Abstract
The HER2 protooncogene encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase, p185HER2. The overexpression of p185HER2 has been associated with a worsened prognosis in certain human cancers. In the present work we have screened a variety of different tumor cell lines for p185HER2 expression using both enzyme-linked immunosorbent and fluorescence-activated cell sorting assays employing murine monoclonal antibodies directed against the extracellular domain of the receptor. Increased levels of p185HER2 were found in breast (5/9), ovarian (1/6), stomach (2/3) and colorectal (5/16) carcinomas, whereas all kidney and submaxillary adenocarcinoma cell lines tested were negative. Some monoclonal antibodies directed against the extracellular domain of p185HER2 inhibited growth in monolayer culture of breast and ovarian tumor cell lines overexpressing p185HER2, but had no effect on the growth of colon or gastric adenocarcinomas expressing increased levels of this receptor. The most potent growth-inhibitory anti-p185HER2 monoclonal antibody in monolayer culture, designated mumAb 4D5 (a murine IgG1κ antibody), was also tested in soft-agar growth assays for activity against p185HER2-overexpressing tumor cell lines of each type, with similar results. In order to increase the spectrum of tumor types potentially susceptible to monoclonal antibody-mediated anti-p185HER2 therapies, to decrease potential immunogenicity issues with the use of murine monoclonal antibodies for human therapy, and to provide the potential for antibody-mediated cytotoxic activity, a mouse/human chimeric 4D5 (chmAb 4D5) and a “humanized” 4D5 (rhu)mAb 4D5 HER2 antibody were constructed. Both engineered antibodies, in combination with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, elicited antibody-dependent cytotoxic responses in accordance with the level of p185HER2 expression. Since this cytotoxic activity is independent of sensitivity to mumAb 4D5, the engineered monoclonal antibodies expand the potential target population for antibody-mediated therapy of human cancers characterized by the overexpression of p185HER2.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aasland R, Lillehaug JR, Hale R, et al (1988) Expression of oncogenes in thyroid tumors: coexpression of c-erbB2/neu and c-erbB. Br J Cancer 57: 358–363
Akiyama T, Sudo C, Ogawara H, et al (1986) The product of the human c-erbB-2 gene: a 185-kilodalton glycoprotein with tyrosine kinase activity. Science 232: 1644–1646
Benz CC, Scott GK, Sarup JC, et al (1991) Tamoxifen resistance associated with p185HER2 overexpression in human breast cancer cells transfected with HER2/neu. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res 32: 211
Berchuck A, Kamel A, Whitaker R, et al (1990) Overexpression of HER-2/neu is associated with poor survival in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Cancer Res 50: 4087–4091
Berchuck A, Rodriguez G, Kinney RB, et al (1991) Overexpression of HER-2/neu in endometrial cancer is associated with advanced stage discase. Am J Obstet, Gynecol 164: 15–21
Berger MS, Locher GW, Saurer S, et al (1988) Correlation of c-erbB-2 gene amplification and protein expression in human breast carcinoma with nodal status and nuclear grading. Cancer Res 48: 1238–1243
Bonilla M, Ramirez M, Lopez-Cueto J, et al (1988) In vivo amplification and rearrangement of c-myc oncogene in human breast tumors. JNCI 80: 665–671
Borst MP, Baker VV, Dixon D, et al (1990) Oncogene alterations in endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol 38: 364–366
Brodeur GM, Seeger RC, Schwab M, et al (1984) Amplification of N-myc in untreated human neuroblastomas correlates with advanced disease stage. Science 224: 1121–1124
Brüderlein S, van der Bosch K, Schlag P, et al (1990) Cytogenetics and DNA amplification in colorectal cancers. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2: 63–70
Carter P, Presta L, Gorman CM, et al (1993) Humanization of an anti-p185HER2 antibody for human cancer therapy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (in press)
Coussens L, Yang-Feng TL, Liao Y-C, et al (1985) Tyrosine kinase receptor with extensive homology to EGF receptor shares chromosomal location withneu oncogene. Science 230: 1132–1139
Drebin JA, Link VC, Stern DF, et al (1985) Down-modulation of an oncogene protein product and reversion of the transformed phenotype by monoclonal antibodies. Cell 41: 695–706
Drebin JA, Link VC, Greene MI (1988) Monoclonal antibodies specific for theneu oncogene product directly mediate anti-tumor effects in vivo. Oncogene 2: 387–394
Drebin JA, Link VC, Greene MI (1988) Monoclonal antibodies reactive with distinct domains of theneu oncogene-encoded p185 molecule exert synergistic antitumor effects in vivo. Oncogene 2: 273–277
Fendly BF, Winget M, Hudziak RM, et al (1990) Characterization of monoclonal antibodies reactive to either the human epidermal growth factor receptor or HER2/neu gene product. Cancer Res 50: 1550–1558
Fernandez-Pol JA (1985) Epidermal growth factor receptor of A431 cells. Characterization of a monoclonal anti-receptor antibody noncompetitive agonist of epidermal growth factor action. J Biol Chem 260: 5003–5011
Freeman MR, Washecka R, Chung LWK (1989) Aberrant expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2 (erbB-2) messenger RNAs in human renal cancers. Cancer Res 49: 6221–6225
Fukushige S-I, Matsubara K-I, Yoshida M, et al (1986) Localization of a novel v-erbB-related gene, c-erbB-2, on human chromosome 17 and its amplification in a gastric cancer cell line. Mol Cell Biol 6: 955–958
Guérin M, Barrois M, Terrier M-J, et al (1988) Overexpression of either c-myc or c-erbB-2/neu protooncogenes in human breast carcinomas: correlation with poor prognosis. Oncogene Res 3: 21–31
Guérin M, Gabillot M, Mathieu M-C, et al (1989) Structure and expression of c-erbB-2 and EGF receptor genes in inflammatory and non-inflammatory breast cancer: prognostic significance. Int J Cancer 43: 201–208
Hama-Schroff RW, Foon KA, Beatty SM, et al (1985) Human antimurine immunoglobulin responses in patients receiving monoclonal antibody therapy. Cancer Res 45: 879–885
Hudziak RM, Lewis GD, Shalaby MR, et al (1988) Amplified expression of the HER2/erbB-2 oncogene induces resistance to tumor necrosis factor α in NIH 3T3 cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85: 5102–5106
Hudziak RM Lewis GD, Winget M, et al (1989) p185HER2 monoclonal antibody has antiproliferative effects in vitro and sensitizes human breast tumor cells to tumor necrosis factor. Mol Cell Biol 9: 1165–1172
Hynes NE, Gerber HA, Saurer S, et al (1989) Overexpression of the c-erbB-2 protein in human breast tumor cell lines. J Cell Biochem 39: 167–173
Johnson BE, Makuch RW, Simmons AD, et al (1988)myc family DNA amplification in small cell lung cancer patients tumors and corresponding cell lines. Cancer Res 48: 5163–5166
Junghans RP, Walmann TA, Landolfi NF, et al (1990) Anti-Tac-H, a humanized antibody to the interleukin 2 receptor with new features for immunotherapy in malignant and immune disorders. Cancer Res 50: 1495–1502
Kameda T, Yasui W, Yoshida K, et al (1990) Expression oferbB2 in human gastric carcinomas: relationship between p185erbB2 expression and gene amplification. Cancer Res 50: 8002–8009
Kern JA, Schwartz DA, Nordberg JE, et al (1990) p185neu expression in human lung adenocarcinomas predicts shortened survival. Cancer Res 50: 5184–5191
King CR, Kraus MN, Aaronson SA (1985) Amplification of a novel v-erbB-related gene in a human mammary carcinoma. Science 229: 974–976
Krauss MH, Popescu NC, Amsbaugh SC, et al (1987) Overexpression of the EGF receptor-related proto-oncogeneerbB-2 in human mammary tumor cell lines by different molecular mechanisms. EMBO J 6: 605–610
Kraus MH, Issing W, Miki T, et al (1989) Isolation and characterization ofERBB3, a third member of the “ERBB”/epidermal growth factor receptor family: evidence for overexpression in a subset of human mammary tumors. Proc. Natl Acad Sci. USA 86: 9193–9197
Lee W-H, Murphree AL, Benedict WF (1984) Expression of the N-myc gene in primary retinoblastoma. Nature 309: 458–460
Liberman TA, Nusbaum HR, Razon N, et al (1985) Amplification, enhanced expression and possible rearrangement of EGF receptor gene in primary human tumors of glial origin. Nature 313: 144–147
Lichtenstein A, Berenson J, Gera JF, et al (1990) Resistance of human ovarian cancer cells to tumor necrosis factor and lymphokineactivated killer cells: correlation with expression ofHER2/neu oncogenes. Cancer Res 50: 7364–7370
Little CD, Nau MM, Carney DN, et al (1983) Amplification and expression of the c-myc oncogene in human lung cancer cell lines. Nature 306: 194–196
Liu AY, Robinson RR, Hellström KE, et al (1987) Chimeric mousehuman IgG1 antibody that can mediate lysis of cancer cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84: 3439–3443
Merlino GT, Xu Y-H, Ishii S, et al (1984) Amplified and enhanced expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in A431 human carcinoma cells. Science 224: 417–419
Moriyama M, Akiyama T, Yamamoto T, et al (1991) Expression of C-ERBB-2 gene product in urinary bladder cancer. J Urol 145: 423–427
Park J-B, Rhim JS, Park S-C, et al (1989) Amplification, overexpression and rearrangement of theerbB-2 protooncogene in primary human stomach carcinomas. Cancer Res 49: 6605–6609
Perez R, Pascual M, Macias A, et al (1984) Epidermal growth factor receptors in human breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 4: 189–193
Reichmann L, Clark M, Waldmann H, et al (1988) Reshaping human antibodies for therapy. Nature 332: 323–329
Ro J, North SM, Gallick GE, et al (1988) Amplified and overexpressed epidermal growth factor receptor gene in uncultured primary human breast carcinoma. Cancer Res 48: 161–164
Sarup JC, Johnson RM, King KL, et al (1991) Characterization of an anti-p185HER2 monoclonal antibody that stimulates receptor function and inhibits tumor cell growth. Growth Regul 1: 72–82
Schechter AL, Stern DF, Vaidyanathan L, et al (1984) Theneu oncogene: anerbB-related gene encoding a 185,000-Mr tumor antigen. Nature 312: 513–516
Schechter AL, Hung M-C, Vaidyanathan L, et al (1985) Theneu gene: anerbB-homologous gene distinct from and unlinked to the gene encoding the EGF receptor. Science 229: 976–978
Schneider PM, Hung M-C, Chiocca SM, et al (1989) Differential expression of the c-erbB-2 gene in human small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Res 49: 4968–4971
Seeger RC, Brodeur GH, Sather H, et al (1985) Association of multiple copies of the N-myc oncogene with rapid progression of neuroblastomas. N Engl J Med 313: 1111–1116
Semba K, Kamato N, Toyoshima K, et al (1985) A v-erbB-related protooncogene, c-erbB-2 is distinct from the c-erbB-1/epidermal growth factor receptor gene and is amplified in a human salivary gland adenocarcinoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82: 6497–6501
Seshadri R, Matthews C, Dobrovic A, et al (1989) The significance of oncogene amplification in primary breast cancer. Int J Cancer 43: 270–272
Shalaby MR, Shepard HM, Presta L, et al (1992) The development of humanized bispecific antibodies reactive with cytotoxic lymphocytes and tumor cells overexpressing theHER2 protooncogene. J Exp Med 175: 217–225
Shawler DL, Bartholomew RM, Smith LM, et al (1985) Human immune response to multiple injections of murine monoclonal IgG. J Immunol 135: 1530–1535
Sias PE, Kotts CE, Vetterlein D, et al (1990) ELISA for quantitation of the extracellular domain of p185HER2 in biological fluids. J Immunol Methods 132: 73–80
Slamon DJ, DeKernion JB, Verma IM, et al (1984) Expression of cellular oncogenes in human malignancies. Science 224: 256–262
Slamon DJ, Clark GM, Wong SG, et al (1987) Human breast cancer: correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene. Science 235: 177–182
Slamon DJ, Godolphin W, Jones LA, et al (1989) Studies of the HER-2/neu protooncogene in human breast and ovarian cancer. Science 244: 707–712
Stern DF, Heffernan PA, Weinberg RA (1986) p185, a product of theneu protooncogene, is a receptorlike protein associated with tyrosine kinase activity. Mol Cell Biol 6: 1729–1740
Tal M, Wetzler M, Josefberg Z, et al (1988) Sporadic amplification of the HER2/neu protooncogene in adenocarcinomas of various tissues. Cancer Res 48: 1517–1520
Tandon AK, Clark GM, Cuamness GC, et al (1989) HER2/neu oncogene protein and prognosis in breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 7: 1120–1128
Ullrich A, Coussens L, Hayflick JS, et al (1984) Human epidermal growth factor receptor cDNA sequence and aberrant expression of the amplified gene in A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells. Nature 300: 418–425
van de Vijver M, van de Bersselaar R, Devilee P, et al (1987) Amplification of theneu (c-erbB-2) oncogene in human mammary tumors is relatively frequent and is often accompanied by amplification of the linked c-erbA oncogene. Mol Cell Biol 7: 2019–2023
van de Vijver MJ, Peterse JL, Mool WJ, et al (1988)Neu protein overexpression in breast cancer. Association with comedo-type ductal carcinoma in situ and limited prognostic value in stage II breast cancer. N Engl J Med 319: 1239–1245
Venter DJ, Kumar S, Tuzi NL, et al (1987) Overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in human breast carcinomas: immunohistological assessment correlates with gene amplification. Lancet 2: 69–72
Weinberg RA (1984)ras oncogenes and the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Blood 64: 1143–1145
Williams TN, Weiner DB, Greene MI, et al (1991) Expression of c-erbB-2 in human pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Pathobiology 59: 46–52
Wright C, Angus B, Nicholson S, et al (1989) Expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein: a prognostic indicator in human breast cancer. Cancer Res 49: 2087–2090
Yamamoto T, Kamato N, Kawano N, et al (1986) High incidence of amplification of epidermal growth factor receptor gene in human squamous carcinoma cell line. Cancer Res 46: 414–416
Yamazaki H, Fukui Y, Ueyama Y, et al (1988) Amplification of the structurally and functionally altered epidermal growth factor receptor gene (c-erb) in human brain tumors. Mol Cell Biol 8: 1816–1820
Yao M, Shuin T, Misaki H, et al (1988) Enhanced expression of c-myc and epidermal growth factor receptor (c-erbB1) genes in primary human renal cancer. Cancer Res 48: 6753–6757
Yokota J, Yamamoto T, Miyajima N, et al (1988) Genetic alterations of the c-erbB-2 oncogene occur frequently in tubular adenocarcinoma of the stomach and are often accompanied by amplification of the v-erbA homologue. Oncogene 2: 283–287
Yonemura Y, Ninomiya I, Yamaguchi A, et al (1991) Evaluation of immunorcactivity for erbB-2 protein as a marker of poor short term prognosis in gastric cancer. Cancer Res 51: 1034–1038
Zhou D, Battifora H, Yokota J, et al (1987) Association of multiple copies of the c-erbB-2 oncogene with spread of breast cancer. Cancer Res 47: 6123–6125
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lewis, G.D., Figari, I., Fendly, B. et al. Differential responses of human tumor cell lines to anti-p185HER2 monoclonal antibodies. Cancer Immunol Immunother 37, 255–263 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01518520
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01518520