Development of engineered antibodies specific for the Müllerian inhibiting substance type II receptor: a promising candidate for targeted therapy of ovarian cancer

Mol Cancer Ther. 2006 Aug;5(8):2096-105. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-06-0115.

Abstract

The Müllerian inhibiting substance type II receptor (MISIIR) is involved in Müllerian duct regression as part of the development of the male reproductive system. In adult females, MISIIR is present on ovarian surface epithelium and is frequently expressed on human epithelial ovarian cancer cells. Müllerian inhibiting substance has been found to be capable of inhibiting the growth of primary human ovarian cancer cells derived from ascites and ovarian cancer cell lines. This suggested to us that MISIIR could be an attractive target for antibody-based tumor targeting and growth inhibition strategies. Here, we describe the production of recombinant human MISIIR extracellular domain-human immunoglobulin Fc domain fusion proteins and their use as targets for the selection of MISIIR-specific human single-chain variable fragments (scFv) molecules from a human nonimmune scFv phage display library. The binding kinetics of the resulting anti-MISIIR scFv clones were characterized and two were employed as the basis for the construction of bivalent scFv:Fc antibody-based molecules. Both bound specifically to human ovarian carcinoma cells in flow cytometry assays and cross-reacted with mouse MISIIR. These results indicate that antibody-based constructs may provide a highly specific means of targeting MISIIR on human ovarian carcinoma cells for the purpose of diagnosing and treating this disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / genetics*
  • Antibodies / metabolism
  • Antibody Affinity
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry / methods
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / therapy
  • Peptide Library
  • Protein Engineering / methods*
  • Receptors, Peptide / genetics
  • Receptors, Peptide / immunology*
  • Receptors, Peptide / metabolism
  • Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Peptide Library
  • Receptors, Peptide
  • Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • anti-Mullerian hormone receptor