Antibodies to platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) facilitate targeted drug delivery to endothelial cells by “vascular immunotargeting.” To define the targeting quantitatively, we investigated the endothelial binding of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to extracellular epitopes of PECAM-1. Surprisingly, we have found in human and mouse cell culture models that the endothelial binding of PECAM-directed mAbs and scFv therapeutic fusion protein is increased by co-administration of a paired mAb directed to an adjacent, yet distinct PECAM-1 epitope. This results in significant enhancement of functional activity of a PECAM-1-targeted scFv-thrombomodulin fusion protein generating therapeutic activated Protein C. The “collaborative enhancement” of mAb binding is affirmed in vivo, as manifested by enhanced pulmonary accumulation of intravenously administered radiolabeled PECAM-1 mAb when co-injected with an unlabeled paired mAb in mice. This is the first demonstration of a positive modulatory effect of endothelial binding and vascular immunotargeting provided by the simultaneous binding a paired mAb to adjacent distinct epitopes. The “collaborative enhancement” phenomenon provides a novel paradigm for optimizing the endothelial-targeted delivery of therapeutic agents.
Tumor endothelial marker 1 (TEM1/endosialin) is a tumor vascular marker highly overexpressed in multiple human cancers with minimal expression in normal adult tissue. In this study, we report the preparation and evaluation of 124I-MORAb-004, a 124I-labeled humanized monoclonal antibody targeting an extracellular epitope of human TEM1 (hTEM1), for its ability to specifically and sensitively detect vascular cells expressing hTEM1 in vivo. Methods MAb MORAb-004 was directly iodinated with 125I and 124I, and in vitro binding and internalization parameters were characterized. The in vivo behavior of radioiodinated-MORAb-004 was characterized in mice bearing subcutaneous ID8 tumors enriched with mouse endothelial cells expressing hTEM1, or control tumors, by biodistribution studies and small animal immuno-PET studies. Results MORAb-004 was radiolabeled with high efficiency and isolated in high purity. In vitro studies demonstrated specific and sensitive binding of MORAb-004 to MS1 mouse endothelial cells expressing hTEM1, with no binding to control MS1 cells. 125I-MORAb-004 and 124I MORAb-004 both had an immunoreactivity of approximately 90%. In vivo biodistribution experiments revealed rapid, highly specific and sensitive uptake of MORAb-004 in MS1-TEM1 tumors at 4 h (153.2 ± 22.2 percent of injected dose per gram [%ID/g]), 24 h (127.1 ± 42.9 %ID/g), 48 h (130.3 ± 32.4 %ID/g), 72 h (160.9 ± 32.1 %ID/g), and 6 d (10.7 ± 1.8 %ID/g). Excellent image contrast was observed with 124I-immuno-PET. MORAb-004 uptake was statistically higher in TEM1-positive tumors versus control tumors, as measured by biodistribution and immuno-PET studies. Binding specificity was confirmed by blocking studies using excess nonlabeled MORAb-004. Conclusion In our preclinical model, with hTEM1 exclusively expressed on engineered murine endothelial cells that integrate into the tumor vasculature, 124I-MORAb-004 displays high tumor–to–background tissue contrast fordetection of hTEM1 in easily accessible tumor vascular compartments. These studies strongly suggest the clinical utility of 124I-MORAb-004 immunoPET in assessing TEM1 tumor-status.
Nanocarriers (NCs) coated with antibodies (Abs) to extracellular epitopes of the transmembrane glycoprotein PECAM (platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1/CD31) enable targeted drug delivery to vascular endothelial cells. Recent studies revealed that paired Abs directed to adjacent, yet distinct epitopes of PECAM stimulate each other's binding to endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo ("collaborative enhancement"). This phenomenon improves targeting of therapeutic fusion proteins, yet its potential role in targeting multivalent NCs has not been addressed. Herein, we studied the effects of Ab-mediated collaborative enhancement on multivalent NC spheres coated with PECAM Abs (Ab/NC, ~180 nm diameter). We found that PECAM Abs do mutually enhance endothelial cell binding of Ab/NC coated by paired, but not "self" Ab. In vitro, collaborative enhancement of endothelial binding of Ab/NC by paired Abs is modulated by Ab/NC avidity,
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