HUMAN TUMOR-GROWTH SUPPRESSION BY APOPTOSIS INDUCED WITH ANTI-ERBB-2 CHIMERIC MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY

We established an anti-ErbB-2 mouse-human chimeric monoclonal antibody (MoAb), CH401, which was able to kill cancer cells overexpressing the ErbB-2 protein ill vitro. The analysis of the killing mechanism indic ated that MoAb CH401 might be the first anti-ErbB-2 mouse-human chimer ic MoAb which can induce the apoptosis of cancer cells, since morpholo gical changes and DNA fragmentation were recognized in MoAb CH401-trea ted cells. The ErbB-2 receptor appears to have two opposing functions: acting as a receptor both for a growth factor and for an apoptotic fa ctor. Our results indicate that MoAb CH401 treatment may prove to be v ery useful for cancer therapy.