c-met monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate(Sorrento Therapeutics)

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor arising from the gastrointestinal tract and highly expresses mutated c-kit. We aimed to develop a specific and sensitive method for detecting GISTs using radiolabeled anti-c-kit monoclonal antibody.

A mutated c-kit-expressing cell clone was established by transfecting an expressing vector of mutated c-kit gene into HEK293 human embryonic kidney cells. The tumors were developed by inoculating c-kit-expressing cells into nude mice. (125)I- and (111)In-labeled anti-c-kit antibodies (12A8 and 41A11) were evaluated in vitro by cell binding, competitive inhibition and cellular internalization assays, and in vivo by biodistribution and imaging studies in tumor-bearing mice.

Both (125)I- and (111)In-labeled antibodies showed specific binding with c-kit-expressing cells with high affinity (dissociation constants = 2.2-7.1x10(9) M(-1)). Internalization assay showed that (125)I-labeled antibodies were rapidly internalized and dehalogenated, with the release of (125)I from the cells, resulting in reduction of cell-associated radioactivity with time. In contrast, (111)In-labeled antibody was internalized but did not result in the reduced radioactivity associated with tumor cells. Reflecting this phenomenon, the in vivo tumor uptake of (125)I-labeled antibody was low on Day 1, further decreasing with time, while tumor uptake of (111)In-labeled antibody was high on Day 1, further increasing with time. The xenografted tumor was clearly visualized by scintigraphy after injection of (111)In-labeled antibody.

The anti-c-kit monoclonal antibody labeled with a metal radionuclide would be promising for c-kit-targeted imaging of GISTs.

Human c-Met agonistic antibody was used to obtain persistent engraftment of the human hepatocytes transplanted into two different ectopic sites in immunodeficient mice.The survival of the transplanted human hepatocytes measured by a human hepatocyte specific serum marker, alpha-1 antitrypsin levels, slowly declined over a period of three months.This may be due in part to the absence of essential growth signals from human hepatocyte growth factor (HGF).Since HGF has a very short half-life, a c-Met agonistic antibody that activates the HGF pathway was used.Persistent survival of the transplanted human hepatocytes were seen for at least 100 days when c-Met antibody was administered.Results suggest that human hepatocytes can be engrafted ectopically and can function long term with the stimulation of c-Met.C-Met signal transduction was also shown to provide a proliferative stimulus for the transplanted hepatocytes in vivo.