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Phage display has been instrumental for the success of antibody (Ab) technology. The aim of the present study was to explore phage display of soluble T-cell receptors (TCRs). A library platform that supports engineering and selection of improved TCRs to be used as detection reagents for specific antigen presentation will be very useful. In such applications, high, equal and clone independent display levels are a prerequisite for 'fair' selection. Therefore, we explored how different pIII fusion formats and modes affected the display levels of two murine alpha/beta TCRs. Both are derived from T-cell clones associated with the MOPC315 myeloma model. The results show that the design of the pIII fusion particle significantly affects the subsequent display levels. Furthermore, successful display may be obtained both in phagemid and phage versions. Importantly, improvement of poor display can be achieved by over-expressing the periplasmic chaperone FkpA.

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The high-affinity IgG receptor, Fcgamma receptor I (FcgammaRI), is expressed exclusively on myeloid cells, and there is a great interest in the targeting of vaccine antigens to FcgammaRI using anti-human FcgammaRI antibodies or fragments derived from such molecules. In order to reduce the size and complexity of the targeting reagent, we have searched for FcgammaRI binding peptides in peptide libraries displayed on phage. The human monocytic cell line U937 was used as target. Phages that displayed the consensus peptide CLRSGXGC were selected and revealed increased binding to IFN-gamma stimulated versus non-stimulated U937 cells as well as to FcgammaRI transfected versus non-transfected IIA1.6 cells. Furthermore, they bound the extracellular domains of soluble FcgammaRI, but neither FcgammaRIIA, FcgammaRIIB nor FcgammaRIIIB. Binding was inhibited by a synthetic version of the peptide, whereas neither human IgG nor the FcgammaRI-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) mAb22 and 32.2 interfered. Flow-cytometry analysis and internalization studies showed that a synthetic biotin-conjugated peptide ADGACLRSGRGCGAAK-bio was able to target U937 cells and FcgammaRI transfected IIA1.6 cells, and further to promote internalization and vesicular degradation of streptavidin coupled to 1 microm magnetic beads. These peptides may have potential as FcgammaRI targeting reagents.

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Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the causative agent of chickenpox and herpes zoster, can be life-threatening in prematurely born children and in children with immune defects or who are under immunosuppressive treatment. Therefore agents for passive immunization, such as VZV-specific immunoglobulin preparations (VZIG) derived from convalescent plasma, are crucial in the prophylaxis of VZV infection. This study describes the isolation of human VZV-neutralizing recombinant antibodies. A human single-chain variable fragment (scFv) phage display library was generated from RNA extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes of a convalescent varicella patient. Specific phage antibodies were selected against VZV-infected human fibroblasts, and eight unique clones were further expressed as soluble scFv in Escherichia coli. They all showed binding characteristics to varicella antigens with affinities in the K(D) range 0.1-0.2 muM. Two of the scFv antibodies, VZV4 and VZV5, showed dose-dependent in vitro neutralization of VZV. VZV39 also showed a neutralizing effect as scFv, an effect that was increased 4000-fold by conversion into IgG and was further increased by the addition of complement. This is possibly the first time that monovalent scFv antibodies have been shown to neutralize VZV in vitro. This finding will have an impact on the production of new prophylactic antibodies, as such antibody fragments can be cost-effectively produced in E. coli. The antibodies isolated bind both complement-dependent and -independent epitopes for neutralization, thus they may prove useful tools for the study of VZV virulence mechanisms.

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The development of therapeutic antibodies took a sharp turn with the introduction of phage display technology over a decade ago. Antibodies are used in a whole range of disease fields, such as autoimmunity, cancer, inflammation and infectious diseases. Now, the first antibody derived from phage display technology has been approved in the US by the Food and Drug Administration. The antibody industry is continuously developing new and robust discovery platforms and novel antibody formats, which points to the versatility of antibodies as therapeutic and diagnostic agents.

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All antibodies (Abs) with effector function are produced in mammalian cells, whereas bacterial production is restricted to smaller targeting fragments (scFv and Fab) without effector functions. In this project, we isolated different peptides that bind one of several Ab effector molecules. We have developed bacterial expression vectors for direct cloning of these peptides as fusions to scFv and Fab, and have obtained targeting fragments that also have the ability to bind Ab effector molecules. Some of these fusions (pepbodies) may also initiate Ab effector functions. We have also genetically inserted T-cell epitopes into Abs with specificity for antigen-presenting cell (APC) surface molecules to target the Ab-T-cell epitope fusions (Troybodies) to APCs. The approach is to exchange loops in Ig constant domains with single copies of well-defined T-cell epitopes. We have shown that a number of such T-cell epitopes are loaded on to MHC class II on APCs and are presented to specific T-cells. An increase in T-cell activation of up to four orders of magnitude is achieved compared with synthetic peptide. Our current goal is to identify all the loops in all Ig constant domains that may be loaded with T-cell epitopes to produce a multi-vaccine.

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The classical complement activation cascade of the immune system is initiated by multivalent binding of its first component, C1q, to the Fc region of immunoglobulins in immune complexes. The C1q binding site on mouse IgG2b has been shown to contain the amino acids Glu 318, Lys 320 and Lys 322 in the C(H)2 domain (Duncan, A.R., Winter, G.,1988. The binding site for C1q on IgG. Nature 322 738-740). Identical or closely related motifs are found on all IgGs in all species, and the binding site has therefore been thought to be universal. However, the results from another study indicate that the site is different in human IgG1 molecules (Morgan, A., Jones, N.D., Nesbitt, A.M., et al., 1995. The N-terminal end of the C(H)2 domain of chimeric human IgG1 anti-HLA-DR is necessary for C1q, Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RIII binding. Immunology 86 319-324). To determine the site(s) responsible for complement activation in anti-NIP-mouse/human IgG3 antibodies, we have mutated amino acids Lys 276, Tyr 278, Asp 280, Glu 318, Lys 320 and Lys 322 in two beta-strands in the C(H)2 domains of human IgG3. In addition, we mutated the Glu 333, which resides in close proximity to the postulated C1q-binding site of mouse IgG2b, as well as Leu 235 in the lower hinge region. All mutants were tested in Antibody Dependent Complement Mediated Lysis (ADCML)(4) assays, where the antigen concentration on target cells was varied and human serum was complement source. Only the mutants that lacked the positively charged side chain of lysine in position 322 showed strong reduction in ADCML, particularly at low antigen density on target cells. Alanine scanning of positions 318 and 320 did not affect ADCML, contrary to what was observed for mouse IgG2b. Neither did a leucine to glutamic acid mutation in position 235 have the effect that has been reported for human IgG1. These results suggest that the complement binding site on human IgG3 molecules is different from that found on mouse IgG2b, and possibly on human IgG1 as well. Thus the contact site may not be conserved.

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Various native and hinge-modified forms of Ig with identical Ids were reacted with an anti-Id mAb, and the resultant immune complexes were analyzed by negative stain immunoelectron microscopy. Complexes were scored for their geometry (linear versus ring complexes) and size (dimer, trimer, etc.). Ring dimers are the thermodynamically most favorable configuration, unless inhibited by steric and/or flexibility constraints. We found ring dimerization to correlate with the length of the upper, but not middle or lower, hinge. In contrast, the geometry and size of complexes of those molecules lacking formal hinges were unpredictable. A hingeless IgG mutant and native IgE readily formed ring dimers. Remarkably, monomeric IgM formed more ring dimers than any of the other Igs tested, including IgG3. We also tagged the Fab arms and measured the mean Fab-Fab angles and the degree of angular variation for each type of Ig. Surprisingly, IgM proved the most flexible by this assay. In hinged Igs, there was a correlation between length of the upper hinge and Fab-Fab flexibility. In contrast, we found no correlation between the mean Fab-Fab angle in uncomplexed Igs and their ability to dimerize with anti-Id mAb. These data suggest that the physicochemical methods typically used to evaluate molecular flexibility are often of low predictive value when tested in a functional assay.

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Five phage displayed peptide libraries were screened for binders to C1q, the recognition subunit of the classical complement pathway. Two rounds of panning resulted in the isolation and characterisation of several different phage displayed C1q-binding peptides from all five libraries. Two groups of the characterised peptides show sequence similarity with part of the metal ion dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) of integrin A-domains, and the site 187LRNPCPNKEKECQPPF of CD18 (integrin beta2), respectively. These results support binding of complement receptor 3 (CR3, CD11b/CD18, Mac1) to C1q and further suggest C1q binding sites in CR3. We also discuss sequence matches between the characterised peptides and proteins known to interact with C1q, as well as other proteins listed in the SwissProt databank. These findings are of interest for the study of the complement system and may lead to the development of peptides, fusion products or peptido-mimetics with C1q modulating potential.

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The flexibility of antibody molecules principally derives from the structure of the hinge region. It has generally been accepted that the flexibility of the IgG hinge is necessary for complement activation to occur; however, recent studies dispute this premise. As described here by Ole Henrik Brekke, Terje Michaelsen and Inger Sandlie, it now appears that the only requirement of the hinge region for complement activation is the presence of inter-heavy-chain disulfide bond(s). Furthermore, the structural basis for the differences between IgG subclasses with respect to effector functions appear to be located within the CH2 domain of the immunoglobulin molecule.

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In this report we describe the construction of anti-5-iodo-4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenacetyl (NIP) mouse/human immunoglobulin (Ig) G4 chimeric molecules with altered amino acid residues in the CH2 domain. Three mutants are described. Gln-268 is substituted by His in gamma 4 Q268H, Ser-331 is substituted by Pro in gamma 4 S331P, and in gamma 4 Q268H/S331P both residues are substituted. The ability of the mutant molecules to induce complement-mediated cell lysis (CML) and phagocytosis by Fc gamma RII- and Fc gamma RIII-bearing polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were measured. In CML, gamma 4 Q268H was inactive, but both gamma 4 S331P and gamma 4 Q268H/S331P were active provided that the antigenic density on the target cells was high. In phagocytosis mediated by PMN, the mutants gamma 4 S331P and gamma 4 Q268H/S331P were both active only when complement was introduced. gamma 4 Q268H was not active in phagocytosis under any conditions. We conclude that His-268 in human IgG molecules does not modulate CML activity or phagocytosis mediated by Fc gamma RII and/or Fc gamma RIII. Pro-331 rescues CML activity in IgG4 molecules when the epitope density on the target cells is high, but does not affect Fc gamma RII/Fc gamma RIII-mediated phagocytosis. In this manner the mutants gamma 4 S331P and gamma 4 Q268H/S331P mimic human IgG2. This could indicate a structural similarity between IgG2 and these mutant molecules that distinguish them from both IgG1 and IgG3.

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We have created four IgG3 mutants without a normal hinge region: (i) m0 without a genetic hinge; (ii) m0/C131S, where Cys-131 in m0 was mutated to Ser; (iii) m0/231C232 (formerly HM-1), where a Cys residue was inserted in m0 between Ala-231 and Pro-232; (iv) m0/C131S/231C232, which is a hybrid of m0/231C232 and m0/C131S. The wild-type IgG3 and all mutants bind 5-iodo-4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenacetyl groups. The wild type and mutants, m15 (with 15 aa in the hinge), m0/231C232, and m0/C131S/231C232, were all positive for complement-mediated lysis, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity mediated by peripheral blood leukocytes, and phagocytosis by U937. m0/C131S/231C232 was only weakly positive and sometimes negative for respiratory burst activity mediated by peripheral blood neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes), whereas m15, m0/231C232, and wild-type IgG3 were strongly positive. The m0 and m0/C131S mutants were mainly negative for complement-mediated lysis, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and phagocytosis by U937 and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The results indicate that a hinge spacer region is not necessary, but the correct alignment of the two second heavy chain constant regions in the IgG3 molecule by a minimum of one disulfide bond is necessary and sufficient for effector functions.

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In this paper we describe the construction of mouse-human IgG3 mutant antibodies resembling IgG1 in their disulfide bond pattern between the heavy and light chain (H-L) and between the two heavy chains (H-H). The effector functions of these mutant antibodies were compared to normal IgG3 and IgG1. Changing only the disulfide bond pattern between the heavy and light chains did not alter the ability to induce complement mediated cell lysis (CML), regardless of the amount of corresponding antigen that had been introduced to the surface of the target cells. However, alteration of the disulfide bond pattern between the two heavy chains had a large effect on CML due to shortening of the hinge from 62 to 15 amino acids. No difference between the mutants and normal antibodies in antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) was observed. This suggests that IgG3 can adopt the H-L disulfide bond pattern of IgG1 without obtaining the CML activity characteristic for IgG1.

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Fc gamma receptor (Fc gamma R) phagocytosis and respiratory burst were induced by chimeric mouse-human anti-(4-hydroxy-5-iodo-3-nitrophenyl) acetyl IgG3 antibodies with mutations in hinge and/or in CH1 region. IgG3 mutants with different hinge length ranging from 47 to 0 amino acids, an IgG3 molecule with an artificial hinge of just one cysteine residue (HM-1), and two hybrid IgG3 molecules with IgG4 hinge or IgG4 CH1-hinge were tested. Using the monocytic cell line U937 as effector cells, the mutated IgG3 molecules were very similar, revealing high activity, while the IgG3/IgG4 hybrids revealed a slightly reduced activity. However, the hingeless (0-h) mutant was negative, except after interferon-gamma stimulation when it became slightly positive. Interestingly, HM-1 was as active as the IgG3 mutants. With polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) as effector cells we obtained some day-to-day variations, but all the IgG3 mutants were highly active, with the two shortest hinge mutants somewhat less active. The IgG3/IgG4 hybrid molecules revealed an intermediate activity, while IgG4 wild-type and the 0-h mutant were negative. However, the HM-1 molecule revealed an activity similar to that of the IgG3 mutants. The phagocytic activity of U937 was inhibited by monomeric IgG, indicating the importance of Fc gamma RI. In contrast, with PMN both blockage of Fc gamma RII and cleavage of Fc gamma RIII were required to significantly reduce the phagocytosis and respiratory burst, thus showing that both receptors contribute to the effect. These results demonstrate that the extended IgG3 hinge region is not necessary for a high phagocytic activity and that the major structural importance of the hinge is to connect the two heavy chains in this region.

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The hinge region links the two Fab arms to the Fc portion of the IgG molecule. It mediates flexibility to the molecule and serves as a connecting structure between the two heavy chains. In addition it provides space between the Fab and Fc parts. All three properties have been proposed to be important for the ability of IgG to initiate complement activation leading to complement-mediated cell lysis (CML). Here we report the construction of a hinge-deleted mouse-human chimaeric IgG3 molecule with specificity for the hapten NIP (3-iodo-4-hydroxy-5-nitrophenacetyl), HM-1. HM-1 lacks the genetic hinge, but has an introduced cysteine between Ala 231 (EU numbering) and Pro 232 in the lower hinge encoded by the CH2 exon. The introduced cysteine forms a disulphide bond between the two heavy chains of the molecule. In CML, HM-1 shows a greater activity than IgG3 wild type. This is the first time an IgG molecule without a genetic hinge has been found to be active in CML. We conclude that the hinge functioning as a spacer is not a prerequisite for complement activation. Rather, its major role seems to be to connect the heavy chains to each other in the amino-terminal part of CH2. Because HM-1 is expected to have low Fab-Fc flexibility, this molecular feature is probably of no importance for complement activation.

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We have altered the amino acid sequence of the hinge and the first constant domain (CH1) of mouse/human chimeric IgG3 antibodies by site-directed mutagenesis, so as to make the sequences identical to those of IgG4. All the mutant antibodies with altered hinge region were more active in complement activation and complement-mediated lysis than native IgG3. The mutations in CH1, however, did not alter the activity. This demonstrates the importance of the hinge region in modulating this effector function. The results show that the primary structure of neither CH1 nor the hinge of IgG4 is responsible for the lack of complement activation shown by this subclass.

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