Heteroconjugated antibodies enhance lymphocyte-mediated tumour cell lysis in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Covalent linkage of an antitumour antibody specific for a tumour cell surface antigen to an antilymphocyte antibody specific for the T lymphocyte receptor complex produces a heteroconjugated antibody that can activate and redirect cytotoxic T lymphocytes to lyse tumour cells. The ability of an antilymphocyte-antitumour heteroconjugate (500A2 x 96.5) to direct the lysis of murine melanoma cells by cultured murine lymphocytes was tested in vitro using a 4-h chromium release assay and in vivo with a tumour neutralization assay. In vitro, the addition of heteroconjugated antibody significantly increased tumour lysis by murine C3H/HeN lymphocytes (median specific lysis 82.7 per cent with lymphocytes plus heteroconjugate versus 9.5 per cent for lymphocytes alone, P less than 0.001). In vivo, treatment with heteroconjugated antibody plus lymphocytes significantly reduced the development of pulmonary metastases after intravenous tumour administration (median number of pulmonary metastases 28.5 for combined treatment versus 250 for heteroconjugate or lymphocytes alone, P less than 0.001).