms and groups without the disease. The predetermined
value can be arranged, for example, where a tested population is divided equally (or unequally)
into groups, such as a low-risk group, a medium-risk group and a high-risk group.
The reference level can also be determined by comparison of the level of CXCR4 in
populations of patients having the same cancer. This can be accomplished, for example, by
histogram analysis, in which an entire cohort of patients are graphically presented, wherein a
first axis represents the level of CXCR4, and a second axis represents the number of patients in
the cohort whose tumor cells express CXCR4 at a given level. Two or more separate groups of
patients can be determined by identification of subsets populations of the cohort which have the
same or similar levels of CXCR4. Determination of the reference level can then be made based
on a level which best distinguishes these separate groups. A reference level also can represent
the levels of two or more markers, one of which is CXCR4. Two or more markers can be
represented, for example, by a ratio of values for levels of each marker.
Likewise, an apparently healthy population will have a different 'normal' range than will
have a population which is known to have a condition associated with expression of CXCR4.
Accordingly, the predetermined value selected may take into account the category in which an
individual falls. Appropriate ranges and categories can be selected with no more than routine
experimentation by those of ordinary skill in the art. By "elevated" "increased" it is meant high
relative to a selected control. Typically the control will be based on apparently healthy normal
individuals in an appropriate age bracket.
It will also be understood that the controls according to the invention may be, in addition
to predetermined values, samples of materials tested in parallel with the experimental materials.
Examples include tissue or cells obtained at the same time from the same subject, for example,
parts of a single biopsy, or parts of a single cell sample from the subject.
In another embodiment, the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for in vivo
imaging of an oncogenic disorder associated with expression of CXCR4 comprising the above
monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof which is labeled and which binds CXCR4 in vivo;
and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
In another aspect of the invention, a kit useful for such diagnosing or prognosing process
is provided, said kit comprising the antibody of the invention, or a fragment or derivative
thereof.
A kit, useful for detecting the presence and/or location of a CXCR4-expressing tumor,
can include at least one of:
a) an antibody, or an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, comprising i) a
heavy chain comprising the following three CDRs, respectively CDR-Hl having the sequence
SEQ ID No. 1, CDR-H2 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 2 and CDR-H3 having the sequence
SEQ ID No. 3; and ii) a light chain comprising the following three CDRs, respectively CDR-Ll
having the sequence SEQ ID No. 4, CDR-L2 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 5 and CDR-L3
having the sequence SEQ ID No.6;
b) an antibody with a heavy chain comprising the following three CDRs, respectively
CDR-Hl having the sequence SEQ ID No. 1, CDR-H2 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 2 and
CDR-H3 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 3; and a light-chain variable domain comprising the
sequence SEQ ID No. 8;
c) an antibody with a heavy chain variable domain comprising the sequence SEQ ID No.
7; and a light chain comprising the following three CDRs, respectively CDR-Ll having the
sequence SEQ ID No. 4, CDR-L2 having the sequence SEQ ID No. 5 and CDR-L3 having the
sequence SEQ ID No.6;
d) an antibody with a heavy chain variable domain comprising the sequence SEQ ID No.
7; and a light-chain variable domain comprising the sequence SEQ ID No. 8.
Packaged materials comprising a combination of reagents in predetermined amounts with
instructions for performing the diagnostic assay, e.g. kits, are also within the scope of the
invention. The kit contains the antibodies for detection and quantification of CXCR4 in vitro,
e.g. in an ELISA. The antibody of the present invention can be provided in a kit for detection and
quantification of CXCR4 in vitro, e.g. in an ELISA. Where the antibody is labeled with an
enzyme, the kit will include substrates and cofactors required by the enzyme (e.g., a substrate
precursor which provides the detectable chromophore or fluorophore). In addition, other
additives may be included such as stabilizers, buffers (e.g., a block buffer or lysis buffer) and the
like. Such a kit may comprise a receptacle being compartmentalized to receive one or
more containers such as vials, tubes and the like, such containers holding separate elements of
the invention. For example, one container may contain a first antibody bound to an insoluble or
partly soluble carrier. A second container may contain soluble, detectably-labeled second
antibody, in lyophilized form or in solution. The receptacle may also contain a third container
holding a detectably labeled third antibody in lyophilized form or in solution. A kit of this nature
can be used in the sandwich assay of the invention. The label or package insert may provide a
description of the composition as well as instructions for the intended in vitro or diagnostic use.
The relative amounts of the various reagents may be varied widely to provide for
concentrations in solution of the reagents which substantially optimize the sensitivity of the
assay. Particularly, the reagents may be provided as dry powders, usually lyophilized, including
excipients which on dissolution will provide a reagent solution having the appropriate
concentration.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, monoclonal antibodies or binding fragments
thereof as detailed herein are provided labeled with a detectable moiety, such that they may be
packaged and used, for example, in kits, to diagnose or identify cells having the aforementioned
antigen. Non-limiting examples of such labels include fluorophores such as fluorescein
isothiocyanate; chromophores, radionuclides, biotine or enzymes. Such labeled antibodies or
binding fragments may be used for the histological localization of the antigen, ELISA, cell
sorting, as well as other immunological techniques for detecting or quantifying CXCR4, and
cells bearing this antigen, for example.
Kits are also provided that are useful as a positive control for purification or
immunoprecipitation of CXCR4 from cells. For isolation and purification of CXCR4, the kit can
contain the antibodies described herein or antigen-binding fragments thereof coupled to beads
(e.g., sepharose beads). Kits can be provided which contain the antibodies for detection and
quantitation of CXCR4 in vitro, e.g. in an ELISA. The kit comprises a container and a label or
package insert on or associated with the container. The container holds a composition
comprising at least the antibody 1-3859, or an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, of
the invention. Additional containers may be included that contain, e.g., diluents and buffers,
control antibodies. The label or package insert may provide a description of the composition as
well as instructions for the intended in vitro or diagnostic use.
More particularly, the invention concerns a kit for the determination of the CXCR4 status
of a tumor by the methods of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, as it will be described in
the example, the invention relates to a kit for the determination of the CXCR4 status of a tumor
by IHC and/or FACS methods.
In a particular embodiment, the invention consists in a kit comprising at least
the antibody 1-3859, or an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof, as above described,
said antibody being labeled.
In a preferred embodiment, the kit ac cording to the invention further comprises a reagent
useful for detecting the extent of binding between the said antibody 1-3859 and CXCR4.
In another preferred embodiment, the kit of the invention useful for determining in vitro
or ex vivo the expression level of CXCR4 in a CXCR4-expressing tumor, further comprises a
reagent useful for quantifying the level of binding between the said labeled antibody and
CXCR4.
In still another embodiment, the kit according to the invention further comprises: i) a
reagent useful for detecting the extent of binding between the said labeled antibody and CXCR4;
and ii) positive and negative control samples useful for the scoring the CXCR4 expression level.
Said kit can further comprise a polyclonal antibody specific to murine antibodies,
preferably said polyclonal antibody specific to murine antibodies is labeled.
According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the kit for selecting in vitro a
cancer patient who is predicted to benefit or not benefit from therapeutic administration of a
CXCR4 inhibitor can comprise: i) a reagent useful for detecting the extent of binding between
the said antibody and CXCR4; ii) control level that has been correlated with sensitivity to a
CXCR4 inhibitor and/or iii) control level that has been correlated with resistance to a CXCR4
inhibitor.
The invention also relates to an in vivo or ex vivo diagnostic reagent composed of the
antibody according to the invention, or an antigen-binding fragment or derivative thereof,
preferably labeled, notably radiolabeled, and its use in medical imaging, notably for the detection
of cancer related to the cellular expression or overexpression of CXCR4.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear in the continuation of the
description with the examples and the figures whose legends are represented below.
Figure 1 shows that 1-3859 Mab immunoprecipitates both CXCR4 monomers and dimers.
Figures 2A and 2B show that 1-3859 Mab modulates both CXCR4 homodimers (A) and
CXCR4/CXCR2 heterodimers (B).
Figure 3 shows that 1-3859 Mab recognizes CXCR4 at the cell membrane by FACS
analysis.
Figures 4A and 4B show that 1-3859 Mab enters in competition with the anti-CXCR4
515H7 therapeutic Mab for binding to CXCR4 at cell membrane, by FACS analysis.
Figure 5 shows that 1-3859 Mab has no effect on MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumor growth
model in Athymic nude mice.
Figure 6 illustrates IHC staining using a) 1-3859 and b) mlgGl on RAMOS xenograft
tumor.
Figure 7 illustrates IHC staining using a) 1-3859 and b) mlgGl on KARPAS299
xenograft tumors.
Example 1: Anti-CXCR4 1-3859 monoclonal antibody (Mab) generation
To generate monoclonal antibodies to CXCR4, Balb/c mice were immunized with
recombinant NIH3T3-CXCR4 cells and/or peptides corresponding to CXCR4 extracellular Nterm
and loops. The mice 6-16 weeks of age upon the first immunization, were immunized once
with the antigen in complete Freund's adjuvant subcutaneously (s.c.) followed by 2 to 6
immunizations with antigen in incomplete Freund's adjuvant s.c. The immune response was
monitored by retroorbital bleeds. The serum was screened by ELISA (as described bellow) and
mice with the higher titers of anti-CXCR4 antibodies were used for fusions. Mice were boost
intravenously with antigen two days before sacrifice and removal of the spleen.
- ELISA
To select the mice producing anti-CXCR4 antibodies, sera from immunized mice was
tested by ELISA. Briefly, microtiter plates were coated with purified [1-41] N-terminal peptide
conjugated to BSA at equivalent peptide/mL, I OOm n II incubated at 4°C overnight, then
blocked with 25C^L/well of 0.5% gelatine in PBS. Dilutions of plasma from CXCR4-immunized
mice were added to each well and incubated 2 hours at 37°C. The plates were washed with PBS
and then incubated with a goat anti-mouse IgG antibody conjugated to HRP (Jackson
Laboratories) for 1 hour at 37°C. After washing, plates were developed with TMB substrate, the
reaction was stopped 5 min later by addition of 100 m /well 1M H2SO4. Mice that developed the
highest titers of anti-CXCR4 antibodies were used for antibody generation.
- Generation of hybridomas producing Mobs to CXCR4
The mouse splenocytes, isolated from a Balb/c mice that developed the highest titers of
anti-CXCR4 antibodies were fused with PEG to a mouse myeloma cell line Sp2/0. Cells were
plated at approximately l x 105 /well in microtiter plates followed by two weeks incubation in
selective medium containing ultra culture medium + 2 mM L-glutamine + 1 mM sodium
pyruvate + l x HAT. Wells were then screened by ELISA for anti-CXCR4 monoclonal IgG
antibodies. The antibody secreting hybridomas were then subcloned at least twice by limiting
dilution, cultured in vitro to generate antibody for further analysis.
Example 2 : 1-3859 Mab immunoprecipitates both CXCR4 monomers and dimers
NIH3T3-CXCR4 cell pellets were washed with 20 mM TrisHCl, pH 8.5 containing 100
mM (NH4) 2S0 4 and then suspended in lysis buffer (20 mM TrisHCl, pH 8.5 containing 100
mM (NH4)2S0 4, 10 % glycerol, 1% CHAPSO and 10 mE L protease inhibitor cocktail). Cells
were disrupted with Potter Elvehjem homogenizer. The solubilized membranes were collected
by centrifugation at 105000 g at +4°C for 1 h, then incubated overnight at +4°C with 13859 Mabcoupled
Sepharose 4B beads and mixture was poured into a glass column and washed with lysis
buffer. The proteins captured by 13859 Mab were eluted and analyzed by western blot using an
anti-CXCR4 Mab as primary antibody. Interesting fractions were pooled, concentrated and used
for both WB analysis and preparative SDS-PAGE resolution (4-12% Bis-Tris gel).
After silver staining, the bands of interest were excised from the gel and submitted to in
gel digestion using an automated protein digestion system, MassPREP station (Waters, Milford,
MA, USA). The gel spots were washed twice with 50 of 25 mM 4HC0 3 (Sigma,
Steinheim, Germany) and 50 m of acetonitrile (Carlo Erba Reactifs-SDS, Val de Reuil, France).
The cysteine residues were reduced at 60 °C for 1 hour by 50 of 10 mM DTT prepared in
25 mM 4HC0 3 and alkylated at room temperature for 20 minutes by 50 m of 55 mM
iodoacetamide (Sigma) prepared in 25 mM H4HCO3.After dehydration of the gel spots with
acetonitrile, the proteins were digested overnight in gel by adding 10 mΐ of 12.5 ng mΐ modified
porcine trypsin (Promega, Madison, WI, USA) in 25 mM 4HCO3 at room temperature. The
generated peptides were extracted with 35 mΐ of 60% acetonitrile containing 5% formic acid
(Riedel-de Haen, Seelze, Denmark) followed by removing acetonitrile excess and were subjected
to nano-LC-MS/MS. Mass data collected during nanoLC-MS/MS analysis were processed and
converted into *.mgf files to be submitted to the MASCOT™ search engine. Searches were
performed with a tolerance on measurements of 0.25 Da in MS and MS/MS modes.
Figure 1 shows western blot analysis of eluted concentrated fractions after
immunoprecipitation using 1-3859 Mab-coupled Sepharose beads. Two bands at 43 and 75 kDa
apparent molecular weights were stained by an anti-CXCR4 Mab used as primary antiboby.
Eluted concentrated fraction after immunoprecipitation using 1-3859 Mab-coupled
Sepharose beads was also resolved by SDS-PAGE and visualized by silver staining. The bands at
43 and 75 KDa were excised from gel, digested with trypsin and analyzed by LC-MS/MS as
described above. The collected peak lists were submitted to Mascot for peptide sequence
database search. CXCR4 was identified in both bands:
Five CXCR4 peptides were identified in the 75-kDa band via the MASCOT™ search
engine: 31-38 peptide EENANFNK, contained in N-terminal CXCR4; 71-77 peptide
SMTDKYR, contained in intra-cellular loop 1; 3 11-322 peptide TSAQHALTSVSR, 312-322
peptide SAQHALTSVSR, 313-322 peptide AQHALTSVSR contained in C-terminal.
Nine CXCR4 peptides were identified in the 43-kDa band via the MASCOT™ search
engine: 27-30 peptide PCFR, 3 1-38 peptide EENANFNK, contained in N-terminal; 71-77
peptide SMTDKYR, contained in intra-cellular loop 1; 135-143 peptide YLAIVHATN and 135-
146 peptide YLAIVHATNSQR, contained in intra-cellular loop 2; 311-319 peptide
TSAQHALTS, 3 11-322 peptide TSAQHALTSVSR, 312-322 peptide SAQHALTSVSR, 313-
322 peptide AQHALTSVSR contained in C-terminal.
The results obtained in this study clearly show that the 1-3859 Mab i s capable of
immunoprecipitating CXCR4. The 1-3859 Mab recognizes CXCR4 both as monomers and
dimers.
Example 3 : The 1-3859 Mab modulates both CXCR4 homodimers and
CXCR4/CXCR2 heterodimers by BRET analysis
This functional assay allows evaluating the conformational changes induced upon SDF-1
and/or 1-3859 Mab binding to CXCR4 receptor at the level of CXCR4 homodimer and
CXCR2/CXCR4 heterodimer formation.
Expression vectors for each of the investigated interaction partners were constructed as
fusion proteins with the corresponding dye (Renilla reniformis luciferase, Rluc and Yellow
fluorescent protein, YFP) by applying conventional molecular biology techniques. Two days
prior performing BRET experiments, HEK293 cells were transiently transfected with expression
vectors coding for the corresponding BRET partners: [CXCR4/Rluc + CXCR4/YFP] to study
CXCR4 homodimerization and [CXCR4-Rluc + CXCR2-YFP] to study CXCR4 and CXCR2
heterodimerization. The day after, cells were distributed in poly-lysine pre-coated white 96 MW
plates in complete culture medium [DMEM supplemented with 10 % FBS]. Cells were first
cultivated at 37°C with CO2 5 % in order to allow cell attachment to the plate. Cells were then
starved with 200 mΐ DMEM/well overnight. Immediately prior to the BRET experiment, DMEM
was removed and cells were quickly washed with PBS. Cells were then incubated in PBS in the
presence or absence of antibody, 15 min at 37°C prior to the addition of coelenterazine H 5 mM
with or without SDF-1 in a final volume of 50 mΐ . After incubation for 5 minutes at 37°C and
further incubation for 20 min at room temperature, light-emission acquisition at 485 nm and 530
nm was initiated using the Mithras LB940 multilabel reader (Berthold) (ls/wavelength/well
repeated 15 times at room temperature).
Calculation of the BRET ratio was performed as previously described (Angers et al.,
2000): [(emission53o nm) - (emission485 m) X CfJ / (emission485 nm), where Cf = (emission53o nm) /
(emission4 5 nm) for cells expressing the Rluc fusion protein alone under the same experimental
conditions. Simplifying this equation shows that BRET ratio corresponds to the ratio 530/485 nm
obtained when the two BRET partners are present, corrected by the ratio 530/485 nm obtained
under the same experimental conditions, when only the partner fused to Rluc is present in the
assay. For sake of readability, results are expressed in percentage of the basal signal.
Addition of SDF1 (300 nM) triggered an increase of the BRET signal, resulting from the
spatial proximity of the adaptor and acceptor proteins fused to the CXCR4 receptor, by about 20
%. This increase is likely to indicate either CXCR4/CXCR4 homodimers formation or
conformational changes of pre-existing dimers (Figure 2A). The 1-3859 Mab was capable of
modulating SDF-1 -induced conformational changes for CXCR4 homodimers (69 % inhibition of
SDF-1 -induced BRET increase). The 1-3859 Mab was also capable of modulating by itself
CXCR4/CXCR4 spatial proximity, indicating an influence of the 1-3859 Mab on
CXCR4/CXCR4 homodimer conformation (Figure 2A).
The BRET signal resulting from the spatial proximity of CXCR4 and CXCR2 receptors
was decreased by about 20 % in response to SDF1 (300 nM). This result suggests
CXCR4/CXCR2 heterodimers formation or conformational changes of pre-existing dimers
(Figure 2B). The 1-3859 Mab was capable of modulating SDF-1 -induced conformational
changes for CXCR2/CXCR4 heterodimer with a percentage of inhibition of SDF-l-induced
BRET decrease of about 100% and was also capable of modulating by itself CXCR4/CXCR2
spatial proximity, indicating an influence of the 1-3859 Mab on CXCR4/CXCR2 heterodimers
conformation (Figure 2B).
Example 4 : The 1-3859 Mab recognizes CXCR4 present at the cell surface by FACS
analysis
In this experiment, specific binding of the 1-3859 Mab to human CXCR4 was examined
by FACS analysis.
The NIH3T3, NIH3T3-hCXCR4 transfected cells, MDA-MB-23 1, Hela, and U937
cancer cell lines were incubated with the 1-3859 monoclonal antibody. The cells were then
washed with 1%BSA/PBS/0.01% NaN3. Next, Alexa-labeled secondary antibodies were added
to the cells and were allowed to incubate at 4°C for 20 min. The cells were then washed again
two times. Following the second wash, FACS analysis was performed. Results of these binding
studies are provided in Figure 3; they show that the anti-CXCR4 Mab 1-3859 binds to human
CXCR4-NIH3T3 transfected cell line [Mean Fluorescence Intensity (MFI)] whereas there was
no recognition of the parent NIH3T3 cells (not shown). This Mab was also capable of
recognizing human cancer cell lines, for examples MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (MFI at a
concentration of 10 mg/ml = 59), U937 promyelocytic cancer cells (MFI at a concentration of
10 g/ml = 246) and Hela cervix cancer cells (MFI at a concentration of 10 g/ml = 633),
indicating that these cell lines naturally overexpress CXCR4.
Example 5 : 1-3859 Mab enters in competition with the anti-CXCR4 515H7
therapeutic Mab for binding to CXCR4 at cell membrane by FACS analysis
In this experiment, competition of binding to human CXCR4 of the 1-3859 and 515H7
Mabs was examined by FACS analysis.
NIH3T3-hCXCR4 transfected cells were incubated with biotinylated 515H7 Mab
g ml) [which recognized NIH3T3-CXCR4 cells (Figure 4A)] and either the 1-3859 Mab or
5 15H7 Mab (0-1 mg/mL) for 1 hour at 4°C. The cells were then washed with
1%BSA/PBS/0.01% NaN3. Next, labeled-streptavidin was added to the cells and was allowed to
incubate at 4°C for 20 min. The cells were then washed again two times. Following the second
wash, FACS analysis was performed. Results of these binding studies are provided in Figure 4B.
They show [Mean Fluorescence Intensity (MFI)] that the anti-CXCR4 Mab 1-3859 competes
with the anti-CXCR4 515H7 therapeutic Mab for binding to human CXCR4-NIH3T3 transfected
cells. As expected, the non-labeled 515H7 Mab also inhibited the binding of the biotinylated
515H7 Mab to CXCR4.
Example 6: 1-3859 Mab activity evaluation in MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumor
growth model in Athymic nude mice
The goal of this experiment was to evaluate the ability of the anti-CXCR4 Mab 1-3859 to
inhibit the growth of a MDB-MB-23 1 xenograft in Athymic nude mice.
MDA-MB-231 cells from ECACC were routinely cultured in DMEM medium
(Invitrogen Corporation, Scotland, UK), 10% FCS (Sigma, St Louis MD, USA). Cells were split
48 hours before engraftment so that they were in exponential phase of growth. Ten million
MDA-MB-231 cells were engrafted in PBS to 7 weeks old Athymic nude mice (Harlan, France).
Five days after implantation, tumors were measurable (34 mm
Documents
Application Documents
| # |
Name |
Date |
| 1 |
479-DELNP-2014-AbandonedLetter.pdf |
2019-09-24 |
| 1 |
479-DELNP-2014.pdf |
2014-01-30 |
| 2 |
479-delnp-2014-GPA-(25-04-2014).pdf |
2014-04-25 |
| 2 |
479-DELNP-2014-FER.pdf |
2018-10-24 |
| 3 |
479-delnp-2014-Correspondence-Others-(25-04-2014).pdf |
2014-04-25 |
| 3 |
479-delnp-2014-Claims.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 4 |
479-delnp-2014-Correspondence-Others-(26-05-2014).pdf |
2014-05-26 |
| 4 |
479-delnp-2014-Correspondence-others.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 5 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-3-(27-05-2014).pdf |
2014-05-27 |
| 5 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-1.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 6 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-2.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 6 |
479-delnp-2014-Correspondence-Others-(27-05-2014).pdf |
2014-05-27 |
| 7 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-5.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 7 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-3.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 8 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-5.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 8 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-3.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 9 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-2.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 9 |
479-delnp-2014-Correspondence-Others-(27-05-2014).pdf |
2014-05-27 |
| 10 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-1.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 10 |
479-delnp-2014-Form-3-(27-05-2014).pdf |
2014-05-27 |
| 11 |
479-delnp-2014-Correspondence-Others-(26-05-2014).pdf |
2014-05-26 |
| 11 |
479-delnp-2014-Correspondence-others.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 12 |
479-delnp-2014-Correspondence-Others-(25-04-2014).pdf |
2014-04-25 |
| 12 |
479-delnp-2014-Claims.pdf |
2014-06-24 |
| 13 |
479-delnp-2014-GPA-(25-04-2014).pdf |
2014-04-25 |
| 13 |
479-DELNP-2014-FER.pdf |
2018-10-24 |
| 14 |
479-DELNP-2014.pdf |
2014-01-30 |
| 14 |
479-DELNP-2014-AbandonedLetter.pdf |
2019-09-24 |
Search Strategy
| 1 |
479searchstrgy_23-10-2018.pdf |