For the therapy of cancer patients whose disease is positive for Carci
noembryonic Antigen (CEA), we developed an active specific immunothera
py based on the idiotypic network. The anti-idiotype monoclonal antibo
dy (mAb), 3H1 was generated by immunization of mice with the anti-CEA
mAb, 8019. 3H1 mimics CEA both functionally and structurally and acts
as a surrogate for CEA. To define the minimum structural requirements
for antigen mimicry by 3H1, we constructed plasmid vectors for express
ion of single chain Fv (scFv) variants of 3H1 in Escherichia coli. Var
iable heavy (VH) and variable light (VL) chain domains of 3H1 were lin
ked by a 15 amino acid linker (Ln), (Gly(4)Ser)(3) in two constructs,
VH-Ln-VL and VL-LnVH. Ln was omitted in two constructs, VH-VL and VL-V
H. Each of the scFv constructs has a tag of six His [(His)(6) tag] for
purification by metal chelate affinity chromatography and detection b
y enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). Comparisons of the bind
ing of 8019 to purified scFv proteins by ELISA and immunoblot experime
nts showed that only VH-Ln-VL had significant activity. VH-Ln-VL also
showed maximum inhibition of binding of 8019 to CEA. Immunization of m
ice with naked VH-Ln-VL and VH-Ln-VL conjugated to keyhole limpet hemo
cyanin induced anti-CEA antibodies in mouse sera. Sera from immunized
mice inhibited the binding of 8019 to 3H1 as well as CEA. Induction of
anti-CEA antibodies in the immunized mice was confirmed by flow cytom
etric analysis using CEA positive MC-38cea cells. These results demons
trate that for antigen mimicry of 3H1 scFv, the presence of Ln is nece
ssary and the domain order should be VH followed by VL. (C) 1998 Elsev
ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.