Collaborative enhancement of antibody binding to distinct PECAM-1 epitopes modulates endothelial targeting

PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e34958. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034958. Epub 2012 Apr 13.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Epitopes / immunology*
  • Epitopes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Mice
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / immunology*
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Radioimmunoassay

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Epitopes
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1