Generation and Characterization of a Bispecific Antibody Targeting Both PD-1 and c-MET

Title:Generation and Characterization of a Bispecific Antibody Targeting Both PD-1 and c-MET

Volume: 24 Issue: 12

Author(s): Yi Wu, Min Yu*, Zujun Sun, Weihua Hou, Yuxiong Wang, Qingyun Yuan and Wei Mo

Affiliation:

• Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai,China

Keywords: Bispecific antibody, PD-1, c-MET, IFN-gamma, T cells, tumor.

Abstract: Background: Bispecific antibodies, BsAbs, are molecules with the ability to bind to two different epitopes on the same or different antigens. c-MET, cellular-mesenchymal to epithelial transition factor, is deregulated in many types of human malignancies. Abnormal c-MET activation in cancer correlates with poor prognosis. PD-1, programmed death-1, is an additional inhibitory receptor expressed by T cells. Blocking the interactions between PD-1 and PD-L1 has emerged as a promising immunotherapy for treating cancer.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify a novel bispecific antibody targeting both c-MET and PD-1 as an anti-cancer therapeutic candidate.

Methods: The BsAb was produced using 293E expression system and purified by Protein A affinity chromatography. Then the binding specificity and affinity of the BsAb was examined by FACS and biolayer light interferometry. The ability of the BsAb to inhibit the proliferation of tuman cells was measured using the CellTiter 96 Aqueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay kit; the potential signaling pathway involved was identified by Western Blot. Cytokine secreted by PHA-L stimulated PBMC was measured by ELISA. Effects of BsAb on PBMC-mediated lysis of MKN45 cells was measured by LDH cytotoxicity assay.

Results: Based on the original sequences of PD-1 and c-MET mAb, a BsAb gene was designed, cloned into pCEP4 vector for expression in 293E cells. The BsAb was obtained after purification of the cell culture supernatant. It can bind to PD-1 and c-MET simultaneously, the calculated affinity was 11.5 nM for PD-1 and 9.09 nM for c-MET. The BsAb enhanced IFN-γ production over control IgG by 2-3 folds. It also inhibit the c-MET pathway activation and the proliferation of tumor cells significantly, comparable to JnJ-38877605. The BsAb showed dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against MKN45 cells.

Conclusion: Our results indicated that a novel BsAb recognizing PD-1 and c-MET was successfully generated. It could redirect T cells to kill tumor cells, while retaining its inherent ability to restore T cells and inhibit tumor cells. With this potential, this BsAb could be developed as a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of various solid tumors.

Cite this article as:

Wu Yi , Yu Min *, Sun Zujun , Hou Weihua , Wang Yuxiong , Yuan Qingyun and Mo Wei , Generation and Characterization of a Bispecific Antibody Targeting Both PD-1 and c-MET, Protein & Peptide Letters 2017; 24 (12) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929866524666171017143753

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929866524666171017143753	Print ISSN 0929-8665
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-5305