Noncovalent scFv multimers of tumor‐targeting anti‐Lewisy hu3S193 humanized antibody

• Published in: Protein science Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 734 - 747
• Main Authors: Power, Barbara E., Doughty, Larissa, Shapira, Deborah R., Burns, John E., Bayly, Ann M., Caine, Joanne M., Liu, Zhanqi, Scott, Andrew M., Hudson, Peter J., Kortt, Alexander A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 01.04.2003
• Subjects: anti‐Lewisy antibody; diabody; Fv, variable fragment consisting of VH and VL domains; hu3S193; scFv multimers; scFvs, single‐chain variable fragments; tetrabody; triabody; trimer; VH, variable heavy‐chain domain; VL, variable light‐chain domain; Vκ, kappa light chain
• ISSN: 0961-8368; 1469-896X
• DOI: 10.1110/ps.0228503

Single‐chain variable fragments (scFvs) of anti‐Lewisy hu3S193 humanized antibody were constructed by joining the VH and VL domains with either +2 residues, +1 residue, or by directly linking the domains. In addition two constructs were synthesized in which one or two C‐terminal residues of the VH domain were removed (−1 residue, −2 residue) and then joined directly to the VL domain. An scFv construct in the reverse orientation with the VL joined directly to the VH domain was also synthesized. Upon transformation into Escherichia coli all scFv constructs expressed active protein. Binding activity, multimeric status, and multivalent properties were assessed by flow cytometry, size exclusion chromatography, and biosensor analysis. The results for hu3S193 scFvs are consistent with the paradigm that scFvs with a linker of +3 residues or more associate to form a non‐covalent dimer, and those with a shorter linker or directly linked associate predominantly to form a non‐covalent trimer and tetramer that are in equilibrium. While the association of V domains to form either a dimer or trimer/tetramer is governed by the length of the linker, the stability of the trimer/tetramer in the equilibrium mixture is dependent on the affinity of the interaction of the individual V domains to associate to form the larger Fv module.