Design, construction, and in vitro analysis of A33scFv::CDy, a recombinant fusion protein for antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy in colon cancer

Int J Oncol. 2007 Oct;31(4):951-7.

Abstract

Antibody-directed enzyme-prodrug therapy (ADEPT) aims at improving the specificity of conventional chemotherapy by employing artificial antibody-enzyme constructs to convert a non-toxic prodrug into a cytotoxic agent specifically localized to the tumor site. The gpA33 antigen is a promising target for ADEPT in colon cancer, as it is expressed by >95% of human colon cancers, but is absent in all non-gastrointestinal tissues. We designed a recombinant fusion construct of a phage display-generated anti-gpA33 single chain fragment, A33scFv, with cytosine deaminase from yeast (CDy), which converts 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The resulting construct, A33scFv::CDy, was overexpressed in Pichia pastoris and secreted into culture supernatant. The fusion protein was purified by affinity chromatography on protein L. Silver-staining after SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis confirmed molecular mass and purity. Antibody binding and specificity were quantified by flow cytometry. The complete ADEPT system was applied in vitro on gpA33-positive LIM1215 cells, assessing cell survival by a fluorescein diacetate assay. Cytotoxicity of the prodrug 5-FC after A33scFv::CDy binding was equimolar to that of 5-FU, and this effect depended specifically on both antibody and enzyme function. These results demonstrate bifunctional activity of the heterogeneous Pichia-produced A33scFv::CDy fusion protein and proof of principle for the ADEPT system proposed herein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / genetics*
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Artificial Gene Fusion
  • Chromatography, Affinity
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cytosine Deaminase / immunology
  • Cytosine Deaminase / pharmacology*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Flucytosine / pharmacology*
  • Fluorouracil / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments / pharmacology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / pharmacology
  • Pichia / enzymology
  • Prodrugs / pharmacology*
  • Protein Engineering
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • GPA33 protein, human
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Prodrugs
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Flucytosine
  • Cytosine Deaminase
  • Fluorouracil