Novel antibody conjugates for enhanced tumor uptake. Final report, September 1, 1992--August 31, 1997

Progress in three areas of research is summarized. These are as follows: Labeling Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with Tc-99m and Re-186; human melanoma tumors and specific MAbs; evaluation of biological response modifiers (BRM). The techniques of labeling MAbs (IgM, IgG, F(ab{prime}){sub 2} or F(ab{prime})) with Tc-99m was developed in the author`s laboratory in 1989 and that with Re-186 in 1992. The techniques are in daily use in the laboratory since then and are adapted to a convenient kit formulation. The metal ions are bound at MAb sulfhydryls generated by a controlled reduction of a pair of disulfide groups. At least two types of MAbs labeled with Tc-99m by this method have been administered into patients and excellent diagnostic results have been obtained. Over the past two and a half years the author has been successfully growing human melanoma tumors in athymic Balb/c nude mice. The cell LINE, WM-9, was obtained from Dr. D Herlyn`s laboratory at Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. Sufficient quantities of antihuman melanoma specific antibodies ME 31.3 (Wistar, IgG-1) and MEM-136 (Hybritech, IgG-2A) and their F(ab{prime}){sub 2} fragments are also available in the laboratory. The use of BRM is a rapidly evolving field. Over the past four years, the author has evaluated a number of BRMs in a quest for agents that may augment MAb tumor uptake. These included interferon-{alpha}; a pokeweed mitogen and Ukrain, an alkaloid separated from a plant Chelideonium Majis. In these preliminary studies, normal Balb/c mice were used and the BRMs were given i.p. one hour prior to the i.v. administration of tumor necrosis factor or an MAb (TNT-F(ab{prime}){sub 2}) labeled with Tc-99m which served as an imaging agent. Animals were sacrificed at 1.5 hr or 4 hrs post-injection. Highlights of the work are given here in a table