WO2011090648A2 - Inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) receptors and methods of use thereof - Google Patents

Inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) receptors and methods of use thereof Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2011090648A2
WO2011090648A2 PCT/US2010/061296 US2010061296W WO2011090648A2 WO 2011090648 A2 WO2011090648 A2 WO 2011090648A2 US 2010061296 W US2010061296 W US 2010061296W WO 2011090648 A2 WO2011090648 A2 WO 2011090648A2
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moiety
vegf receptor
amino acid
antibody
domain
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English (en)
French (fr)
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WO2011090648A3 (en
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Joseph Schlessinger
Yan Yang
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Yale University
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Yale University
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Priority to CN2010800599677A priority Critical patent/CN102724996A/zh
Priority to BR112012016309A priority patent/BR112012016309A2/pt
Priority to EP10844218.7A priority patent/EP2519253A4/en
Priority to IN5014DEN2012 priority patent/IN2012DN05014A/en
Priority to CA2785723A priority patent/CA2785723A1/en
Priority to US13/519,839 priority patent/US20130071397A1/en
Priority to SG2012040861A priority patent/SG181495A1/en
Priority to MX2012007745A priority patent/MX2012007745A/es
Priority to JP2012547128A priority patent/JP2013515776A/ja
Priority to RU2012132470/10A priority patent/RU2012132470A/ru
Application filed by Yale University filed Critical Yale University
Priority to AU2010343193A priority patent/AU2010343193A1/en
Publication of WO2011090648A2 publication Critical patent/WO2011090648A2/en
Publication of WO2011090648A3 publication Critical patent/WO2011090648A3/en
Priority to IL220147A priority patent/IL220147A0/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K39/395—Antibodies; Immunoglobulins; Immune serum, e.g. antilymphocytic serum
    • A61K39/39533—Antibodies; Immunoglobulins; Immune serum, e.g. antilymphocytic serum against materials from animals
    • A61K39/3955—Antibodies; Immunoglobulins; Immune serum, e.g. antilymphocytic serum against materials from animals against proteinaceous materials, e.g. enzymes, hormones, lymphokines
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K39/395—Antibodies; Immunoglobulins; Immune serum, e.g. antilymphocytic serum
    • A61K39/39533—Antibodies; Immunoglobulins; Immune serum, e.g. antilymphocytic serum against materials from animals
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P19/00—Drugs for skeletal disorders
    • A61P19/02—Drugs for skeletal disorders for joint disorders, e.g. arthritis, arthrosis
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P27/00—Drugs for disorders of the senses
    • A61P27/02—Ophthalmic agents
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P29/00—Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P35/00—Antineoplastic agents
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P43/00—Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
    • A61P9/10—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K16/00—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies
    • C07K16/18—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans
    • C07K16/28—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans against receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants
    • C07K16/2803—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans against receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants against the immunoglobulin superfamily
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K16/00—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies
    • C07K16/18—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans
    • C07K16/28—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans against receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants
    • C07K16/2863—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans against receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants against receptors for growth factors, growth regulators
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2/00—Peptides of undefined number of amino acids; Derivatives thereof
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N15/00—Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor
    • C12N15/01—Preparation of mutants without inserting foreign genetic material therein; Screening processes therefor
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/48—Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
    • G01N33/50—Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
    • G01N33/53—Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor
    • G01N33/573—Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor for enzymes or isoenzymes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/30—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by aspects of specificity or valency
    • C07K2317/34—Identification of a linear epitope shorter than 20 amino acid residues or of a conformational epitope defined by amino acid residues

Definitions

  • VEGF Vascular endothelial growth factors
  • VAGFR VEGF-receptor
  • RTK receptor tyrosine kinases
  • VEGFRl (Fltl), VEGFR2 (KOR/Flkl) and VEGFR3 (Flt4) are members of type-V RTK; a family containing a large extracellular region composed of seven Ig-like domains (D1-D7), a single transmembrane (TM) helix and cytoplasmic region with a tyrosine kinase activity and additional regulatory sequences.
  • the second and third Ig-like domains of the VEGFR ectodomain, e.g., D2 and D3, function as binding sites for the five members of the VEGF family of cytokines (i.e. VEGF-A, B, C, D and placenta growth factor (P1GF)) (Barleon et al, J. Biol.
  • the ectodomains of the PDGFR family of RTKs are composed of five Ig-like repeats of which Dl, D2, and D3 function as the ligand binding region of PDGFR and other members of the family (i.e., KIT, CSF1R, and Flt3).
  • Structural and biochemical experiments have shown that SCF binding to the extracellular region induces KIT dimerization, a step followed by homotypic contacts between the two membrane proximal Ig-like domains D4 and D5 of neighboring KIT molecules (Yuzawa et al, Cell, 130(2):323-334(2007)).
  • the present invention provides moieties, e.g., antibodies or antigen binding portions thereof, small molecules, peptidic molecules, aptamers, and adnectins, that bind to the ectodomain of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGF receptors), e.g., VEGFR1 (Fltl), VEGFR2 (KDR/Flkl) and VEGFR3( Flt4).
  • VEGF receptors vascular endothelial growth factor receptors
  • the moieties of the present invention may lock the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor in an inactive state thereby inhibiting the activity of the VEGF receptor.
  • the moiety locks the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor to a monomeric state.
  • the moiety allows the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor to dimerize but affects the positioning, orientation and/or distance between the Ig-like domains of the two monomers (e.g. , the D7-D7 domains of a VEGF receptor), thereby inhibiting the activity of the VEGF receptor.
  • the moiety may allow ligand induced dimerization of the VEGF receptor ectodomains, but affect the positioning of the two ectodomains at the cell surface interface or alter or prevent conformational changes in the VEGF receptors, thereby inhibiting the activity of the VEGF receptors (e.g.
  • the present invention is based, at least in part, on the deciphering of the crystal structure of part of the ectodomain of the VEGF2 receptor.
  • the deciphering of this crystal structure has allowed for the identification of epitopes, e.g. , conformational epitopes, which the moieties of the invention may target.
  • the present invention is also based, at least in part on the discovery that, rather than playing a role in receptor dimerization, the homotypic D7 interactions between neighboring receptors are required for precise positioning of the membrane proximal regions of two receptors at a distance and orientation that enable interactions between their cytoplasmic domains resulting in tyrosine kinase activation.
  • the present invention provides a moiety that binds to the ectodomain of a human vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF receptor), wherein the moiety locks the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor in an inactive state, thereby antagonizing the activity of the VEGF receptor.
  • VEGF receptor vascular endothelial growth factor receptor
  • the moiety binds to an Ig-like domain of a human VEGF receptor.
  • the Ig-like domain is not responsible for the binding of a ligand to the VEGF receptor.
  • the Ig-like domain is responsible for the binding of a ligand to the VEGF receptor.
  • the moiety does not block the interaction between the VEGF receptor and a ligand for the VEGF receptor. In another embodiment, the moiety blocks the interaction between the VEGF receptor and a ligand for the VEGF receptor. In one embodiment, the moiety does not prevent dimerization of the VEGF receptor. In another embodiment, the moiety prevents dimerization of the VEGF receptor.
  • the moiety prevents the interaction between a membrane proximal region of the ectodomain from each protomer of the VEGF receptor.
  • the interaction is homotypic. In yet another embodiment, the interaction is heterotypic.
  • the membrane proximal region of the ectodomain is the 7 th
  • Ig-like domain (D7) of a VEGF receptor the moiety binds to the following consensus sequence for the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor: L/I X 1 R ⁇ X 2 X 3 X 4 D/E X 5 G (SEQ ID NO: 158), wherein L is Leucine, I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, ⁇ is a hydrophobic amino acid, D is Aspartic Acid, E is Glutamic Acid, G is Glycine, and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 , X 4 and Xs are any amino acid.
  • ⁇ is Valine; is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid and Aspartic Acid;
  • X 2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Lysine and
  • Threonine is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine and Valine;
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Valine;
  • X5 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Serine and Glutamine.
  • the moiety causes the membrane proximal region of the ectodomain from each protomer of the VEGF receptor to be separated by a distance greater than about 16 A, 17 A, 18 A, 19 A or 20 A. In one embodiment, the moiety locks the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor in an inactive state.
  • the VEGF receptor is VEGFRl (Fltl). In another embodiment, the VEGF receptor is VEGFR2 (KDR/Flkl). In another embodiment, the VEGF receptor is VEGFR3 (Flt4).
  • the moiety binds to amino acid residue Arg726 of
  • the moiety binds to amino acid residue Asp731 of
  • the moiety binds to amino acid residues Arg726 and
  • the moiety binds to one or more amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 724, 725,
  • the moiety may bind within
  • the moiety binds to amino acid residue Arg720 of VEGFRl. In another embodiment, the moiety binds to amino acid residue Asp725 of VEGFRl. In another embodiment, the moiety binds to amino acid residues Arg720 and Asp725 of VEGFRl. In another embodiment, the moiety binds to one or more amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726 and 727 of VEGFRl. The moiety may bind within 1A, 2A, 3 A, 4A or 5 A of any of the foregoing amino acid residues.
  • the moiety binds to amino acid residue Arg737 of VEGFR3.
  • the moiety binds to amino acid residue Asp742 of VEGFR3. In another embodiment, the moiety binds to amino acid residues Arg737 and Asp742 of VEGFR3. In yet another embodiment, the moiety binds to one or more amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743 and 744 of VEGFR3. The moiety may bind within 1 A, 2A, 3A,
  • the moiety binds to a conformational epitope on the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the conformational epitope is composed of two or more residues in the D7 domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the conformational epitope comprises, or consists of, amino acid residues Arg726 and Asp731; Arg 720 and Asp 725; or Arg737 and Asp742.
  • the moiety will bind within 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A or 5A of the foregoing conformational epitopes.
  • the moiety binds to a contiguous epitope on the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is composed of two or more residues in the D7 domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is an epitope selected from the group consisting of 672 VAISSS 677 of VEGFR1, 678 TTLDCHA 684 of VEGFR1, 685 NGVPEPQ 691 of VEGFR1, 700 KIQQEPG 706 of VEGFR1, 707 IILG 710 of VEGFR1, 711 PGS 713 of VEGFR1, 714 STLFI 718 of VEGFR1, 719 ERVTEEDEGV 728 of VEGFR1, 689 VNVSDS 694 of VEGFR3, 695 LEMQCLV 701 of VEGFR3 , 702 AGAHAPS 708 of VEGFR3, 717 LLEEKSG 723 of VEGFR3 , 724 VDLA 727 of VEGFR3 , 728 DSN
  • the moiety blocks a ligand induced tyrosine
  • the moiety blocks a ligand induced internalization of the VEGF receptor.
  • the moiety which binds to the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor is an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof.
  • the antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof is selected from the group consisting of a human antibody, a humanized antibody, a bispecific antibody, and a chimeric antibody.
  • the antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a heavy chain constant region selected from the group consisting of IgGl, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgM, IgA and IgE constant regions.
  • the antibody heavy chain constant region is IgGl.
  • the antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof is selected from the group consisting of a Fab fragment, a F(ab')2 fragment, a single chain Fv fragment, an SMIP, an affibody, an avimer, a nanobody, and a single domain antibody.
  • the antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to an Ig-like domain of a receptor tyrosine kinase with a KD selected from the group consisting of 1 x 10 " M or less, more preferably 5 x
  • the invention provides a hybridoma which produces the antibody, or antigen binding portion thereof, which binds to the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor as described herein.
  • the moiety which binds to the ectodomain of a VEGF receptor is a small molecule.
  • the small molecule binds to at least one of the amino acid residues Arg726 or Asp731 of VEGFR2.
  • the small molecule binds to at least one of the amino acid residues Arg720 or Asp725 of VEGFR1.
  • the small molecule binds to at least one of the amino acid residues Arg737 or Asp742 of VEGFR3.
  • the moiety which binds to the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor is a peptidic molecule.
  • the peptidic molecule is designed based on an Ig-like domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the peptidic molecule is designed based on the D7 domain of the human VEGF receptor.
  • the peptidic molecule comprises the structure: L/I R ⁇ X 2 X 3 X 4 D/E X 5 G (SEQ ID NO: 158), wherein L is Leucine, I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, ⁇ is a hydrophobic amino acid, D is Aspartic Acid, E is Glutamic Acid, G is Glycine, and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 , X 4 and X 5 are any amino acid.
  • ⁇ is Valine; is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid and Aspartic Acid;
  • X 2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Lysine and Threonine;
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine and Valine;
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Valine;
  • X 5 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Serine and Glutamine.
  • the peptidic molecule comprises a structure which is at least 80%, 85%, 90% or 95% identical to amino acid residues 724-733, 678-683, 684- 690, 691-697, 706-712, 713-716, 717-719, 720-724 or 725-734 of human VEGFR2.
  • the peptidic molecule comprises a structure which is at least 80%, 85%, 90% or 95% identical to amino acid residues 718-727, 672-677, 678-684, 685-691, 700-706, 707-710, 711-713, 714-718 or 719-728 of human VEGFR1.
  • the peptidic molecule comprises a structure which is at least 80%, 85%, 90% or 95% identical to amino acid residues 735-744, 689-694, 695-701, 702-708, 717- 723, 724-727, 728-730, 731-735 or 736-745 of human VEGFR3.
  • the peptidic molecule comprises at least one D-amino acid residue.
  • the moiety which binds to the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor is an adnectin.
  • the invention provides a moiety that binds to a conformational epitope on the D7 domain of the human VEGF receptor and antagonizes the activity of the human VEGF receptor, wherein the conformational epitope comprises residues Arg726 and Asp731 of VEGFR2; residues Arg720 and Asp725 of VEGFRl ; or residues Arg737 and Asp742 of VEGFR3.
  • the invention provides a moiety that binds to amino acid residues Arg726 and Asp731 of VEGFR2; amino acid residues Arg720 and Asp725 of VEGFRl ; or amino acid residues Arg737 and Asp742 of VEGFR3, thereby
  • the invention provides a pharmaceutical composition
  • a pharmaceutical composition comprising a moiety which binds to the ectodomain of a VEGF receptor, as described herein, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • the invention provides a method of treating or preventing a VEGF receptor associated disease in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a moiety of the invention, thereby treating or preventing the disease.
  • the VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease is selected from the group consisting of cancer, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic retinopathy, a disease of the lymphatic system and pain associated diseases.
  • the cancer is selected from the group consisting of GIST, AML, SCLC, renal cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, lymphatic cancer and other cancers whose growth is supported by stroma.
  • the invention provides a method for identifying a moiety that binds to the ectodomain, e.g., an Ig-like domain, of a VEGF receptor, the method comprising: contacting a VEGF receptor with a candidate moiety; simultaneously or sequentially contacting the VEGF receptor with a ligand for the VEGF receptor; and determining whether the moiety affects the positioning, orientation and/or distance between the Ig- like domains of the ligand induced dimeric VEGF receptor, thereby identifying a moiety that binds to the ectodomain, e.g., an Ig-like domain, of a VEGF receptor.
  • the moiety locks the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor in an inactive state.
  • the moiety binds to a 7 Ig-like domain (D7) of the VEGF receptor.
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen- binding portion thereof, that binds to a conformational epitope on the D7 domain of a human VEGF receptor wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof, antagonizes the activity of the human VEGF receptor, and wherein the conformational epitope comprises residues Arg726 and Asp731 of VEGFR2.
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds to a conformational epitope on the D7 domain of a human VEGF receptor wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof, antagonizes the activity of the human
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds to a conformational epitope on the D7 domain of a human VEGF receptor wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof, antagonizes the activity of the human VEGF receptor, and wherein the conformational epitope comprises residues Arg737 and Asp742 of VEGFR3.
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen- binding portion thereof, that binds to amino acid residues 724-733 of VEGFR2, thereby antagonizing the activity of VEGFR2.
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds to amino acid residues 718- 727 of VEGFR1, thereby antagonizing the activity of VEGFR1.
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds to amino acid residues 735-744 of VEGFR3, thereby antagonizing the activity of VEGFR3.
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds at least one of the amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of Arg726 and Asp731 of a human VEGFR2, thereby antagonizing the activity of the human VEGFR2.
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds at least one of the amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of Arg720 and Asp725 of a human
  • the invention provides an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds at least one of the amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of Arg737 and Asp742 of a human VEGFR3, thereby antagonizing the activity of the human VEGFR3.
  • the present invention provides a moiety that binds to the ectodomain, e.g. , an Ig-like domain or a hinge region, of a human receptor tyrosine kinase, wherein the moiety locks the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase in an inactive state, thereby antagonizing the activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • the Ig-like domain may or may not responsible for the binding of a ligand to the receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • the moiety may or may not block the interaction between the receptor tyrosine kinase and a ligand for the receptor tyrosine kinase. In yet another embodiment, the moiety of the invention may or may not prevent dimerization of the receptor tyrosine kinase. In a further embodiment, the moiety of the invention may not prevent ligand induced receptor dimerization but will prevent the homotypic or heterotypic interactions between membrane proximal regions that are required for receptor tyrosine kinase activation.
  • a moiety of the invention prevents a homotypic or heterotypic interaction between a membrane proximal region of the ectodomain from each protomer of the receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • a moiety of the invention may cause the termini of the ectodomain (the ends of the ectodomain closest to the plasma membrane) from each protomer of the receptor tyrosine kinase to be separated by a distance greater than aboutl5 A, about 20 A, about 25 A, about 30 A, about 35 A or about 40 A.
  • the receptor tyrosine kinase is a type III receptor tyrosine kinase, e.g., Kit, PDGFRa, PDGFRp, CSF1R, Fms, Flt3 or Flk2.
  • the Ig-like domain which is bound by a moiety of the present invention is a D4 domain of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • the moiety binds to the following consensus sequence for the D4 interaction site: LX 1 RX 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 X 7 G wherein L is Leucine, R is Arginine, G is Glycine; , and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 , X 6 and X 7 are any amino acid.
  • Threonine is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Isoleucine, Valine, Proline, Asparagine, or Lysine
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Leucine, Valine, Alanine, and Methionine
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Histidine, Asparagine, and Arginine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Valine, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, and Methionine
  • X 5 is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Glutamine, and Aspartic acid
  • X 6 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Aspartic acid, and Glutamine
  • X 7 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Serine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Glutamine, and Threonine.
  • the Ig-like domain which is bound by a moiety of the present invention is a D5 domain of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase, e.g. , amino acid residues 309-413 or 410-519 of the human Kit.
  • a moiety of the present invention may bind to a consensus sequence of conserved amino acids from the D5 interaction site.
  • the moiety of the present invention binds to mutants of the type III receptor tyrosine kinase D4 or D5 domain or to mutants of the type V receptor tyrosine kinase D7 domain.
  • the moiety binds a point mutation in a mutant D5 domain of human Kit, wherein the mutation is selected from the group consisting of Thr417, Tyr418, Asp419, Leu421, Arg420, Tyr503, and Ala502.
  • the type III receptor tyrosine kinase is human Kit and the moiety of the invention binds to one or more amino acid residues, e.g. , 2 or more, 3 or more, 4 or more, 5 or more, 6 or more, 7 or more, 8 or more, 9 or more, 10 or more, 11 or more, 12 or more, 13 or more, 14 or more, 15 or more, 16 or more, 17 or more, or 18 or more amino acid residues, selected from the group consisting of those amino acid residues shown in Table 4 below.
  • amino acid residues e.g. , 2 or more, 3 or more, 4 or more, 5 or more, 6 or more, 7 or more, 8 or more, 9 or more, 10 or more, 11 or more, 12 or more, 13 or more, 14 or more, 15 or more, 16 or more, 17 or more, or 18 or more amino acid residues, selected from the group consisting of those amino acid residues shown in Table 4 below.
  • moieties of the invention may bind one or more of the following residues: Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206, P206, F208, K127, A207, V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, Y269, T295, L222, L222, L223, E306, V308, R224, V308, K310, K218, A219, S220, K218, A220, Y221, A339, D327, D398, E338, E368, E386, F312, F324, F340, F355, G311, G384, G387, G388, 1371, K342, K358, L382, L379, N326, N367, N370, N410, P341, S369, T385, V325, V407, V409, Y373, Y350, Y408, T380, T390,
  • the moiety of the invention binds at least one of the amino acid residues in the Kit receptor selected from the group consisting of K218, S220, Y221, L222, F340, P341, K342, N367, E368, S369, N370, 1371, and Y373 or at least one of the amino acid residues in the Kit receptor selected from the group consisting of Y350, R353, F355, K358, L379, T380, R381, L382, E386, and T390.
  • the moieties of the invention may bind to all of the residues forming a pocket or a cavity identified in Table 4 or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the pocket or the cavity.
  • moieties of the invention may be easily targeted to the residues corresponding to those listed above in other type III RTKs, e.g., those residues that form similar pockets or cavities or those in the same position by structural alignment or sequence alignment.
  • a moiety of the invention binds to amino acid residues
  • a moiety of the invention binds to amino acid residues 418 Tyr and/or 505 Asn of human Kit.
  • the moiety of the invention binds to the PDGFRa or PDGFRP receptor. In a similar embodiment, a moiety of the invention binds to amino
  • a moiety of the invention binds to a conformational epitope on a type III RTK.
  • the conformational epitope is composed of two or more residues from the D3, D4, or D5 domain or hinge regions from a type III RTK, e.g., the human Kit receptor or the PDGF receptor.
  • moieties of the invention may bind to conformational epitopes in the human Kit receptor composed of two or more residues, e.g., 2 or more, 3 or more, 4 or more, 5 or more, 6 or more, 7 or more, 8 or more, 9 or more, 10 or more, 11 or more, 12 or more, 13 or more, 14 or more, 15 or more, 16 or more, 17 or more, or 18 or more amino acid residues, selected from the group consisting of those amino acid residues listed in Table 4.
  • a moiety of the invention binds to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of Y125, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206.
  • a moiety of the invention may bind to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from one of the following groups of amino acids: P206, F208, V238, and S239; K127, A207, F208, and T295; L222, A339, F340, K342, E368, S369, N370, 1371, and Y373; L222, L223, E306, V308, F312, E338, F340, and 1371 ; R224, V308, K310, G311, F340, P341, and D398; K218, A219, S220, N367, E368, and S369; K218, A220, E368, and S369; G384, T385, T411, K412, E414, and K471 ; Y408, F433, G470, K471, and
  • the moieties of the invention may bind to all of the amino acid residues forming a pocket or a cavity identified in Table 4 or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the pocket or the cavity
  • a moiety of the invention binds to a conformational epitope wherein the conformational epitope is composed of two or more amino acid residues selected from the peptides listed in Table 5.
  • the conformational epitope is composed of one or more amino acid residues selected from a first peptide and one or more amino acid residues selected from a second peptide, wherein the first and second peptides are selected from the group of peptides listed in Table 5.
  • a moiety of the invention may bind a conformational epitope wherein the first and second peptide groups are as follows: Ala219-Leu222 and Thr304-Val308; Asp309-Gly311 and Arg224-Gly226; Thr303 - Glu306 and Ala219-Leu222; Asn367- Asn370 and Ser217-Tyr221 ; Ala339-Pro343 and Asn396-Val399; Ala339-Pro343 and Glu368-Arg372; Lys358-Tyr362 and Val374-His378; Asp357-Glu360 and Leu377- Thr380; Met351-Glu360 and His378-Thr389; His378-Thr389 and Val323-Asp332;
  • Val409-ne415 and Ala493-Thr500 Val409-Ile415 and Ala431-Thr437; Val409- Ee415 and Phe469-Val473; Val409-Ile415 and Val325-Asn330; Val409-Ile415 and Arg381- Gly387; Gly466-Leu472 and Gly384-Gly388; Val325-Glu329 and Tyr494-Lys499; Thr411-leu416 and Val497-Ala502; Ile415-Leu421 and Ala502-Ala507; Ala502- Ala507 and Lys484-Thr488; and Ala502-Ala507 and Gly445-Cys450.
  • the moieties of the invention may bind to all of the amino acid residues forming the foregoing first and second peptide groups or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the first
  • moieties of the present invention bind to receptor tyrosine kinases which are members of the VEGF receptor family (type V receptor tyrosine kinases), e.g., VEGFR- 1 (Fltl),VEGFR-2(Flkl) and VEGFR-3(Flt4).
  • type V receptor tyrosine kinases e.g., VEGFR- 1 (Fltl),VEGFR-2(Flkl) and VEGFR-3(Flt4).
  • the Ig-like domain bound by moieties of the present invention may, in some embodiments, be the D7 domain of a member of the VEGF receptor family
  • the moiety binds to the following consensus sequence for the D7 domain of a member of the VEGF receptor family: IX 1 RVX 2 X 3 EDX 4 G wherein I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, E is Glutamic Acid, D is Aspartic Acid, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are any amino acid.
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine and Threonine
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Lysine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Alanine (SEQ ID NO: 1).
  • the moiety of the present invention is an isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof.
  • the antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof may be a human antibody, a humanized antibody, a bispecific antibody, or a chimeric antibody.
  • the antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a heavy chain constant region selected from the group consisting of IgGl, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgM, IgA and IgE constant regions.
  • the antibody heavy chain constant region is IgGl .
  • the moiety of the present invention may be an antibody, or antigen binding portion thereof, wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof, is selected from the group consisting of a Fab fragment, a F(ab')2 fragment, a single chain Fv fragment, an SMIP, an affibody, an avimer, a nanobody, and a single domain antibody.
  • an antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof, of the present invention binds to an Ig-like domain of a receptor tyrosine kinase with a KD of 1 x 10 " M or less, more preferably 5 x
  • the isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, of the present invention binds to amino acid residues 309-413 and/or 410-519 of the human Kit, thereby locking the ectodomain of the human Kit in an inactive state and antagonizing the activity of human Kit.
  • the present invention includes a hybridoma which produces the antibody, or antigen binding portion thereof, of the present invention.
  • the moiety of the present invention is a small molecule.
  • the small molecule of the invention binds to one or more amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of those amino acid residues shown in Table 4.
  • small molecules of the invention may bind one or more of the following residues: Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206, P206, F208, K127, A207, V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, Y269, T295, L222, L222, L223, E306, V308, R224, V308, K310, K218, A219, S220, K218, A220, Y221, A339, D327, D398, E338, E368, E386, F312, F324, F340, F355, G311, G384, G387, G388, 1371, K342, K358, L38
  • the small molecule of the invention binds at least one of the amino acid residues in the Kit receptor selected from the group consisting of K218, S220, Y221, L222, F340, P341, K342, N367, E368, S369, N370, 1371, and Y373.
  • the small molecule of the invention binds at least one of the amino acid residues in the Kit receptor selected from the group consisting of Y350, R353, F355, K358, L379, T380, R381, L382, E386, and T390.
  • small molecules of the invention may be easily targeted to the residues corresponding to those listed above in other type III RTKs, e.g., those residues that form similar pockets or cavities or those in the same position by structural alignment or sequence alignment.
  • the moiety of the present invention is a peptidic molecule.
  • the peptidic molecule is designed based on an Ig-like domain of a receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • the peptidic molecule of the present invention is designed based on the D4 domain of Kit.
  • the peptidic molecule of the present invention may comprise a conserved D4 interaction site, e.g. , the D4 consensus sequence described above (LX 1 RX 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 7 G), or others generated by aligning or comparing D4 domains of type III receptor tyrosine kinases.
  • a peptidic molecule of the present invention comprises a structure which is at least 80% identical to amino acid residues 309-413 of human Kit or a structure which is at least 80% identical to amino acid residues 410-519 of human Kit.
  • the peptidic moities may also be designed based on the D5 domain of Kit, and, in further preferred embodiments, may comprise a consensus sequence generated by aligning or comparing D5 domains of type III receptor tyrosine kinases.
  • the peptidic molecule may be designed based on the sequence or consensus sequence of mutant D5 domains.
  • the peptidic moieties of the invention may be peptides comprising or consisting of any of the amino acid sequences identified herein (e.g., SEQ ID NOs: 1-89, 92, 93, and 105- 157).
  • the peptidic molecule of the present invention comprises at least one D- amino acid residue.
  • the moiety of the present invention is an adnectin.
  • the small molecules and peptidic molecules of the invention bind to conformational epitopes in the target RTKs. In other embodiments, the small molecules and peptidic molecules of the invention bind to epitopes in the target RTKs which are not conformational epitopes.
  • the present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising any of the moieties of the present invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • the invention provides methods of treating or preventing a receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease in a subject.
  • the methods include
  • the receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease is a lymphatic disease or cancer, e.g., GIST, AML, SCLC, melanoma, renal cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, lymphatic cancer and other cancers.
  • the invention provides methods of treating or preventing a receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease in a subject, by administering to the subject an effective amount of a moiety which binds the D3-D4 and/or a D4-D5 hinge region of a human type III receptor tyrosine kinase, thereby treating or preventing the disease.
  • the receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease is cancer, e.g., GIST, AML, SCLC, melanoma, renal cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, lymphatic cancer or other cancers.
  • the invention provides methods for identifying a moiety that binds to an Ig-like domain of a receptor tyrosine kinase and locks the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase to an inactive state.
  • the methods include contacting a receptor tyrosine kinase with a candidate moiety; simultaneously or sequentially contacting the receptor tyrosine kinase with a ligand for the receptor tyrosine kinase; and determining whether the moiety affects the positioning, orientation and/or distance between the Ig- like domains of the ligand induced dimeric receptor tyrosine kinase, thereby identifying a moiety that binds to an Ig-like domain of a receptor tyrosine kinase and locks the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase to an inactive state.
  • the invention provides methods for identifying a moiety that locks the ectodomain of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase to an inactive state.
  • the methods include contacting a type III receptor tyrosine kinase with a candidate moiety; simultaneously or sequentially contacting the receptor tyrosine kinase with a ligand for the receptor tyrosine kinase; and determining whether the moiety affects the positioning, orientation and/or distance between the D4-D4 or D5-D5 domains of the ligand induced dimeric receptor tyrosine kinase, thereby identifying a moiety that locks the ectodomain of the type III receptor tyrosine kinase to an inactive state.
  • Figures 1A-E depict the crystal structure of Kit ectodomain.
  • Figure 1A shows a ribbon diagram (left) and surface representation (right) of Kit ectodomain monomer.
  • Right panel shows a view following 90° rotation along the vertical axis of the view shown in the left panel.
  • Dl is colored in blue, D2 in green, D3 in yellow, D4 in orange and D5 in pink, N and C termini are labeled.
  • Disulfide bonds in Dl and D5 are shown in ball-and- stick rendering with sulfur atoms colored in orange.
  • Asparagine-linked carbohydrates are shown in a stick model.
  • Figure 1 B-E provides detailed views of the D1-D2 (B), D2-D3 (C), D3-D4 (D), and D4-D5 (E) interfaces. Color coding is the same as in Figure 1A. Amino acids that participate in domain-domain interactions are labeled and hydrogen bonds are drawn as dashed yellow lines. Secondary structure elements are designated according to IgSF nomenclature.
  • Figures 2A-B depict the crystal structure of the SCF-Kit ectodomain 2:2 complex.
  • Figure 2A shows a ribbon diagram of SCF-Kit 2:2 complex. Color coding of Dl to D5 is the same as in Figure 1 and SCF is colored in magenta. N and C termini of Kit and SCF are labeled.
  • Disulfide bonds in Dl and D5 are shown in ball-and-stick rendering with sulfur atoms colored in orange.
  • Asparagine-linked carbohydrates are represented in a stick model.
  • Figure 2B shows surface representations of SCF-Kit ectodomain 2:2 complex. The figure shows a top view (top), face view (center left), side view (center right) and bottom view (low). Color coding is the same as in A.
  • the views show that a SCF dimer interacts symmetrically with Dl, D2 and D3 of two corresponding Kit ectodomains.
  • Kit ectodomains form homophylic interactions through lateral contacts between D4 (orange) and between D5 (pink) of two neighboring receptors.
  • Figures 3A-E depict SCF recognition by Kit.
  • Figure 3A shows views of the SCF-Kit interface. Amino acids in the buried surfaces in SCF and Kit ectodomain are visualized by pulling apart the two molecules. The figure shows the molecular surface of Kit D1-D2-D3 (left) and SCF (right). Acidic amino acids are shown in red, basic amino acids in blue, polar amino acids in orange and hydrophobic amino acids in yellow. SCF binding site-I, site-II and site-Ill on Kit are circled.
  • Figure 3B depicts complementarity in the electrostatic potential in the ligand-receptor interface. The right panel shows a view following a rotation of 180° along the vertical axis of the electrostatic surface presented in the left panel.
  • Right panel depicts the electrostatic surface potential of SCF-bound Kit colored in blue (positive) and red (negative). Kit is shown in a form of ribbon diagram colored in cyan.
  • Figures 3C-E show close-up views of site-I (C), site-II (D) and site-Ill (E) of SCF-Kit interface.
  • SCF is colored in green and Kit in cyan. Interacting amino acids are labeled, hydrogen bonds are drawn as dashed yellow lines and secondary structure elements are marked on the ribbons and strands.
  • Figures 4A-C depict conformational changes in SCF upon binding to Kit.
  • Figure 4A shows that the angle between the two SCF protomers is altered upon Kit binding.
  • the view shows a cartoon diagram of free SCF (green) and SCF bound to Kit (magenta). Superimposition of the one SCF protomer (left) reveals an angular movement of approximately 5° of the second protomer (right), as measured for helix aC. Helices are labeled and shown as cylinders.
  • Figure 4B depicts the conformational change in the N-terminus of SCF upon Kit binding. Site-Ill of Kit is shown as a molecular surface (gray), the N-terminus of free SCF is shown in green and of SCF bound to Kit in magenta. Disulfide bond between Cys4' and Cys89' is shown as yellow spheres. Key amino acids are labeled and shown as a stick model.
  • Figure 4C depicts the
  • Figures 5A-B depict the reconfiguration of Kit D4 and D5 upon SCF binding.
  • Figure 5A shows the reconfiguration of D4 and D5 in the SCF- Kit complex .
  • the black outline shows the location of D4 and D5 of Kit ectodomain monomers bridged by SCF binding to the ligand binding region. Re-configuration of D4 and D5 leads to a movement of the C- termini of two neighboring ectodomains from 75 A to 15 A from each other.
  • Lower panel shows a view from the cell membrane (bottom view) of SCF-Kit complex. Note a 90° rotation along the x-axis. Color coding of Dl to D5 is the same as in Figure 1.
  • Figures 6A-D depict views of the D4-D4 and the D5-D5 interfaces.
  • Figure 6A top panel shows a 2Fo-Fc electron density map contoured at ⁇ . ⁇ level showing a view of the D4-D4 interface.
  • the backbones of Kit protomers are represented as pink and yellow tubes, respectively.
  • Figure 6B depicts the conservation of the D4-D4 dimerization motif across member of type-Ill and type-V RTK families.
  • Residues 370-398 of human Kit (AAC50969.1) (SEQ ID NO: 94) aligned with sequences of, mouse (AAH75716.1) (SEQ ID NO: 95), chicken (NP_989692.1) (SEQ ID NO: 96), xenopus laevis (AAH61947) (SEQ ID NO: 97), salamander (AAS91161.1) (SEQ ID NO: 98) and zebrafish (type A (SEQ ID NO: 99) and B (SEQ ID NO: 100) (NP_571128, XP_691901) homologs.
  • amino-acid sequences of CSFIR from human (P07333) (SEQ ID NO: 101), mouse (P09581) (SEQ ID NO: 102) and torafugu type A (SEQ ID NO: 103) and B (SEQ ID NO: 104) (P79750, Q8UVR8), and sequences from PDGFRa and
  • PDGFRP from human (SEQ ID NOS 105 and 107, respectively) (P16234, P09619) and mouse (SEQ ID NOs: 106 and 108, respectively) (NP_035188, P05622).
  • Amino acid sequences of type-V RTKs of human VEGFR type 1-3 (SEQ ID NOs: 109-lll, respectively, in order of appearance) (7 th Ig-like domain) (P17948, P35968 and P35916) are also presented. Secondary structure elements on Kit are labeled on the top of the sequence alignment. The conserved residues of Arg381 and Lys383, Leu382 and
  • Leu379, Glu386 and Gly388 are colored in blue, yellow, red and green, respectively.
  • Figure 6C depicts a ribbon diagram of a D5-D5 interface. Strands A and G of two adjacent Kit protomers participate in formation of the D5-D5 interface. The D5-D5 interface is maintained by lateral interactions between Tyr418 and Asn505 of two neighboring receptors probably through ion(s) or water molecule(s).
  • Figure 6D depicts the electrostatic potential surfaces of D4 and D5 of Kit. The figures show a face view of the D4-D4 interacting surface (right) and a view following 90° rotation along the vertical axis (left). The position of acidic patch and the D4-D4 interfaces are circled and the interacting residue Arg381 and Glu386 are labeled.
  • Figures 7A-C depict Kit ectodomain mutations implicated in cancer and other diseases and mechanism of Kit and other RTK activation.
  • Figure 7A depicts loss-of- function mutations responsible for the piebald trait are showin in the left panel.
  • Gain of function mutations responsible for GIST, SCLC and AML are shown in the right panel.
  • Surface representation of D4 and D5 in the homodimeric form is colored in gray.
  • Ala502 and Tyr503 that are duplicated in GIST are shown in blue and deletions and insertional mutations in proximity to Asp419 (AML and NCLL) are shown in green.
  • Kit activation is compromised by point mutants in D4-D4 interface.
  • HEK293 cells transiently expressing wild type Kit (WT), R381 A or E386A point mutations in D4 were stimulated with lOng/ml SCF for six minutes at 37 °C as indicated (upper left panel). Lysates of unstimulated or SCF stimulated cells were subjected to immunoprecipitation (IP) with anti-Kit antibodies followed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting (IB) with either anti- Kit or anti phosphotyrosine (p-Tyr) antibodies.
  • IP immunoprecipitation
  • IB immunoblotting
  • Densitometric quantitation of tyrosine autophosphorylation of Kit from anti- p-Tyr immunoblots (upper right panel). 3T3 cells stably expressing wild type Kit (WT) or the R381 A mutant were treated with different concentrations of SCF. Lysates from unstimulated or SCF stimulated cells were subjected to immunoprecipitation with anti-Kit antibodies followed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting with anti-Kit or anti- p-Tyr antibodies (lower left panel). Displacement assay of cell bound 125T SCF using native SCF.
  • 3T3 cells expressing WT ( ⁇ ), R381A ( ⁇ ), R381A/E386A ( ⁇ ), or a kinase negative Kit ( A ) were treated with 125I-SCF in the presence of increasing concentrations of native SCF.
  • the EC50 (ligand concentration that displaces 50% of 125 I-SCF bound to c-Kit) of SCF towards WT Kit (1.1 nM) is comparable to the EC50 of SCF towards R381A (1.0 nM), R381A/E386A (0.8 nM) or the kinase negative Kit mutant (1.4 nM).
  • Figure 7C shows models for Kit and other RTK activation driven by soluble (left panel) or membrane anchored (right panel) SCF molecules expressed on the cell surface of a neighboring cell.
  • SCF binding to the Dl- D2-D3 ligand binding module brings the C-termini of the two bound Kit ectodomain monomers within of 75A from each other.
  • the flexibility of the D3-D4 and D4-D5 hinges enable lateral D4-D4 and D5-D5 interactions that bring the C-termini of two neighboring ectodomains within 15 A from each other. Consequently, the increased proximity and local concentration of Kit cytoplasmic domains leads to
  • the model is based on free SCF structure, ligand-free Kit, SCF-Kit complex and Kit PTK structure (PDB entries 1QZJ, 1R01 and 1T45). Regions whose structures have not been determined were modeled using secondary structure prediction (green helices and black loops). SCF is colored in magenta, Kit ectodomain in blue and kit PTK is light blue.
  • Figure 8 depicts a structure based sequence alignment of type-Ill RTKs, based on Kit ectodomain structure, and structure based alignment of ligands for the type-Ill family RTKs. Each row shows alignment of an individual Ig-like domain. Amino acid sequences were manually aligned based on the IgSF fold characteristics, as determined by (Harpaz et al. (1994) J Mol Biol 238: 528-539) and within agreement with the secondary structure prediction of family members as calculated by Jpred (Cuff et al. (1998) Bioinformatics 14: 892-893).
  • Amino acids marked in red represent IgSF fold determining amino acids, ⁇ strands are labeled by arrows and a-helices by springs above the sequence, along with numbering for human Kit and human SCF. Residues of the ligand binding site showing reduced solvent accessibility upon ligand binding are marked by asterisks. Site-I is colored in black, site-II in red and site-Ill in green. The same color code is used for labeling interacting amino acid residues in SCF. The D4 EF loop that is responsible for D4-D4 interaction is boxed in cyan.
  • Kit human AAC50969
  • Kit mouse AAH75716
  • CSFR1 human P07333
  • PDGFRa human P1623
  • PDGFRp human P09619
  • Flt3 human P36888
  • Figure 9 provides a stereo view of overall structure of the 2:2 SCF-Kit complex. Ribbon model of the 2:2 SCF-Kit complex is shown in stereo representation. The view and the color code are the same as in Figure 2A.
  • Figures 10A-B depict the amino acid conservation at the surface of SCF-Kit complex.
  • Figure 10A shows the color-coded conservation pattern of the SCF-Kit crystal structure complex. Cyan through maroon are used for labeling from variable to conserved amino acids.
  • Figure 10B shows a visualization of SCF and Kit by pulling away the two molecules from each other. Site I, Site II, and Site III and the D4-D4 interacting region (D4-D4 interface) are circled.
  • Figures 11A-B depict the electron densities of the SCF-Kit interface.
  • FIG. 11A shows a partial view of site-II of the 2:2 SCF-Kit complex with a 2Fo-Fc electron- density map drawn around Kit at 2 ⁇ level.
  • Kit main chain is drawn in yellow tubes except for labeled side chains.
  • Figure 11B depicts the electron densities of the SCF-Kit interface, showing a partial view of free Kit with an experimental map drawn around Kit at 1.5 ⁇ level. Orientation and color code are the same as in Figure 12A.
  • Figures 12A-D depict views of superimposed pairs of Ig-like domains from free and SCF bound Kit. Individual Dl, D2, D3, and D4 from free and SCF bound Kit are superimposed. Shown are structures of pairs of Ig-like domains (A) Dl and D2, (B) D2 and D3, (C) D3 and D4 and (D) D4 and D5 in which the superimposed Ig-like domain in each pair is colored in blue and the second (not superimposed) Ig-like domain is colored in green for free ectodomain and in red for SCFbound ectodomain.
  • Figures 13A-B depict the electrostatic surface potential of the SCF- Kit complex structure.
  • Figure 13A specifically shows the SCF-Kit 2:2 complex.
  • Figure 13B depicts the electrostatic surface potential of the SCF-Kit complex structure, specifically a visualization of the electrostatic surface potential of Kit after SCF was pulled away from the SCF-Kit 2:2 complex.
  • Positively and negatively charged surfaces are colored in blue and red, respectively.
  • the SCF binding region and the D4-D4 interface are circled.
  • Figure 14 depicts the inhibition of SCF-induced Kit activation by anti Kit-D5 antibodies.
  • 3T3 cells expressing Kit were incubated with increasing concentrations of anti-Kit D5 (directed against fifth Ig-like domain of Kit) or as controls with anti-SCF (directed against the SCF ligand), or anti-Kit ectodomain (directed against the entire Kit ectodomain).
  • Figure 15 depicts the inhibition of SCF induced Kit activation using
  • 3T3 cells expressing Kit were incubated with increasing concentrations of recombinant Kit-D4 for 10 minutes at room temperature followed by 10 minutes SCF stimulation.
  • Figure 16A demonstrates that PDGF- induced PDGFR activation is prevented by point mutations in D4.
  • PDGFR-/- MEFs expressing WT PDGFR or D4 mutants were serum starved overnight and stimulated with the indicated
  • PDGF BB concentrations of PDGF BB for 5 minutes.
  • Cell ly sates were immunoprecipitated with anti-PDGFR antibodies, followed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting with anti- phosphotyrosine antibody 4G10.
  • Membranes were stripped off, and re -blotted with anti- flag tag antibodies to determine total PDGFR levels.
  • FIG 16B demonstrates that signaling via PDGFR is prevented by point mutations in D4.
  • PDGFR-/- MEFs expressing WT PDGFR and D4 mutants (R385A and E390A) were serum starved overnight and stimulated with indicated concentrations of PDGF BB for 5 minutes at 23 C°.
  • Equal amounts of total cell lysates (TCL) were subjected to SDS-PAGE and analyzed by immunoblotting with anti-phospho-MAPK, MAPK, phospho-Akt and Akt, respectively This experiment shows that both MAPK response and Akt activation are prevented by point mutations in D4.
  • Figure 16C demonstrates that point mutations in D4 that prevent PDGFR activation do not interfere with PDGF-induced PDGFR dimerization.
  • PDGFR-/- MEFs expression WT or the E390A mutant were serum starved overnight, followed by incubation with the indicated amount of PDGF in DMEM/50mM Hepes buffer (pH7.4) at 4°C for 90 minutes. After removing unbound ligand, cells were incubated with 0.5mM disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS) in PBS for 30 minutes.
  • DSS disuccinimidyl suberate
  • Lysates of unstimulated or stimulated cells were subjected to immunoprecipitation with anti-PDGFR antibodies followed by SDS-PAGE analysis and by immunoblotting with anti-flag antibodies (left panel) or anti-pTyr antibodies (right panel).
  • Figure 17 shows cavities in the D3-D4 hinge region. Several cavities are scattered on the D3-D4 interface in the ectodomain monomer structure. The amino acids involved in defining the cavities are summarized in Table 4 (below).
  • the D3-D4 hinge region is altered resulting in formation of a shallow cavity created by the following residues: K218, S220, Y221, L222 from D3 and F340, P341, K342, N367, E368, S369, N370, 1371, Y373 from D4.
  • Figure 17 shows a ribbon diagram of the D3-D4 hinge region of unoccupied monomers (A) and SCF-bound dimers (B) and a mesh representation of the D3-D4 pocket.
  • Figure 18 shows cavities in the D4-D5 hinge region.
  • a small cavity is formed by the AB loop and the EF loop of D4, the D4-D5 connecting linker and part of DE loop and FG loop of the D5 of Kit monomer. Residues defining the cavities are summarized in Table 4 (below). The shape and size of the cavities are changed in the Kit ectodomain dimeric structure.
  • the major cavities formed by the EF loop and strand G of D4, the D4-D5 linker and strand B and DE loop of D5 are located beneath the EF loop of D4; a region critical for formation of the D4 homotypic interface.
  • FIG. 18 shows a ribbon diagram of unoccupied monomers (A) and SCF-dimers (B) and a mesh representation of a shallow cavity around the D4-D5 hinge region.
  • Figure 19 shows a cavity at the region mediating D4 homotypic interactions.
  • a concave surface formed by the CD loop and EF loop of Kit D4 is located right above the D4 homotypic interface. Residues, Y350, R353, F355, K358, L379, T380, R381, L382,
  • E386 and T390 from D4 provide a surface area of approximately 130 A for the concave surface in the ectodomain dimeric structure.
  • the side chain of Glu386 that plays an important role in the D4 homotypic interface projects toward the center of the surface.
  • a characteristic feature of the concave surface is a small hydrophobic patch surrounded by charged residues (Glu386 and Lys358). The size and accessibility of the surface is altered upon homotypic D4:D4 interactions with changes taking place in the
  • Panel A in the figure below shows a ribbon diagram of the unoccupied D4 domain of Kit (gold) overlaid onto the ligand-occupied Kit D4 (not shown) with different conformations of the CD and EF loops between ligand-occupied (green) and unoccupied ectodomain structures (red).
  • the critical residues for the D4:D4 interactions are shown in a stick model format.
  • Panels B and C show ribbon diagrams of unoccupied Kit ( Figure 19B) and SCF-occupied Kit structures ( Figure 19C) and a mesh presentation of shallow cavity above D4 homotypic interface.
  • Figure 20 shows a concave surface at the ligand-binding D2 and D3 regions.
  • a shallow concave surface is located on part of the ligand-binding surface of D2 and D3.
  • Residues involved in the small pocket are Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206 and F208 from D2 and V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268 and Y269 from D3.
  • the pocket is created by a small hydrophobic patch surrounded by hydrophilic residues.
  • There is no major alteration between unoccupied and SCF- occupied Kit structures with an overall buried surface area of approximately 500 A .
  • Figures A and B show ribbon diagrams of unoccupied Kit (A) and SCF-bound Kit (B) and a mesh presentation of the D2-D3 pocket.
  • Figure 21 depicts a structure-based sequence analysis and homology modeling of membrane proximal region of PDGF receptors.
  • Figure 21 A depicts an alignment of amino acid sequences (SEQ ID NOS 148-157, respectively, in order of appearance) of D4 of PDGFRa, PDGFRp, and Kit.
  • the amino acids of key residues of the IgSF fold and the core residues of the Ig-fold of D4 of human Kit structure are colored in red and green, correspondingly.
  • the two key basic and acidic residues responsible for D4 homotypic interaction are boxed in blue and red, respectively.
  • FIG. 2 IB depicts a model of the membrane proximal region of extracellular domain of PDGFR.
  • the membrane proximal region of PDGFRP ectodomain is colored in white and shown as ribbons with a transparent molecular surface (D4 colored in orange, and D5 colored in pink; left panel).
  • a closer view (right panel) of the D4-D4 interface of two neighboring PDGFRP molecules demonstrates that interactions between D4 are mediated by residues Arg385 and Glu390 projected from two adjacent EF loop. Key amino acids are labeled and shown as a stick model.
  • Figure 22 depicts the results of experiments demonstrating that PDGF-induced PDGFR activation is compromised by mutations in D4.
  • Figure 22A shows the results of an experiment demonstrating that the PDGF-induced tyrosine autophosphorylation of PDGFRP is strongly compromised in cells expressing the E390A, R385A, RE/AA, and RKE/AAA mutants of PDGFRp.
  • Figure 22B is a graph showing the displacement curves of wild type and mutant PDGFRPs. The IC50 values were determined by curve fitting with Prism4.
  • Figure 22C depicts the results from an immunoblot demonstrating that the R385A, E390A or RE/AA mutations do not influence the intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity of PDGFR.
  • Figure 23 depicts the results from an immunoprecipitation experiment demonstrating that PDGF- stimulated PDGFRP mutated in the D4 domain are expressed on the cell surface in the form of inactive dimers.
  • Cell lysates were immunoprecipitated with anti-PDGFR antibodies and immunopelletes were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotted with anti-flag antibodies (left panel) and antiphosphotyrosine antibodies (right panel) respectively.
  • Figure 24 depicts the results from an immunoprecipitation experiment demonstrating that PDGF-induced cellular responses are compromised by mutations in the PDGFRP D4 mutant.
  • Figure 25 depicts the results from an experiment demonstrating that PDGF stimulation of actin ring formation is compromised in MEFs expressing PDGFR D4 mutants. While approximately 83% of MEFs expressing WT PDGFR exhibited circular actin ring formation, only 5% of PDGFR D4 mutant cells showed similar circular actin ring formation after 2 minutes stimulation with 50ng/ml of PDGF. Furthermore, the transient circular actin ring formation that peaks in MEFs expressing WT PDGFR after 2-5 minutes of PDGF stimulation was weakly detected in cells expressing the R385A, E390A or the RE/AA PDGFR mutants.
  • Figure 26 depicts the results of experiments demonstrating that PDGFR internalization and ubiquitin-mediated PDGFR degradation are compromised by mutations in D4 of PDGFR.
  • Figure 26A is a graph demonstrating that the kinetics of internalization of 125 I labeled PDGF bound to MEFs expressing WT PDGFR is much faster than the kinetics of internalization of 125 I labeled PDGF bound to cells expressing the E390A, R385A or the RE/AA PDGFR.
  • Figure 26B shows that the kinetics of degradation of R385A, E390A or the RE/AA PDGFR mutants was strongly attenuated; and while half of WT PDGFRs were degraded within 1.5 hour of PDGF stimulation, the half-life for PDGFR D4 mutants was extended to approximately 4 to 6 hours.
  • Figure 26C depicts an experiment showing that PDGF induced stimulation of ubiquitination of the E390A PDGFR was also strongly reduced as compared to WT PDGFR under similar conditions.
  • Figure 27 depicts the results of experiments demonstrating that disruption of the D4 interface blocks oncogenic mutations in KIT. SCF stimulation of wild type KIT leads to enhancement of KIT activation revealed by enhanced tyrosine
  • Figure 28 depicts the results of an immunoblot experiment demonstrating that antibodies directed against a peptide corresponding to the homotypic interaction motif of KIT-D4, recognize the full length KIT receptor.
  • Figure 29A depicts a structure-based multiple sequence alignment of a predicted EF-loop region of D7 of VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 from different species. Key amino acids in the I-set Ig frame are highlighted in green, and the conserved Arg/Asp pair in the EF loop is highlighted in red.
  • Figure 29B depicts a comparison of a predicted EF- loop region of D4 from VEGFR and D4 of KIT, CSF1R and PDGFRs (type-Ill RTK). Key amino acids in the I-set Ig frame are highlighted in green, and the conserved Arg/Asp or Glu pair in the EF loop is highlighted in red. Non conserved amino acids with opposite charge in the EF-loop are highlighted in blue. The conserved Y-conner motif is marked with *.
  • Figure 30 demonstrates that ligand induced activation of VEGFR2 is
  • Figure 30A demonstrates that HEK293 cells transiently expressing wild-type VEGFR2, the R726A or E731A VEGFR2 mutants were stimulated with indicated amount of VEGF for 5 minutes at 37° C. Lysates from unstimulated or VEGF stimulated cells were subjected to immunoprecipitation with anti-VEGFR2 antibodies followed by immunoblotting (IB) with anti-pTyr, or with anti-VEGFR2 antibodies. Total cell lysate from the same experiment was analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblotting with anti-phosphoMAPK (pMAPK) or anti-MAPK antibodies.
  • pMAPK anti-phosphoMAPK
  • Figure 30B demonstrates that serum starved 3T3 cells stably expressing WT VEGFR2-PDGFR chimeric receptor or chimeric receptors harboring mutations in D7 region (R726A, D731A or R726/D731 double mutants RD/2A) were stimulated with VEGF for 5 minutes at 37° C. Lysates from unstimulated or VEGF stimulated cells were subjected to immunoprecipitation with antibodies against the cytoplasmic region of the chimeric receptor followed by immunoblotting with either anti-pTyr or anti-tag (FLAG) antibodies, respectively.
  • Figure 30C demonstrates that serum starved 3T3 cells stably expressing WT VEGFR1-PDGFR chimeric receptor or chimeric receptors harboring mutation in the D7 region (R721A, D725A or R721D725/2A double mutations) were stimulated with VEGF for 5 minutes at 37° C. Lysates from
  • unstimulated or VEGF stimulated cells were subjected to immunoprecipitation with antibodies directed against the cytoplasmic region of the chimeric receptor followed by immunoblotting with either anti-pTyr or anti-tag (FLAG) antibodies, respectively.
  • Figure 30D demonstrates that 3T3 cells expressing WT VEGFR2-PDGFR chimeric receptor or chimeric receptors harboring mutations in D4 region (D392A or
  • Figure 31 depicts the structure of the VEGFR2 ectodomain D7 dimer.
  • Figure 31A depicts a ribbon diagram and a transparent molecular surface of D7 homodimer structure (side view). Asp731 and Arg726 are shown as a stick model.
  • Figure 3 IB depits a close view of the homotypic D7 interface of the two neighboring molecules (pink and green). Salt bridges formed by Asp731 and Arg726 are shown as dashed lines.
  • Figure 31C depicts the charge distribution of D7 homodimer (side view) as a surface potential model (Left panel). View of D7 surface that mediates homotypic contacts (Right panel).
  • Figure 3 ID depicts a 2Fo-Fc electron density map contoured at ⁇ . ⁇ level, showing a view of the D7-D7 interface.
  • the backbones of VEGFR D7 protomers are represented as pink and yellow tubes, respectively.
  • Figure 32 depicts the superposition of the structure of D7 of VEGFR2 with the structure of D4 of the dimeric KIT-SCF complex.
  • Overlay of VEGFR D7 structure (PDB ID code: 3KVQ) and KIT dimer in complex with SCF (PDB ID code: 2E9W) (left panel).
  • a closer view of superimposed D7 and D4 regions reveal high similarity in domain arrangement and homotypic contacts (right panel).
  • VEGFR D7 is illustrated in green and the EF loop is in yellow.
  • D4 of KIT is illustrated in grey and its EF loop is in orange.
  • Figure 33 depicts a phylogenetic analysis of VEGFR 1 and VEGFR2.
  • Figure 33A depicts the location of the conserved EF-loop in Type-Ill and Type-V RTKs from various species. Ig-like domains containing a conserved EF-loop motif are marked in blue.
  • Figure 33B depicts the color-coded conservation pattern of VEGFR2 D7 region. Amino acid sequences of human VEGFR were used as query to search non-redundant database (nr) for homologous sequences, using PSTBLAST (Altschul et al., J. Mol. Boiol., 215(3):403-410 (1990)).
  • VEGFR2_HUMAN gi: 11321597), VEGFR2_DOG (gi: 114158632), VEGFR2_HORSE (gi: 194209154), VEGFR2_CATTLE (gi: 158508551), VEGFR2_RAT (gi:56269800), VEGFR2_MOUSE (gi:27777648), VEGFR2_CHICK (gi:52138639), VEGFR2_QUAIL (gi: 1718188), VEGFR2_ZEBRARISH (gi:46401444), VEGFR 1_HUM AN
  • VEGFRl_MOUSE gi: 148673892
  • VEFGR1_RAT gi: 149034835
  • VEFGRl_HORSE gi: 149730119
  • VEGFR1_CHICK gi:82105132
  • VEGFR1_ZEBRAFISH (gi:72535148), VEGFR_SEAURCHIN (gi: 144226988), VER 1 _C_ELEG ANS (gi:6003694), VER3_C_ELEGANS (gi:3877967),
  • VER4_C_ELEGANS gi:3877968
  • PVR_DROSOPHILA gi:45552252
  • VEGFR_SEASQUIRT (gi: 198434052). Detailed Description Of The Invention
  • the present invention provides moieties, e.g. , antibodies or antigen binding portions thereof, small molecules, peptidic molecules, aptamers, and adnectins, that bind to the ectodomain, e.g. , an Ig-like domain or a hinge between Ig-like domains, of a human receptor tyrosine kinase, e.g., a VEGF receptor, such as the human VEGFR1 (Fltl), VEGFR2 (KDR/Flkl) and VEGFR3 (Flt4).
  • the moieties of the present invention can lock the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor in an inactive state thereby inhibiting the activity of the VEGF receptor.
  • the moiety locks the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor to a monomeric state.
  • the moiety allows the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor to dimerize but affects the positioning, orientation and/or distance between the Ig-like domains of the two monomers (e.g. , the D7-D7 domains of a VEGF receptor), thereby inhibiting the activity of the VEGF receptor.
  • the moiety may allow ligand induced dimerization of the VEGF receptor ectodomains, but affect the positioning of the two ectodomains at the cell surface interface or alter or prevent conformational changes in the VEGF receptors, thereby inhibiting the activity of the VEGF receptors (e.g. , inhibiting receptor internalization and/or inhibiting tyrosine autophosphorylation of the receptor and/or inhibiting the ability of the receptor to activate a downstream signaling pathway).
  • the present invention is based, at least in part, on the deciphering of the crystal structures of the entire ectodomain of the VEGF receptor VEGFR2. The deciphering of this crystal structure has allowed for the identification of epitopes, e.g. , conformational epitopes, which the moieties of the invention may target.
  • the term "moiety" is intended to include any moiety binds to the ectodomain, e.g. , an Ig-like domain of a receptor tyrosine kinase, where the moiety locks the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase in an inactive state, e.g., a monomeric state, thereby antagonizing the activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • the moiety can be an isolated antibody, or antigen binding portion thereof; a small molecule; a peptidic molecule (e.g.
  • the moiety binds to the hinge regions connecting Ig-like domains of the receptor tyrosine kinase (e.g. , the D3-D4 or the D4-D5 hinge regions of Type III RTKs).
  • the moiety will bind to specific sequences of the human 5 VEGF receptor, for example, residues 718-727 of VEGFR1, Arg720 and Asp725 of VEGFR1, residues 724-733 of VEGFR2, Arg726 and Asp731 of VEGFR2, residues 735-744 of VEGFR3, or residues Arg737 and Asp742 of VEGFR3.
  • the moiety will alternatively bind to specific sequences of the human Kit receptor, for example, residues 309-413, residues 410-519, 381 Arg and 386 Glu, or 418 Tyr and 505 Asn of the human Kit. 10 Residues 309-413 comprise the D4 domain and residues 410-519 comprise the D5
  • Residues Arg and Glu are residues in the D4 domain of Kit which are shown herein to be important for the non-covalent association of the D4 domain and, hence, the dimerization of the receptor. Similarily, residues 418 Tyr and 505 Asn are 15 residues in the D5 domain of Kit which are shown herein to be important for
  • dimerization of the receptor One of skill in the art will appreciate that a moiety which specifically binds to the aforementioned residues can antagonize the activity of the receptor by, for example, preventing dimerization of the two monomeric Kit or VEGF receptor molecules.
  • the moiety binds to a mutated amino acid residue in the human VEGF receptor wherein the amino acid residure is at least one of Arg720 or Asp 725 of VEGFR1, Arg726 or Asp731 of VEGFR2, or Arg737 or Asp742 of
  • the moiety binds to a mutated amino acid residue in the human Kit wherein the amino acid residure is at least one of 417 Thr, 418 Tyr, 419 Asp, o c 421 420 503 ⁇ 502 ⁇ ,
  • moieties of the invention bind to one or more residues in the Kit receptor which make up the small cavities or pockets described in Table 4 (below).
  • moieties of the invention may bind to one or more of the following residues in the D3-D4 hinge region of the Kit receptor: K218, S220, Y221,
  • the moieties of the invention may also bind to one or more of the following residues which make up a concave surface in the D4 domain of the Kit receptor: Y350, R353, F355, K358, L379, T380, R381, L382, E386 and T390.
  • moieties of the invention bind to one or more of the following residues which form a pocket in the D2-D3 hinge region of the Kit receptor: Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206 and F208 from the D2 domain and V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268 and Y269 from the D3 domain.
  • a moiety of the invention may bind to contiguous or non-contiguous amino acid residues and function as a molecular wedge that prevents the motion required for positioning of the membrane proximal region of the RTK at a distance and orientation that enables tyrosine kinase activation.
  • the moieties of the invention may also act to prevent homotypic or heterotypic D4 or D5 receptor interactions or destabilize the ligand- receptor interaction site.
  • moieties of the invention bind to one or more of the following residues on the Kit receptor: Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206, P206, F208, K127, A207, V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, Y269, T295, L222, L222, L223, E306, V308, R224, V308, K310, K218, A219, S220, K218, A220, Y221, A339, D327, D398, E338, E368, E386, F312, F324, F340, F355, G311, G384, G387, G388, 1371, K342, K358, L382, L379, N326, N367, N370, N410, P341, S369, T385, V325, V407, V409, Y373, Y350, Y408,
  • moieties of the invention may be easily targeted to the corresponding residues in other type III RTKs, e.g., those residues that form similar pockets or cavities or those in the same position by structural alignment or sequence alignment.
  • a moiety of the invention binds to a conformational epitope or a discontinuous epitope on a type III RTK.
  • discontinuous epitope may be composed of two or more residues from the D3, D4, and/or D5 domain or the D4-D5 or D3-D4 hinge regions from a type III RTK, e.g., the human Kit receptor or the PDGF receptor.
  • the conformational or discontinuous epitope may be composed of two or more of the residues listed in Table 4.
  • a moiety of the invention binds to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of Y125, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206, V238, S239, S240, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, and Y269.
  • a moiety of the invention may bind to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from one of the following groups of amino acids: P206, F208, V238, and S239; K127, A207, F208, and T295; L222, A339, F340, K342, E368, S369, N370, 1371, and Y373; L222, L223, E306, V308, F312, E338, F340, and 1371 ; R224, V308, K310, G311, F340, P341 , and D398; K218, A219, S220, N367, E368, and S369; K218, A220, E368, and S369; G384, T385, T411, K412, E414, and K471 ; Y408, F433, G470, K471, and L472; F324, V325, N326, and N410;D327, N410, T411, K41
  • the moieties of the invention may bind to all of the amino acid residues forming a pocket or a cavity identified in Table 4 or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the pocket or the cavity It is to be understood that, in certain embodiments, when reference is made to a moiety of the invention binding to an epitope, e.g., a conformational epitope, the intention is for the moiety to bind only to those specific residues that make up the epitope (e.g. , the pocket or cavity identified in Table 4) and not other residues in the linear amino acid sequence of the receptor.
  • an epitope e.g., a conformational epitope
  • a moiety of the invention binds to a conformational epitope wherein said epitope is composed of two or more amino acid residues selected from the peptides listed in Table 5.
  • the conformational epitope is composed of one or more amino acid residues selected from a first peptide and one or more amino acid residues selected from a second peptide, wherein the first and second peptides are selected from the group of peptides listed in Table 5.
  • a moiety of the invention may bind a conformational epitope wherein the said first and second peptide groups from Table 5 are as follows: Ala219-Leu222 and Thr304-Val308; Asp309-Gly311 and Arg224-Gly226; Thr303 - Glu306 and Ala219-Leu222; Asn367- Asn370 and Ser217-Tyr221 ; Ala339-Pro343 and Asn396-Val399; Ala339-Pro343 and Glu368-Arg372; Lys358-Tyr362 and Val374-His378; Asp357-Glu360 and Leu377- Thr380; Met351-Glu360 and His378-Thr389; His378-Thr389 and Val323-Asp332; Val409-ne415 and Ala493-Thr500; Val409-Ile415 and Ala431-Thr437;
  • the moieties of the invention may bind to all of the amino acid residues forming the foregoing first and second peptide groups or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the first and second peptide groups. It is to be understood that, in certain embodiments, when reference is made to a moiety of the invention binding to an epitope, e.g. , a
  • conformational epitope the intention is for the moiety to bind only to those specific residues that make up the epitope (e.g. , the specific peptides identified in Table 5) and not other residues in the linear amino acid sequence of the receptor.
  • a moiety of the invention binds to a conformational or discontinuous epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of E33, P34, D72, E76, N77, K78, Q79, K158, D159, N250, S251, Q252, T253, K254, L255, N260, W262, H264, G265, E344, N352, R353, F355, T356, D357, Y362, S365, E366, N367, N370, and G466.
  • a moiety of the invention binds to a contiguous epitope on the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is composed of two or more residues in the D7 domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is composed of two or more residues in the D7 domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • 672 677 contiguous epitope is an epitope selected from the group consisting of VAISSS of VEGFR1, 678 TTLDCHA 684 of VEGFR1, 685 NGVPEPQ 691 of VEGFR1, 700 KIQQEPG 706 of VEGFR1, 707 IILG 710 of VEGFR1, 711 PGS 713 of VEGFR1, 714 STLFI 718 of VEGFR1, 719 ERVTEEDEGV 728 of VEGFR1, 689 VNVSDS 694 of VEGFR3, 695 LEMQCLV 701 of VEGFR3 , 702 AGAHAPS 708 of VEGFR3, 717 LLEEKSG 723 of VEGFR3 , 724 VDLA 727 of VEGFR3 , 728 DSN 730 of VEGFR3, 731 QKLSI 735 of VEGFR3, and 736 QRVREEDAGR 745 of VEGFR3, 678 TSIGES 683 of VEGFR2, 684 IEVSCTA 690 of VEGFR2,
  • a moiety of the invention binds to amino acid residues
  • 385 390 381 residues Arg and Glu of human PDGFRP are analogous to the residues Arg and 386 Glu of the Kit receptor and mediate homotypic D4-D4 interactions of PDGFRp.
  • Moieties of the invention may exert their inhibitory effect on receptor activation by
  • moieties of the invention may be targeted to the conserved regions of the D4 or D5 domains of type III RTKs. It will also be appreciated by one of skill in the art that a moiety of the invention may bind to sugar residues which may appear on a glycosylated form of an RTK. It is further possible that a moiety of the invention will bind an epitope that is composed of both amino acid residues and sugar residues.
  • Receptor tyrosine kinase and “RTK” are used interchangeably herein to refer to the well known family of membrane receptors that phosphorylate tyrosine residues. Many play significant roles in development or cell division. Receptor tyrosine kinases possess an extracellular ligand binding domain, a transmembrane domain and an intracellular catalytic domain.
  • the extracellular domains bind cytokines, growth factors or other ligands and are generally comprised of one or more identifiable structural motifs, including cysteine-rich regions, fibronectin III- like domains, immunoglobulin- like domains, EGF-like domains, cadherin-like domains, kringle-like domains, Factor VIITlike domains, glycine-rich regions, leucine -rich regions, acidic regions and discoidin-like domains.
  • Activation of the intracellular kinase domain is achieved by ligand binding to the extracellular domain, which induces dimerization of the receptors.
  • a receptor activated in this way is able to autophosphorylate tyrosine residues outside the catalytic domain, facilitating stabilization of the active receptor conformation.
  • the phosphorylated residues also serve as binding sites for proteins which will then transduce signals within the cell.
  • RTKs include, but are not limited to, Kit receptor (also known as Stem Cell Factor receptor or SCF receptor), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptors, insulin receptor, insulin-like growth factor- 1 (IGF-1) receptor, nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors, PDGF-receptor-a, PDGF-receptor- ⁇ , CSF-1 -receptor (also known as M-CSF-receptor or Fms), and the Flt3-receptor (also known as Flk2).
  • Kit receptor also known as Stem Cell Factor receptor or SCF receptor
  • FGF fibroblast growth factor
  • HGF hepatocyte growth factor
  • IGF-1 insulin-like growth factor- 1
  • NGF nerve growth factor
  • VEGF vascular endothelial growth factor
  • PDGF-receptor-a also known as M-CSF-receptor or Fms
  • the RTK is a type III RTK.
  • the RTK is a type V RTK, i.e., a member of the VEGF receptor family.
  • type III family of receptor tyrosine kinases or “type III RTKs” is intended to include receptor tyrosine kinases which typically contain five immunoglobulin like domains, or Ig-like domains, in their ectodomains.
  • type III RTKs include, but are not limited to PDGF receptors, the M-CSF receptor, the FGF receptor, the Flt3-receptor (also known as Flk2) and the Kit receptor.
  • the type III RTK is Kit (also known in the art as the SCF receptor).
  • Kit like other type III RTKs is composed of a glycosylated extracellular ligand binding domain (ectodomain) that is connected to a cytoplasmic region by means of a single transmembrane (TM) domain (reviewed in Schlessinger (2000) Cell 103: 211-225).
  • TM transmembrane
  • PTK cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase
  • At least two splice isoforms of the Kit receptor are known to exist, the shorter making use of an in- frame splice site. All isoforms of Kit, and the other above described RTKs, are encompassed by the present invention.
  • an "Ig-like domain" of a receptor tyrosine kinase is intended to include the domains well known in the art to be present in the ectodomain of RTKs.
  • RTKs receptor tyrosine kinases
  • Dl, D2 and D3 domains of type III RTKs are responsible for binding the ligand of the RTK (reviewed in Ullrich and Schlessinger (1990) Cell 61: 203-212).
  • the term "Ig-like domain” is not intended to include a domain of a RTK which is responsible for ligand binding.
  • the Ig-like domain is a D4 and/or a D5 domain of a type III RTK.
  • the ectodomain of the VEGF receptor family there are seven Ig-like domains, known as Dl, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6 and D7.
  • the Ig-like domain is a D7 domain of the VEGF receptor family.
  • vascular endothelial growth factor receptor As used herein the term "vascular endothelial growth factor receptor”, “VEGF receptor”, or “VEGF receptor family”, also known as type V RTKs includes RTK receptors for the vascular endothelial growth factor. As described above, these RTKs have 7 Ig-like domains in their ectodomains. Examples of VEGF family receptors are VEGFR1 (also known as Flt-1), VEGFR2 (also known as KDR or Flk-1), and VEGFR3 (also known as Flt-4).
  • VEGFR1 also known as Flt-1
  • VEGFR2 also known as KDR or Flk-1
  • VEGFR3 also known as Flt-4
  • RTK receptor tyrosine kinase
  • a membrane proximal region of the ectodomain of a receptor tyrosine kinase refers to an extracellular part of a RTK which is in proximity to the plasma membrane and which, preferably, is not directly responsible for the binding of a ligand to the RTK.
  • membrane proximal regions include, but are not limited to, the D4 domain of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase, the D5 domain of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase, the D3-D4 hinge region of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase, the D4-D5 hinge region of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase, and the D7 domain of a type V receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • homotypic interaction refers to the interaction between two identical membrane proximal regions from two monomeric receptors.
  • heterotypic interaction refers to the interaction between two different membrane proximal regions from two monomeric receptors.
  • a heterotypic interaction may be the result of dimerization of two different types of monomeric receptors or the result of dimerization of a wild type and a mutant form of the same monomeric receptor.
  • a cancer patient may carry a wild type allele and a mutant allele for a certain receptor.
  • a "protomer” is a structural unit of an oligomeric protein, such as an RTK.
  • a protomer is a protein subunit which may assemble in a defined stoichiometry to form an oligomer.
  • the VEGFR family of receptor tyrosine kinases are covalently linked homodimers, and each VEGFR protomer is composed of four stranded ⁇ -sheets arranged in an anti-parallel fashion in a structure designated "cysteine-knot growth factors".
  • phrases "locks the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase in an inactive state” refers to the ability of a moiety of the invention to inhibit the activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • this phrase includes the ability of a moiety of the invention to shift the equilibrium towards formation of an inactive or inhibited receptor configuration.
  • a moiety of the invention may inhibit the activity of a receptor tyrosine kinase by at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% or 95% as compared to the activity of the receptor in the absence of the moiety.
  • inactive state refers to the state of a RTK wherein the RTK molecule is unable to activate downstream signaling.
  • An inactive state may be a state wherein the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase is allowed to dimerize but the positioning, orientation, conformation, and/or distance between the Ig-like domains of the two monomers (e.g.
  • the D4-D4 or D5-D5 domains of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase or the D7-D7 domains of a type V receptor tyrosine kinase is altered such that the activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase is inhibited (e.g., receptor internalization is inhibited and/or tyrosine autophosphorylation of the receptor is inhibited and/or the ability of the receptor to activate a downstream signaling pathway is inhibited).
  • An inactive state also includes a monomeric state as described above.
  • An inactive state may also be a state in which the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase is bound to a receptor ligand and is dimerized, but has not yet undergone the conformational change that allows for the activation of the receptor.
  • Examples 22-25 further discuss experiments which show that there are specific conserved amino acid residues which are crucial for RTK activation (e.g., by mediating D4 or D5 homotypic interactions) but which are dispensable for receptor dimerization.
  • active state includes a state in which a moiety of the invention may reduce or inhibit the activity of a receptor tyrosine kinase by at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% or 95% as compared to the activity of the receptor in the absence of the moiety.
  • Any of the functional assays described herein may be used to determine the ability of a moiety of the invention to inhibit the activity of a receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • a moiety of the invention may exhibit a broad effect, e.g., when most or all target RTKs are inactivated.
  • a moiety of the invention may exhibit a narrower effect, e.g. , when a portion of the target RTKs are inactivated.
  • at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% or 95% of the receptors are locked into an inactive state as compared to the receptors in the absence of said moiety.
  • a conformational epitope may be comprised of two or more amino acids which are separated by a strech of intervening amino acids but which are close enough to be recognized by a moiety of the invention as a single epitope.
  • amino acids which are separated by intervening amino acids on a single protein chain, or amino acids which exist on separate protein chains may be brought into proximity due to the conformational shape of a protein structure or complex to become a conformational epitope which may be bound by a moiety of the invention.
  • Particular discontinuous and conformation epitopes are described herein (see, for example, Tables 4 and 5).
  • a linear epitope bound by a moiety of the invention may or may not be dependent on the secondary, tertiary, or quaternary structure of the RTK.
  • a moiety of the invention may bind to a group of amino acids regardless of whether they are folded in a natural three dimensional protein structure.
  • a moiety of the invention may not recognize the individual amino acid residues making up the epitope, and may require a particular conformation (bend, twist, turn or fold) in order to recognize and bind the epitope.
  • the terms "contiguous epitope” or “continuous epitope” are used interchangeably to refer to an epitope which is composed of at least two amino acids which are are consecutive amino acids in a single protein chain. Particular contiguous epitopes are described herein (see, for example, Table 8).
  • the moiety of the invention binds to a contiguous epitope on the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is composed of two or more residues in the D7 domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is an epitope selected from the group consisting of VAISSS of VEGFR1,
  • hydrophobic amino acid refers to an amino acid comprising hydrophobic properties e.g., alanine, cysteine, phenylalanine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, leucine, methionine, arginine, threonine, valine, tryptophan, tyrosine, serine, proline and others listed herein.
  • the moiety that binds to the ectodomain, e.g., an Ig-like domain or a hinge region, of a human receptor tyrosine kinase is an antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof.
  • antibody as referred to herein, includes whole antibodies and any antigen binding fragment (i.e., "antigen -binding portion") or single chains thereof.
  • An “antibody” refers to a glycoprotein comprising at least two heavy (H) chains and two light (L) chains inter-connected by disulfide bonds, or an antigen binding portion thereof.
  • Each heavy chain is comprised of a heavy chain variable region (abbreviated herein as VH) and a heavy chain constant region.
  • the heavy chain constant region is comprised of three domains, CHI, CH 2 and CH 3 -
  • Each light chain is comprised of a light chain variable region (abbreviated herein as VL) and a light chain constant region.
  • the light chain constant region is comprised of one domain, CL.
  • VH and VL regions can be further subdivided into regions of hypervariability, termed complementarity determining regions (CDR), interspersed with regions that are more conserved, termed framework regions (FR).
  • CDR complementarity determining regions
  • FR framework regions
  • Each VH and VL is composed of three CDRs and four FRs, arranged from amino-terminus to carboxy-terminus in the following order: FRl, CDRl, FR2, CDR2, FR3, CDR3, FR4.
  • the variable regions of the heavy and light chains contain a binding domain that interacts with an antigen.
  • the constant regions of the antibodies may mediate the binding of the immunoglobulin to host tissues or factors, including various cells of the immune system (e.g. , effector cells) and the first component (Clq) of the classical complement system.
  • antibody portion refers to one or more fragments of an antibody that retain the ability to specifically bind to an antigen (e.g., the D4 or D5 domains of Kit or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor). It has been shown that the antigen-binding function of an antibody can be performed by fragments of a full-length antibody.
  • binding fragments encompassed within the term "antigen-binding portion" of an antibody include (i) a Fab fragment, a monovalent fragment consisting of the V L , V H , C L and C H I domains; (ii) a F(ab') 2 fragment, a bivalent fragment comprising two Fab fragments linked by a disulfide bridge at the hinge region; (iii) a Fab' fragment, which is essentially an Fab with part of the hinge region (see, FUNDAMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY (Paul ed., 3rd ed.
  • V L and V H are coded for by separate genes, they can be joined, using recombinant methods, by a synthetic linker that enables them to be made as a single protein chain in which the V L and V H regions pair to form monovalent molecules (known as single chain Fv (scFv); see e.g., Bird et al.
  • scFv single chain Fv
  • Such single chain antibodies are also intended to be encompassed within the term "antigen-binding portion" of an antibody.
  • antibody fragments are obtained using conventional techniques known to those with skill in the art, and the fragments are screened for utility in the same manner as are intact antibodies.
  • an "isolated antibody”, as used herein, is intended to refer to an antibody that is substantially free of other antibodies having different antigenic specificities (e.g., an isolated antibody that specifically binds to an Ig-like domain of an RTK is substantially free of antibodies that specifically bind antigens other than the Ig-like domain of an RTK). Moreover, an isolated antibody may be substantially free of other cellular material and/or chemicals. An “isolated antibody” may, however, include polyclonal antibodies which all bind specifically to, e.g., an Ig-like domain of an RTK.
  • monoclonal antibody or “monoclonal antibody composition” as used herein refer to a preparation of antibody molecules of single molecular composition.
  • a monoclonal antibody composition displays a single binding specificity and affinity for a particular epitope.
  • human antibody is intended to include antibodies having variable regions in which both the framework and CDR regions are derived from human germline immunoglobulin sequences. Furthermore, if the antibody contains a constant region, the constant region also is derived from human germline
  • human antibodies of the invention may include amino acid residues not encoded by human germline immunoglobulin sequences (e.g., mutations introduced by random or site-specific mutagenesis in vitro or by somatic mutation in vivo).
  • human antibody as used herein, is not intended to include antibodies in which CDR sequences derived from the germline of another mammalian species, such as a mouse, have been grafted onto human framework sequences.
  • human monoclonal antibody refers to antibodies displaying a single binding specificity which have variable regions in which both the framework and CDR regions are derived from human germline immunoglobulin sequences.
  • the human monoclonal antibodies are produced by a hybridoma which includes a B cell obtained from a transgenic nonhuman animal, e.g., a transgenic mouse, having a genome comprising a human heavy chain transgene and a light chain transgene fused to an immortalized cell.
  • recombinant human antibody includes all human antibodies that are prepared, expressed, created or isolated by recombinant means, such as (a) antibodies isolated from an animal (e.g., a mouse) that is transgenic or
  • transchromosomal for human immunoglobulin genes or a hybridoma prepared therefrom (described further below), (b) antibodies isolated from a host cell transformed to express the human antibody, e.g., from a transfectoma, (c) antibodies isolated from a
  • recombinant, combinatorial human antibody library and (d) antibodies prepared, expressed, created or isolated by any other means that involve splicing of human immunoglobulin gene sequences to other DNA sequences.
  • Such recombinant human antibodies have variable regions in which the framework and CDR regions are derived from human germline immunoglobulin sequences.
  • such recombinant human antibodies can be subjected to in vitro mutagenesis (or, when an animal transgenic for human Ig sequences is used, in vivo somatic mutagenesis) and thus the amino acid sequences of the V H and V L regions of the recombinant antibodies are sequences that, while derived from and related to human germline V H and V L sequences, may not naturally exist within the human antibody germline repertoire in vivo.
  • isotype refers to the antibody class (e.g., IgM or IgGl) that is encoded by the heavy chain constant region genes.
  • an antibody recognizing an antigen and "an antibody specific for an antigen” are used interchangeably herein with the term “an antibody which binds specifically to an antigen.”
  • human antibody derivatives refers to any modified form of the human antibody, e.g., a conjugate of the antibody and another agent or antibody.
  • humanized antibody is intended to refer to antibodies in which CDR sequences derived from the germline of another mammalian species, such as a mouse, have been grafted onto human framework sequences. Additional framework region modifications may be made within the human framework sequences. It will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that when a sequence is "derived" from a particular species, said sequence may be a protein sequence, such as when variable region amino acids are taken from a murine antibody, or said sequence may be a DNA sequence, such as when variable region encoding nucleic acids are taken from murine DNA.
  • a humanized antibody may also be designed based on the known sequences of human and non-human (e.g., murine or rabbit) antibodies. The designed antibodies, potentially incorporating both human and non-human residues, may be chemically synthesized. The sequences may also be synthesized at the DNA level and expressed in vitro or in vivo to generate the humanized antibodies.
  • chimeric antibody is intended to refer to antibodies in which the variable region sequences are derived from one species and the constant region sequences are derived from another species, such as an antibody in which the variable region sequences are derived from a mouse antibody and the constant region sequences are derived from a human antibody
  • antibody mimetic or “antibody mimic” is intended to refer to molecules capable of mimicking an antibody's ability to bind an antigen, but which are not limited to native antibody structures.
  • antibody mimetics include, but are not limited to, Adnectins (i.e., fibronectin based binding molecules), Affibodies, DARPins, Anticalins, Avimers, and Versabodies all of which employ binding structures that, while they mimic traditional antibody binding, are generated from and function via distinct mechanisms.
  • Adnectins i.e., fibronectin based binding molecules
  • Affibodies i.e., fibronectin based binding molecules
  • DARPins DARPins
  • Anticalins e.g., calins
  • Avimers e.g., avimers, and Versabodies all of which employ binding structures that, while they mimic traditional antibody binding, are generated from and function via distinct mechanisms.
  • an antibody that "specifically binds" to an Ig-like domain of a RTK is intended to refer to an antibody that binds to an Ig-like domain of a RTK with a of 1 7 r less, more preferably 5 x 10 " 8 M or less, more preferably 1 x 10 " 8
  • does not substantially bind to a protein or cells, as used herein, means does not bind or does not bind with a high affinity to the protein or cells, i.e. binds to the protein or cells with a K D of 1 x 10 "6 M or more, more preferably 1 x 10 "5 M or more, more preferably 1 x 10 "4 M or more, more preferably 1 x 10 "3 M or more, even more preferably 1 x 10 " M or more.
  • K assoc or "K a ", as used herein, is intended to refer to the association rate of a particular antibody-antigen interaction
  • ⁇ 8 or "K d ,” as used herein, is intended to refer to the dissociation rate of a particular antibody-antigen interaction
  • K D is intended to refer to the dissociation constant, which is obtained from the ratio of K d to K a (i.e,. K d /K a ) and is expressed as a molar concentration (M).
  • K D values for antibodies can be determined using methods well established in the art. A preferred method for determining the K D of an antibody is by using surface plasmon resonance, preferably using a biosensor system such as a Biacore® system.
  • high affinity when referring an IgG type antibody, refers to an antibody having a K D of 10 - " 8 M or less, more preferably 10 - “ 9 M or less and even more preferably 10 "10 M or less for an Ig-like domain of a RTK.
  • high affinity binding can vary for other antibody isotypes.
  • “high affinity” binding for an IgM isotype refers to an antibody having a KD of 10 " M or less, more
  • the antibodies of the invention bind specifically to an Ig-like domain of a RTK, e.g. , member of the human type III family of receptor tyrosine kinases.
  • a RTK e.g. , member of the human type III family of receptor tyrosine kinases.
  • the binding of the antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, of the invention to an Ig-like domain of a RTK monomer locks the ectodomain in an inactive state, e.g., a monomeric state, and, thus, antagonizes the ability of the RTK to dimerize and activate a downstream signaling pathway.
  • the antibody may block a ligand induced tyrosine autophosphorylation of the receptor tyrosine kinase and/or receptor internalization.
  • the antibodies of the invention are selected or designed to bind to specific Ig- like domains of the RTK, for example, the D4 domain or the D5 domain of the human Kit or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor.
  • the antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof are selected or designed to bind proteins sharing homology to a domain of the RTK, e.g., the Kit receptor or the VEGF receptor.
  • an antibody may be selected or designed to bind a domain which is at least 50% identical, at least 60% identical, at least 70% identical, at least 80% identical, at least 90% identical, or at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% identical to a domain, e.g.
  • the D4 or D5 domain, of the Kit receptor or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor Such an antibody, or antigen binding portion thereof, would be able to bind protein domains, possibly in Kit, VEGF receptors, and other RTKs, which are functionally similar to the D4 or D5 domains of Kit or the D7 domains of a VEGF receptor.
  • the antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, of the present invention may also be selected or designed to bind a particular motif or consensus sequence derived from an Ig-like domain of a RTK, e.g. , a human type III RTK, allowing the antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, to specifically bind epitopes or domains which are shared among members of the human type III family of RTKs and between the type III RTKs and other RTKs, e.g., type V RTKs.
  • a linear consensus sequence may be found, for example, by using a sequence alignment algorithm to align domains of various RTKs, e.g. , domains of D4 domains across RTK types or across species (see Figure 6B).
  • One of skill in the art may align the protein sequences of, for example, the Kit D4 domains from various species (e.g. , human, mouse, rat) to determine which protein residues are conserved in at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or at least 100% of the sequences being aligned. Such a consensus sequence may then be used to generate antibodies or other moieties which specifically bind the consensus sequence and, thus, will bind the most conserved residues of the Kit RTK. Similarily, one may also align the protein sequences of the D7 domain of type V RTKs (see Figure 6) to obtain a consensus sequence for which moieties of the present invention may be generated.
  • a moiety of the present invention binds to the following consensus sequence for the D4 interaction site: LX 1 RX 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 X 7 G wherein L is Leucine, R is Arginine, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 , X 6 and X 7 are any amino acid.
  • L is Leucine
  • R is Arginine
  • G Glycine
  • X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 , X 6 and X 7 are any amino acid.
  • i is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Isoleucine, Valine, Proline, Asparagine, or Lysine;
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Leucine, Valine, Alanine, and Methionine;
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Histidine, Asparagine, and Arginine;
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of
  • X5 is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Glutamine, and Aspartic acid
  • X 6 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Aspartic acid, and Glutamine
  • X 7 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Serine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Glutamine, and Threonine.
  • a moiety of the present invention binds to the following consensus sequence for the D7 domain of a member of the VEGF receptor family: IXiRVX 2 X 3 EDX 4 G wherein I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, E is Glutamic Acid, D is Aspartic Acid, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are any amino acid.
  • Xi is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Arginine, and Glutamine
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine and Threonine
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Lysine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Alanine (SEQ ID NO: 1).
  • a moiety of the present invention binds to the following consensus sequence for the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor: L/I Xi R ⁇ X 2 X 3 X 4 D/E X 5 G (SEQ ID NO: 158), wherein L is Leucine, I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, ⁇ is a hydrophobic amino acid, D is Aspartic Acid, E is Glutamic Acid, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X , X4, and X5 are any amino acid.
  • ⁇ is Valine
  • Xi is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid and Aspartic Acid
  • X 2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Lysine and Threonine
  • X is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine and Valine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Valine
  • X5 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Serine and Glutamine.
  • the antibodies of the present invention do not bind to the ligand binding site of the RTK, e.g. , the SCF binding site of the Kit receptor. Therefore, the antibodies described herein do not antagonize the ability of the receptor to bind its target ligand.
  • the antibody or antigen binding portion thereof binds to specific sequences of the human Kit receptor, for example, residues 309-413, residues 410-519, 381 Arg and 386 Glu, or 418 Tyr and 505 Asn of the human Kit receptor.
  • the antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof bind protein motifs or consensus sequences which represent a three dimensional structure in the protein.
  • Such motifs or consensus sequences would not represent a contiguous string of amino acids, but a non-contiguous amino acid arrangement that results from the three- dimensional folding of the RTK (i.e. , a "structural motif or "non-linear epitope").
  • An example of such a motif would be the D4-D4 or the D5-D5 binding interface of a Kit receptor or the D7-D7 binding interface of a VEGF receptor.
  • an antibody of the present invention binds to, for example, a non-linear epitope in the D4- D4, D5-D5 or D7-D7 interface, preventing the activation of the RTK.
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may bind to one or more residues in the Kit receptor which make up the small cavities or pockets described in Table 4 (below).
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may bind to one or more of the following residues in the D3-D4 hinge region of the Kit receptor: K218, S220, Y221 , L222 from the D3 domain and F340, P341, K342, N367, E368, S369, N370, 1371, Y373 from the D4 domain.
  • An antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may also bind to one or more of the following residues which make up a concave surface in the D4 domain of the Kit receptor: Y350, R353, F355, K358, L379, T380, R381, L382, E386 and T390.
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may bind to one or more of the following residues which form a pocket in the D2-D3 hinge region of the Kit receptor:Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206 and F208 from the D2 domain and V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268 and Y269 from the D3 domain.
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may bind to contiguous or non-contiguous amino acid residues and function as a molecular wedge that prevents the motion required for positioning of the membrane proximal region of the RTK at a distance and orientation that enables tyrosine kinase activation.
  • An antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may also act to prevent homotypic D4 or D5 receptor interactions or destabilize the ligand- receptor interaction site.
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may bind to one or more of the following residues on the Kit receptor: Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206, P206, F208, K127, A207, V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, Y269, T295, L222, L222, L223, E306, V308, R224, V308, K310, K218, A219, S220, K218, A220, Y221, A339, D327, D398, E338, E368, E386, F312, F324, F340, F355, G311, G384, G387, G388, 1371 , K342, K358, L382, L379, N326, N367, N370, N410, P341, S369, T385, V325, V407, V409, Y373,
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may be easily targeted to the
  • residues in other type III RTKs e.g., those residues that form similar pockets or cavities or those in the same position by structural alignment or sequence alignment.
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention binds to a conformational epitope or a discontinuous epitope on a type III RTK.
  • the conformational or discontinuous epitope may be composed of two or more residues from the D3, D4, or D5 domain or the D4-D5 or D3-D4 hinge regions from a type III RTK, e.g., the human Kit receptor or the PDGF receptor.
  • the conformational or discontinuous epitope may be composed of two or more of the residues listed in Table 4 below.
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof, of the invention binds to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of Y125, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206. V238, S239, S240, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, and Y269.
  • a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of Y125, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206. V238, S239, S240, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, and Y269.
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention may bind to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from one of the following groups of amino acids: P206, F208, V238, and S239; K127, A207, F208, and T295; L222, A339, F340, K342, E368, S369, N370, 1371, and Y373; L222, L223, E306, V308, F312, E338, F340, and 1371 ; R224, V308, K310, G311, F340, P341 , and D398; K218, A219, S220, N367, E368, and S369; K218, A220, E368, and S369; G384, T385, T411, K412, E414, and K471 ; Y408, F433, G470, K471, and L472; F324, V325, N326, and N410;D327, N410, T411,
  • the antibodies of the invention may bind to all of the amino acid residues forming a pocket or a cavity identified in Table 4 or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the pocket or the cavity. It is to be understood that, in certain embodiments, when reference is made to an antibody of the invention binding to an epitope, e.g., a conformational epitope, the intention is for the antibody to bind only to those specific residues that make up the epitope (e.g. , the pocket or cavity identified in Table 4) and not other residues in the linear amino acid sequence of the receptor.
  • an epitope e.g., a conformational epitope
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention binds to a conformational epitope wherein the conformational epitope is composed of two or more amino acid residues selected from the peptides listed in Table 5.
  • the conformational epitope is composed of one or more amino acid residues selected from a first peptide and one or more amino acid residues selected from a second peptide, wherein the first and second peptides are selected from the group of peptides listed in Table 5.
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention binds a conformational epitope wherein the first and second peptide groups are as follows: Ala219-Leu222 and Thr304-Val308; Asp309-Gly311 and Arg224-Gly226; Thr303 - Glu306 and Ala219-Leu222; Asn367-Asn370 and Ser217- Tyr221 ; Ala339-Pro343 and Asn396-Val399; Ala339-Pro343 and Glu368-Arg372; Lys358-Tyr362 and Val374-His378; Asp357-Glu360 and Leu377-Thr380; Met351- Glu360 and His378-Thr389; His378-Thr389 and Val323-Asp332; Val409-Ile415 and Ala493-Thr500; Val409-Ile415 and Ala431-Thr437; Val
  • the antibodies of the invention may bind to all of the amino acid residues forming the foregoing first and second peptide groups or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the first and second peptide groups. It is to be understood that, in certain embodiments, when reference is made to an antibody of the invention binding to an epitope, e.g. , a conformational epitope, the intention is for the antibody to bind only to those specific residues that make up the epitope (e.g. , the specific peptides identified in Table 5) and not other residues in the linear amino acid sequence of the receptor.
  • an epitope e.g. , a conformational epitope
  • an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof of the invention binds to a conformational or discontinuous epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of E33, P34, D72, E76, N77, K78, Q79, K158, D159, N250, S251, Q252, T253, K254, L255, N260, W262, H264, G265, E344, N352, R353, F355, T356, D357, Y362, S365, E366, N367, N370, and G466.
  • invention binds to amino acid residues Arg and Glu of human PDGFRp, or the
  • Antibodies or antigen binding portions thereof of the invention may exert their inhibitory effect on receptor activation by
  • antibodies or antigen binding portions thereof of the invention may be targeted to the conserved regions of the D4 or D5 domains of type III RTKs.
  • the antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to specific sequences of a human VEGF receptor, for example, residues 718-727 of VEGFR1, Arg720 and Asp725 of VEGFR1, residues 724-733 of VEGFR2, Arg726 and Asp731 of VEGFR2, residues 735-744 of VEGFR3, or residues Arg737 and Asp742 of VEGFR3.
  • the antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to a contiguous epitope on the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is composed of two or more residues in the D7 domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is an epitope selected from the group consisting of 672 VAISSS 677 of VEGFR1, 678 TTLDCHA 684 of VEGFR1, 685 NGVPEPQ 691 of VEGFR1, 700 KIQQEPG 706 of VEGFR1, 707 IILG 710 of VEGFR1, 711 PGS 713 of VEGFR1, 714 STLFI 718 of VEGFR1, 719 ERVTEEDEG V 728 of VEGFR1, 689 VNVSDS 694 of VEGFR3, 695 LEMQCLV 701 of VEGFR3, 702 AGAHAPS 708 of VEGFR3,
  • VEGFR2 684 IEVSCTA 690 of VEGFR2, 691 SGNPPPQ 697 of VEGFR2, 706 TLVEDSG 712 of VEGFR2, 713 rVLK 716 of VEGFR2, 717 DGN 719 of VEGFR2, 720 RNLTI 724 of VEGFR2 and 725 RRVRKEDEGL 734 of VEGFR2.
  • the antibody, or antigen binding portion thereof, of the invention is selected or designed to bind specifically to a mutant RTK.
  • the mutant RTK is a tumorigenic or oncogenic mutant.
  • the antibody, or antigen binding portion thereof is selected or designed to bind to an oncogenic Kit receptor mutant.
  • Kit receptor mutants which may be targeted by the antibodies of the present invention are Kit receptors with mutations in one or more of the following amino acids: Thr417, Tyr418, Asp419, Leu421, Arg420, Tyr503, or Ala502. It should be appreciated by one of skill in the art that the methods of the invention would be applicable to other mutations in Kit or to mutations in other RTKs.
  • One advantage of targeting a mutant RTK is that a therapeutic antibody may bind to only the RTKs on cells containing the mutation, leaving healthy cells largely or entirely unaffected. Accordingly, in instances where the mutation is tumorigenic, only tumor cells would be targeted for therapy, potentially reducing side effects and dosage requirements.
  • the antibody binds to an Ig-like domain of a human RTK with a K D of 5 x 10 "8 M or less, a K D of 1 x 10 "8 M or less, a K D of 5 x 10 "9 M or less, or a K D of
  • Standard assays to evaluate the binding ability of the antibodies toward an Ig-like domain of a RTK, e.g. , Kit or a VEGF receptor are known in the art, including for example, ELISAs, Western blots and RIAs.
  • the binding kinetics (e.g., binding affinity) of the antibodies also can be assessed by standard assays known in the art, such as by ELISA, Scatchard and Biacore analysis.
  • VH and/or VL sequences of an antibody prepared according the the methods of the present invention may be used as starting material to engineer a modified antibody, which modified antibody may have altered properties from the starting antibody.
  • An antibody can be engineered by modifying one or more residues within one or both of the original variable regions (i.e. , VH and/or VL), for example within one or more CDR regions and/or within one or more framework regions. Additionally or alternatively, an antibody can be engineered by modifying residues within the constant region(s), for example to alter the effector function(s) of the antibody.
  • CDR grafting One type of variable region engineering that can be performed is CDR grafting.
  • Antibodies interact with target antigens predominantly through amino acid residues that are located in the six heavy and light chain complementarity determining regions (CDRs). For this reason, the amino acid sequences within CDRs are more diverse between individual antibodies than sequences outside of CDRs. Because CDR sequences are responsible for most antibody-antigen interactions, it is possible to express recombinant antibodies that mimic the properties of specific naturally occurring antibodies by constructing expression vectors that include CDR sequences from the specific naturally occurring antibody grafted onto framework sequences from a different antibody with different properties (see, e.g., Riechmann, L. et al. (1998) Nature
  • Framework sequences for antibodies can be obtained from public DNA databases or published references that include germline antibody gene sequences.
  • germline DNA sequences for human heavy and light chain variable region genes can be found in the "VBase" human germline sequence database (available on the Internet at mrc-cpe. cam.ac.uk/vbase), as well as in Kabat, E. A., et al. (1991) Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest, Fifth Edition, U.S. Department of Health and Human
  • Antibody protein sequences are compared against a compiled protein sequence database using one of the sequence similarity searching methods called the Gapped BLAST (Altschul et al. (1997) Nucleic Acids Research 25:3389-3402), which is well known to those skilled in the art.
  • BLAST is a heuristic algorithm in that a statistically significant alignment between the antibody sequence and the database sequence is likely to contain high-scoring segment pairs (HSP) of aligned words. Segment pairs whose scores cannot be improved by extension or trimming is called a hit.
  • HSP high-scoring segment pairs
  • nucleotide sequences of VBASE origin are translated and the region between and including FR1 through FR3 framework region is retained.
  • the database sequences have an average length of 98 residues. Duplicate sequences which are exact matches over the entire length of the protein are removed.
  • the nucleotide sequences are translated in all six frames and the frame with no stop codons in the matching segment of the database sequence is considered the potential hit.
  • BLAST program tblastx which translates the antibody sequence in all six frames and compares those translations to the VBASE nucleotide sequences dynamically translated in all six frames.
  • Other human germline sequence databases such as that available from IMGT (http://imgt.cines.fr), can be searched similarly to VBASE as described above.
  • the identities are exact amino acid matches between the antibody sequence and the protein database over the entire length of the sequence.
  • the positives are not identical but amino acid substitutions guided by the
  • V H CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 sequences can be grafted onto framework regions that have the identical sequence as that found in the germline immunoglobulin gene from which the framework sequence derives, or the CDR sequences can be grafted onto framework regions that contain one or more mutations as compared to the germline sequences.
  • the CDR sequences can be grafted onto framework regions that contain one or more mutations as compared to the germline sequences.
  • it has been found that in certain instances it is beneficial to mutate residues within the framework regions to maintain or enhance the antigen binding ability of the antibody see e.g., U.S. Patent Nos. 5,530,101; 5,585,089; 5,693,762 and 6,180,370 to Queen et al).
  • variable region modification is to mutate amino acid residues within the V H and/or V K CDRl, CDR2 and/or CDR3 regions to thereby improve one or more binding properties (e.g., affinity) of the antibody of interest.
  • Site-directed mutagenesis or PCR-mediated mutagenesis can be performed to introduce the mutation(s) and the effect on antibody binding, or other functional property of interest, can be evaluated in in vitro or in vivo assays known in the art.
  • an antibody of the present invention may be mutated to create a library, which may then be screened for binding to an Ig-like domain of an RTK, e.g., a D4 or a D5 domain of the human Kit RTK or a D7 domain of a VEGF receptor.
  • an RTK e.g., a D4 or a D5 domain of the human Kit RTK or a D7 domain of a VEGF receptor.
  • conservative modifications are introduced.
  • the mutations may be amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions, but are preferably substitutions.
  • typically no more than one, two, three, four or five residues within a CDR region are altered.
  • Another type of framework modification involves mutating one or more residues within the framework region, or even within one or more CDR regions, to remove T cell epitopes to thereby reduce the potential immunogenicity of the antibody. This approach is also referred to as "deimmunization" and is described in futher detail in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030153043 by Carr et al.
  • antibodies of the invention may be engineered to include modifications within the Fc region, typically to alter one or more functional properties of the antibody, such as serum half-life, complement fixation, Fc receptor binding, and/or antigen-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.
  • an antibody of the invention may be chemically modified ⁇ e.g., one or more chemical moieties can be attached to the antibody) or be modified to alter its glycosylation, again to alter one or more functional properties of the antibody.
  • the hinge region of CHI is modified such that the number of cysteine residues in the hinge region is altered, e.g., increased or decreased.
  • This approach is described further in U.S. Patent No. 5,677,425 by Bodmer et al.
  • the number of cysteine residues in the hinge region of CHI is altered to, for example, facilitate assembly of the light and heavy chains or to increase or decrease the stability of the antibody.
  • the Fc hinge region of an antibody is mutated to decrease the biological half life of the antibody. More specifically, one or more amino acid mutations are introduced into the CH2-CH3 domain interface region of the Fc- hinge fragment such that the antibody has impaired Staphylococcyl protein A (SpA) binding relative to native Fc-hinge domain SpA binding.
  • SpA Staphylococcyl protein A
  • the antibody is modified to increase its biological half life.
  • Various approaches are possible. For example, one or more of the following mutations can be introduced: T252L, T254S, T256F, as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,277,375 to Ward.
  • the antibody can be altered within the CHI or CL region to contain a salvage receptor binding epitope taken from two loops of a CH2 domain of an Fc region of an IgG, as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,869,046 and 6,121,022 by Presta et al. These strategies will be effective as long as the binding of the antibody to the Ig-like domain of the RTK is not compromised.
  • the Fc region is altered by replacing at least one amino acid residue with a different amino acid residue to alter the effector function(s) of the antibody.
  • one or more amino acids selected from amino acid residues 234, 235, 236, 237, 297, 318, 320 and 322 can be replaced with a different amino acid residue such that the antibody has an altered affinity for an effector ligand but retains the antigen-binding ability of the parent antibody.
  • the effector ligand to which affinity is altered can be, for example, an Fc receptor or the CI component of complement. This approach is described in further detail in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,624,821 and 5,648,260, both by Winter et al.
  • one or more amino acids selected from amino acid residues 329, 331 and 322 can be replaced with a different amino acid residue such that the antibody has altered Clq binding and/or reduced or abolished complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC).
  • CDC complement dependent cytotoxicity
  • one or more amino acid residues within amino acid positions 231 and 239 are altered to thereby alter the ability of the antibody to fix complement. This approach is described further in PCT Publication WO 94/29351 by Bodmer et al.
  • the Fc region is modified to increase the ability of the antibody to mediate antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and/or to increase the affinity of the antibody for an Fey receptor by modifying one or more amino acids at the following positions: 238, 239, 248, 249, 252, 254, 255, 256, 258, 265, 267, 268, 269, 270, 272, 276, 278, 280, 283, 285, 286, 289, 290, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 298, 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 312, 315, 320, 322, 324, 326, 327, 329, 330, 331, 333, 334, 335, 337, 338, 340, 360, 373, 376, 378, 382, 388, 389, 398, 414, 416, 419, 430, 434, 435, 437, 438 or 439.
  • ADCC antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity
  • the C-terminal end of an antibody of the present invention is modified by the introduction of a cysteine residue as is described in U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/957,271, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • Such modifications include, but are not limited to, the replacement of an existing amino acid residue at or near the C-terminus of a full-length heavy chain sequence, as well as the introduction of a cysteine-containing extension to the c-terminus of a full-length heavy chain sequence.
  • the cysteine-containing extension comprises the sequence alanine-alanine-cysteine (from N- terminal to C-terminal).
  • the presence of such C-terminal cysteine modifications provide a location for conjugation of a partner molecule, such as a therapeutic agent or a marker molecule.
  • a partner molecule such as a therapeutic agent or a marker molecule.
  • the presence of a reactive thiol group, due to the C- terminal cysteine modification can be used to conjugate a partner molecule employing the disulfide linkers described in detail below. Conjugation of the antibody to a partner molecule in this manner allows for increased control over the specific site of attachment. Furthermore, by introducing the site of attachment at or near the C-terminus,
  • conjugation can be optimized such that it reduces or eliminates interference with the antibody's functional properties, and allows for simplified analysis and quality control of conjugate preparations.
  • the glycosylation of an antibody is modified.
  • an aglycoslated antibody can be made (i.e., the antibody lacks glycosylation).
  • Glycosylation can be altered to, for example, increase the affinity of the antibody for antigen.
  • carbohydrate modifications can be accomplished by, for example, altering one or more sites of glycosylation within the antibody sequence.
  • one or more amino acid substitutions can be made that result in elimination of one or more variable region framework glycosylation sites to thereby eliminate glycosylation at that site.
  • Such aglycosylation may increase the affinity of the antibody for antigen.
  • an antibody can be made that has an altered type of glycosylation, such as a hypofucosylated antibody having reduced amounts of fucosyl residues or an antibody having increased bisecting GlcNac structures.
  • altered glycosylation patterns have been demonstrated to increase the ADCC ability of antibodies.
  • carbohydrate modifications can be accomplished by, for example, expressing the antibody in a host cell with altered glycosylation machinery. Cells with altered glycosylation machinery have been described in the art and can be used as host cells in which to express recombinant antibodies of the invention to thereby produce an antibody with altered glycosylation.
  • the cell lines Ms704, Ms705, and Ms709 lack the fucosyltransferase gene, FUT8 (alpha (1,6) fucosyltransferase), such that antibodies expressed in the Ms704, Ms705, and Ms709 cell lines lack fucose on their carbohydrates.
  • the Ms704, Ms705, and Ms709 FUT8 _/" cell lines were created by the targeted disruption of the FUT8 gene in CHO/DG44 cells using two replacement vectors (see U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040110704 by Yamane et al. and Yamane-Ohnuki et al. (2004) Biotechnol Bioeng 87:614-22).
  • EP 1,176,195 by Hanai et al. describes a cell line with a functionally disrupted FUT8 gene, which encodes a fucosyl transferase, such that antibodies expressed in such a cell line exhibit
  • hypofucosylation by reducing or eliminating the alpha 1,6 bond-related enzyme.
  • Hanai et al. also describe cell lines which have a low enzyme activity for adding fucose to the N-acetylglucosamine that binds to the Fc region of the antibody or does not have the enzyme activity, for example the rat myeloma cell line YB2/0 (ATCC CRL 1662).
  • PCT Publication WO 03/035835 by Presta describes a variant CHO cell line, Lecl3 cells, with reduced ability to attach fucose to Asn(297)-linked carbohydrates, also resulting in hypofucosylation of antibodies expressed in that host cell (see also Shields, R.L. et al. (2002) J. Biol.
  • PCT Publication WO 99/54342 by Umana et al. describes cell lines engineered to express glycoprotein-modifying glycosyl transferases (e.g., beta(l,4)-N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase III (GnTIII)) such that antibodies expressed in the engineered cell lines exhibit increased bisecting GlcNac structures which results in increased ADCC activity of the antibodies (see also Umana et al. (1999) Nat. Biotech. 17: 176-180).
  • the fucose residues of the antibody may be cleaved off using a fucosidase enzyme.
  • the fucosidase alpha-L- fucosidase removes fucosyl residues from antibodies (Tarentino, A.L. et al. (1975) Biochem. 14:5516-23).
  • an antibody can be made that has an altered type of glycosylation, wherein that alteration relates to the level of sialyation of the antibody.
  • Such alterations are described in PCT Publication No. WO/2007/084926 to Dickey et al, and PCT Publication No. WO/2007/055916 to Ravetch et al, both of which are incoporated by reference in their entirety.
  • sialidase such as, for example, Arthrobacter ureafacens sialidase.
  • the conditions of such a reaction are generally described in the U.S. Patent No. 5,831,077, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • Suitable enzymes are neuraminidase and N-Glycosidase F, as described in Schloemer et al, J. Virology, 15(4), 882-893 (1975) and in Leibiger et al, Biochem J., 338, 529- 538 (1999), respectively.
  • Desialylated antibodies may be further purified by using affinity chromatography.
  • affinity chromatography Alternatively, one may employ methods to increase the level of sialyation, such as by employing sialytransferase enzymes. Conditions of such a reaction are generally described in Basset et al., Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, 51(3), 307-311 (2000).
  • An antibody can be pegylated to, for example, increase the biological ⁇ e.g., serum) half life of the antibody.
  • the antibody, or fragment thereof typically is reacted with polyethylene glycol (PEG), such as a reactive ester or aldehyde derivative of PEG, under conditions in which one or more PEG groups become attached to the antibody or antibody fragment.
  • PEG polyethylene glycol
  • the pegylation is carried out via an acylation reaction or an alkylation reaction with a reactive PEG molecule (or an analogous reactive water-soluble polymer).
  • polyethylene glycol is intended to encompass any of the forms of PEG that have been used to derivatize other proteins, such as mono (CI -CIO) alkoxy- or aryloxy-polyethylene glycol or polyethylene glycol-maleimide.
  • the antibody to be pegylated is an aglycosylated antibody.
  • Methods for pegylating proteins are known in the art and can be applied to the antibodies of the invention. See for example, EP 0 154 316 by Nishimura et al. and EP 0 401 384 by Ishikawa et al. As such, the methods of pegylation described here also apply the peptidic molecules of the invention described below.
  • the instant invention is not limited to traditional antibodies and may be practiced through the use of antibody fragments and antibody mimetics.
  • antibody fragment and antibody mimetic technologies have now been developed and are widely known in the art. While a number of these technologies, such as domain antibodies, Nanobodies, and UniBodies make use of fragments of, or other modifications to, traditional antibody structures, there are also alternative technologies, such as Adnectins, Affibodies, DARPins, Anticalins, Avimers, and Versabodies that employ binding structures that, while they mimic traditional antibody binding, are generated from and function via distinct mechanisms. Some of these alternative structures are reviewed in Gill and Damle (2006) 17: 653-658.
  • Domain Antibodies are the smallest functional binding units of antibodies, corresponding to the variable regions of either the heavy (VH) or light (VL) chains of human antibodies. Domain Antibodies have a molecular weight of
  • Domantis has developed a series of large and highly functional libraries of fully human VH and VL dAbs (more than ten billion different sequences in each library), and uses these libraries to select dAbs that are specific to therapeutic targets.
  • domain antibodies are well expressed in bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cell systems. Further details of domain antibodies and methods of production thereof may be obtained by reference to U.S. Patent 6,291,158; 6,582,915; 6,593,081; 6,172,197; 6,696,245; U.S. Serial No.
  • Nanobodies are antibody-derived therapeutic proteins that contain the unique structural and functional properties of naturally-occurring heavy-chain antibodies. These heavy-chain antibodies contain a single variable domain (VHH) and two constant domains (CH2 and CH3). Importantly, the cloned and isolated VHH domain is a perfectly stable polypeptide harbouring the full antigen-binding capacity of the original heavy-chain antibody Nanobodies have a high homology with the VH domains of human antibodies and can be further humanized without any loss of activity
  • Nanobodies have a low immunogenic potential, which has been confirmed in primate studies with Nanobody lead compounds.
  • Nanobodies combine the advantages of conventional antibodies with important features of small molecule drugs. Like conventional antibodies, Nanobodies show high target specificity, high affinity for their target and low inherent toxicity. However, like small molecule drugs they can inhibit enzymes and readily access receptor clefts.
  • Nanobodies are extremely stable, can be administered by means other than injection (see, e.g., WO 04/041867, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) and are easy to manufacture.
  • Other advantages of Nanobodies include recognizing uncommon or hidden epitopes as a result of their small size, binding into cavities or active sites of protein targets with high affinity and selectivity due to their unique 3-dimensional, drug format flexibility, tailoring of half-life and ease and speed of drug discovery.
  • Nanobodies are encoded by single genes and are efficiently produced in almost all prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts, e.g., E. coli (see, e.g., U.S. 6,765,087, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety), molds (for example Aspergillus or Trichoderma) and yeast (for example Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Hansenula or Pichia) (see, e.g., U.S. 6,838,254, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety).
  • the production process is scalable and multi-kilogram quantities of
  • Nanobodies have been produced. Because Nanobodies exhibit a superior stability compared with conventional antibodies, they can be formulated as a long shelf-life, ready-to-use solution.
  • the Nanoclone method (see, e.g., WO 06/079372, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) is a proprietary method for generating Nanobodies against a desired target, based on automated high-throughout selection of B-cells and could be used in the context of the instant invention.
  • UniBodies are another antibody fragment technology, however this one is based upon the removal of the hinge region of IgG4 antibodies. The deletion of the hinge region results in a molecule that is essentially half the size of traditional IgG4 antibodies and has a univalent binding region rather than the bivalent binding region of IgG4 antibodies. It is also well known that IgG4 antibodies are inert and thus do not interact with the immune system, which may be advantageous for the treatment of diseases where an immune response is not desired, and this advantage is passed onto UniBodies. For example, UniBodies may function to inhibit or silence, but not kill, the cells to which they are bound. Additionally, UniBody binding to cancer cells do not stimulate them to proliferate.
  • UniBodies are about half the size of traditional IgG4 antibodies, they may show better distribution over larger solid tumors with potentially advantageous efficacy. UniBodies are cleared from the body at a similar rate to whole IgG4 antibodies and are able to bind with a similar affinity for their antigens as whole antibodies. Further details of UniBodies may be obtained by reference to patent application WO2007/059782, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • Adnectin molecules are engineered binding proteins derived from one or more domains of the fibronectin protein. Fibronectin exists naturally in the human body. It is present in the extracellular matrix as an insoluble glycoprotein dimer and also serves as a linker protein. It is also present in soluable form in blood plasma as a disulphide linked dimer. The plasma form of fibronectin is synthesized by liver cells (hepatocytes), and the ECM form is made by chondrocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and some cells of the epithelium (see Ward M., and Marcey, D.,
  • fibronectin may function naturally as a cell adhesion molecule, or it may mediate the interaction of cells by making contacts in the extracellular matrix.
  • fibronectin is made of three different protein modules, type I, type II, and type III modules.
  • adnectin molecules are derived from the fibronectin type III domain by altering the native protein which is composed of multiple beta strands distributed between two beta sheets.
  • fibronecting may contain multiple type III domains which may be denoted, e.g., 1 Fn3, 2 Fn3, 3 Fn3, etc.
  • the 10 Fn3 domain contains an integrin binding motif and further contains three loops which connect the beta strands.
  • loops may be thought of as corresponding to the antigen binding loops of the IgG heavy chain, and they may be altered by methods discussed below to specifically bind a target of interest, e.g., an Ig-like domain of a RTK, such as the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit RTK or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor.
  • a target of interest e.g., an Ig-like domain of a RTK, such as the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit RTK or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor.
  • a fibronectin type III domain useful for the purposes of this invention is a sequence which exhibits a sequence identity of at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or at least 95% to the sequence encoding the structure of the fibronectin type III molecule which can be accessed from the Protein Data Bank (PDB, rcsb.org/pdb/home/home. do) with the accession code: lttg.
  • Adnectin molecules may also be derived from polymers of 10 Fn3 related molecules rather than a simple monomeric 10 Fn3 structure.
  • 10 Fn3 proteins adapted to become adnectin molecules are altered so to bind antigens of interest, e.g., an Ig-like domain of a RTK, such as the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit.
  • the alteration to the 10 Fn3 molecule comprises at least one mutation to a beta strand.
  • the loop regions which connect the beta strands of the 10 Fn3 molecule are altered to bind to an Ig-like domain of a human receptor tyrosine kinase, e.g., a VEGF receptor or a type III receptor tyrosine kinase, such as the human Kit.
  • the alterations in the 10 Fn3 may be made by any method known in the art including, but not limited to, error prone PCR, site-directed mutagenesis, DNA shuffling, or other types of recombinational mutagenesis which have been referenced herein.
  • variants of the DNA encoding the 10 Fn3 sequence may be directly synthesized in vitro, and later transcribed and translated in vitro or in vivo.
  • a natural 10 Fn3 sequence may be isolated or cloned from the genome using standard methods (as performed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Application No. 20070082365), and then mutated using mutagenesis methods known in the art.
  • a target protein e.g., an Ig-like domain of a RTK, such as the D4 or D5 domain of the Kit RTK or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor
  • a solid support such as a column resin or a well in a microtiter plate.
  • the target is then contacted with a library of potential binding proteins.
  • the library may comprise 10 Fn3 clones or adnectin molecules derived from the wild type 10 Fn3 by mutagenesis/randomization of the 10 Fn3 sequence or by mutagenesis/randomization of the 10 Fn3 loop regions (not the beta strands).
  • the library may be an RNA-protein fusion library generated by the techniques described in Szostak et al, U.S. Ser. No. 09/007,005 and 09/247,190; Szostak et al, WO989/31700; and Roberts & Szostak (1997) 94: 12297-12302.
  • the library may also be a DNA-protein library ⁇ e.g., as described in Lohse, U.S. Ser. No. 60/110,549, U.S. Ser. No. 09/459,190, and WO 00/32823).
  • the fusion library is then incubated with the immobilized target ⁇ e.g., the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit RTK or the D7 domain of a human VEGF receptor) and the solid support is washed to remove non-specific binding moieties. Tight binders are then eluted under stringent conditions and PCR is used to amply the genetic information or to create a new library of binding molecules to repeat the process (with or without additional mutagenesis). The selection/mutagenesis process may be repeated until binders with sufficient affinity to the target are obtained.
  • Adnectin molecules for use in the present invention may be engineered using the PROfusionTM technology employed by Adnexus, a Briston-Myers Squibb company.
  • fibronectin type III domains such as 10 Fn3, followed by a selection step may be accomplished using other methods known in the art such as phage display, ribosome display, or yeast surface display, e.g., Lipovsek et al. (2007) Journal of Molecular Biology 368: 1024-1041; Sergeeva et al. (2006) Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 58: 1622-1654; Petty et al. (2007) Trends Biotechnol. 25: 7-15; Rothe et al. (2006) Expert Opin Biol Ther. 6: 177-187; and Hoogenboom (2005) Nat Biotechnol. 23: 1105-1116.
  • exemplary proteins having immunoglobulin-like folds include N-cadherin, ICAM-2, titin, GCSF receptor, cytokine receptor, glycosidase inhibitor, E-cadherin, and antibiotic chromoprotein.
  • Further domains with related structures may be derived from myelin membrane adhesion molecule P0, CD8, CD4, CD2, class I MHC, T-cell antigen receptor, CD1, C2 and I-set domains of VCAM- 1, I-set immunoglobulin fold of myosin-binding protein C, I-set immunoglobulin fold of myosin-binding protein H, I-set immunoglobulin-fold of telokin, telikin, NCAM, twitchin, neuroglian, growth hormone receptor, erythropoietin receptor, prolactin receptor, GC-SF receptor, interferon-gamma receptor, beta-galactosidase/glucuronidase, beta-glucuronidase, and transglutaminase.
  • any other protein that includes one or more immunoglobulin-like folds may be utilized to create a adnecting like binding moiety.
  • Such proteins may be identified, for example, using the program SCOP (Murzin et al, J. Mol. Biol. 247:536 (1995); Lo Conte et al, Nucleic Acids Res. 25:257 (2000).
  • An aptamer is another type of antibody-mimetic which is encompassed by the present invention.
  • Aptamers are typically small nucleotide polymers that bind to specific molecular targets.
  • Aptamers may be single or double stranded nucleic acid molecules (DNA or RNA), although DNA based aptamers are most commonly double stranded.
  • DNA or RNA double stranded nucleic acid molecules
  • aptamer molecules are most commonly between 15 and 40 nucleotides long.
  • Aptamers often form complex three-dimensional structures which determine their affinity for target molecules. Aptamers can offer many advantages over simple antibodies, primarily because they can be engineered and amplified almost entirely in vitro. Furthermore, aptamers often induce little or no immune response.
  • Aptamers may be generated using a variety of techniques, but were originally developed using in vitro selection (Ellington and Szostak. (1990) Nature.
  • the SELEX method is clearly the most popular and is conducted in three fundamental steps. First, a library of candidate nucleic acid molecules is selected from for binding to specific molecular target. Second, nucleic acids with sufficient affinity for the target are separated from non-binders. Third, the bound nucleic acids are amplified, a second library is formed, and the process is repeated. At each repetition, aptamers are chosen which have higher and higher affinity for the target molecule.
  • An "aptamer” of the invention also been includes aptamer molecules made from peptides instead of nucleotides.
  • Peptide aptamers share many properties with nucleotide aptamers (e.g., small size and ability to bind target molecules with high affinity) and they may be generated by selection methods that have similar principles to those used to generate nucleotide aptamers, for example Baines and Colas. 2006. Drug Discov Today. l l(7-8):334-41 ; and Bickle et al. 2006. Nat Protoc. 1(3): 1066-91 which are incorporated herein by reference.
  • Affibody molecules represent a new class of affinity proteins based on a 58- amino acid residue protein domain, derived from one of the IgG-binding domains of staphylococcal protein A. This three helix bundle domain has been used as a scaffold for the construction of combinatorial phagemid libraries, from which Affibody variants that target the desired molecules can be selected using phage display technology (Nord K, Gunneriusson E, Ringdahl J, Stahl S, Uhlen M, Nygren PA, Binding proteins selected from combinatorial libraries of an a-helical bacterial receptor domain, Nat Biotechnol 1997; 15:772-7.
  • DARPins Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins
  • Repeat proteins such as ankyrin or leucine-rich repeat proteins, are ubiquitous binding molecules, which occur, unlike antibodies, intra- and extracellularly.
  • Their unique modular architecture features repeating structural units (repeats), which stack together to form elongated repeat domains displaying variable and modular target-binding surfaces. Based on this modularity, combinatorial libraries of polypeptides with highly diversified binding specificities can be generated. This strategy includes the consensus design of self- compatible repeats displaying variable surface residues and their random assembly into repeat domains.
  • DARPins can be produced in bacterial expression systems at very high yields and they belong to the most stable proteins known. Highly specific, high-affinity DARPins to a broad range of target proteins, including human receptors, cytokines, kinases, human proteases, viruses and membrane proteins, have been selected.
  • DARPins having affinities in the single-digit nanomolar to picomolar range can be obtained.
  • DARPins have been used in a wide range of applications, including ELISA, sandwich ELISA, flow cytometric analysis (FACS), immunohistochemistry (IHC), chip applications, affinity purification or Western blotting. DARPins also proved to be highly active in the intracellular compartment for example as intracellular marker proteins fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP). DARPins were further used to inhibit viral entry with IC50 in the pM range. DARPins are not only ideal to block protein-protein interactions, but also to inhibit enzymes. Proteases, kinases and transporters have been successfully inhibited, most often an allosteric inhibition mode. Very fast and specific enrichments on the tumor and very favorable tumor to blood ratios make DARPins well suited for in vivo diagnostics or therapeutic approaches.
  • Anticalins are an additional antibody mimetic technology, however in this case the binding specificity is derived from lipocalins, a family of low molecular weight proteins that are naturally and abundantly expressed in human tissues and body fluids. Lipocalins have evolved to perform a range of functions in vivo associated with the physiological transport and storage of chemically sensitive or insoluble compounds. Lipocalins have a robust intrinsic structure comprising a highly conserved ⁇ -barrel which supports four loops at one terminus of the protein. These loops form the entrance to a binding pocket and conformational differences in this part of the molecule account for the variation in binding specificity between individual lipocalins.
  • lipocalins differ considerably from antibodies in terms of size, being composed of a single polypeptide chain of 160-180 amino acids which is marginally larger than a single immunoglobulin domain.
  • Lipocalins are cloned and their loops are subjected to engineering in order to create Anticalins. Libraries of structurally diverse Anticalins have been generated and Anticalin display allows the selection and screening of binding function, followed by the expression and production of soluble protein for further analysis in prokaryotic or eukaryotic systems. Studies have successfully demonstrated that Anticalins can be developed that are specific for virtually any human target protein can be isolated and binding affinities in the nanomolar or higher range can be obtained.
  • Anticalins can also be formatted as dual targeting proteins, so-called Duocalins.
  • a Duocalin binds two separate therapeutic targets in one easily produced monomeric protein using standard manufacturing processes while retaining target specificity and affinity regardless of the structural orientation of its two binding domains. Modulation of multiple targets through a single molecule is particularly advantageous in diseases known to involve more than a single causative factor.
  • bi- or multivalent binding formats such as Duocalins have significant potential in targeting cell surface molecules in disease, mediating agonistic effects on signal transduction pathways or inducing enhanced internalization effects via binding and clustering of cell surface receptors.
  • the high intrinsic stability of Duocalins is comparable to monomeric Anticalins, offering flexible formulation and delivery potential for Duocalins.
  • Avimers are evolved from a large family of human extracellular receptor domains by in vitro exon shuffling and phage display, generating multidomain proteins with binding and inhibitory properties. Linking multiple independent binding domains has been shown to create avidity and results in improved affinity and specificity compared with conventional single-epitope binding proteins. Other potential advantages include simple and efficient production of multitarget- specific molecules in Escherichia coli, improved thermostability and resistance to proteases. Avimers with sub-nanomolar affinities have been obtained against a variety of targets.
  • Versabodies are another antibody mimetic technology that could be used in the context of the instant invention.
  • Versabodies are small proteins of 3-5 kDa with >15 cysteines, which form a high disulfide density scaffold, replacing the hydrophobic core that typical proteins have.
  • the replacement of a large number of hydrophobic amino acids, comprising the hydrophobic core, with a small number of disulfides results in a protein that is smaller, more hydrophilic (less aggregation and non-specific binding), more resistant to proteases and heat, and has a lower density of T-cell epitopes, because the residues that contribute most to MHC presentation are hydrophobic. All four of these properties are well-known to affect immunogenicity, and together they are expected to cause a large decrease in immunogenicity
  • biopharmaceuticals produced by leeches, snakes, spiders, scorpions, snails, and anemones which are known to exhibit unexpectedly low immunogenicity
  • Starting with selected natural protein families by design and by screening the size, hydrophobicity, proteolytic antigen processing, and epitope density are minimized to levels far below the average for natural injectable proteins.
  • Versabodies are highly soluble and can be formulated to high concentrations. Versabodies are exceptionally heat stable (they can be boiled) and offer extended shelf-life.
  • SMIPsTM Small Modular ImmunoPharmaceuticals-Trubion Pharmaceuticals engineered to maintain and optimize target binding, effector functions, in vivo half life, and expression levels.
  • SMIPS consist of three distinct modular domains. First they contain a binding domain which may consist of any protein which confers specificity (e.g., cell surface receptors, single chain antibodies, soluble proteins, etc). Secondly, they contain a hinge domain which serves as a flexible linker between the binding domain and the effector domain, and also helps control multimerization of the SMIP drug. Finally, SMIPS contain an effector domain which may be derived from a variety of molecules including Fc domains or other specially designed proteins. The modularity of the design, which allows the simple construction of SMIPs with a variety of different binding, hinge, and effector domains, provides for rapid and customizable drug design.
  • the antibodies of the present invention which bind to an Ig-like domain of a RTK, may be further characterized by the various physical properties.
  • Various assays may be used to detect and/or differentiate different classes of antibodies based on these physical properties.
  • antibodies of the present invention may contain one or more glycosylation sites in either the light or heavy chain variable region.
  • the presence of one or more glycosylation sites in the variable region may result in increased immunogenicity of the antibody or an alteration of the pK of the antibody due to altered antigen binding (Marshall et al (1972) Annu Rev Biochem 41:673-702; Gala FA and Morrison SL (2004) J Immunol 172:5489-94; Wallick et al (1988) J Exp Med 168: 1099- 109; Spiro RG (2002) Glycobiology 12:43R-56R; Parekh et al (1985) Nature 316:452-7; Mimura ei fl/.
  • variable region glycosylation may be tested using a Glycoblot assay, which cleaves the antibody to produce a Fab, and then tests for glycosylation using an assay that measures periodate oxidation and Schiff base formation.
  • variable region glycosylation may be tested using Dionex light chromatography (Dionex-LC), which cleaves saccharides from a Fab into
  • variable region glycosylation This can be achieved either by selecting antibodies that do not contain the glycosylation motif in the variable region or by mutating residues within the glycosylation motif using standard techniques well known in the art.
  • Each antibody will have a unique isoelectric point (pi), but generally antibodies will fall in the pH range of between 6 and 9.5.
  • the pi for an IgGl antibody typically falls within the pH range of 7-9.5 and the pi for an IgG4 antibody typically falls within the pH range of 6-8.
  • Antibodies may have a pi that is outside this range. Although the effects are generally unknown, there is speculation that antibodies with a pi outside the normal range may have some unfolding and instability under in vivo conditions.
  • the isoelectric point may be tested using a capillary isoelectric focusing assay, which creates a pH gradient and may utilize laser focusing for increased accuracy (Janini et al (2002) Electrophoresis 23: 1605-11; Ma et al.
  • an antibody that contains a pi value that falls in the normal range it is preferred to have an antibody that contains a pi value that falls in the normal range. This can be achieved either by selecting antibodies with a pi in the normal range, or by mutating charged surface residues using standard techniques well known in the art.
  • Each antibody will have a melting temperature that is indicative of thermal stability (Knshnamurthy R and Manning MC (2002) Curr Pharm Biotechnol 3:361-71). A higher thermal stability indicates greater overall antibody stability in vivo.
  • the melting point of an antibody may be measure using techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (Chen et al (2003) Pharm Res 20: 1952-60; Ghirlando et al (1999) Immunol Lett 68:47-52).
  • T M i indicates the temperature of the initial unfolding of the antibody.
  • T M2 indicates the temperature of complete unfolding of the antibody.
  • the T M I of an antibody of the present invention is greater than 60°C, preferably greater than 65°C, even more preferably greater than 70°C.
  • the thermal stability of an antibody may be measure using circular dichroism (Murray et al. (2002) J. Chromatogr Sci 40:343-9).
  • antibodies that do not rapidly degrade may be desired. Fragmentation of an antibody may be measured using capillary electrophoresis (CE) and MALDI-MS, as is well understood in the art (Alexander AJ and Hughes DE (1995) Anal Chem 67:3626-32).
  • CE capillary electrophoresis
  • MALDI-MS MALDI-MS
  • antibodies are selected that have minimal aggregation effects. Aggregation may lead to triggering of an unwanted immune response and/or altered or unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties. Generally, antibodies are acceptable with aggregation of 25% or less, preferably 20% or less, even more preferably 15% or less, even more preferably 10% or less and even more preferably 5% or less. Aggregation may be measured by several techniques well known in the art, including size-exclusion column (SEC) high performance liquid
  • HPLC chromatography
  • Polyclonal antibodies of the present invention can be produced by a variety of techniques that are well known in the art. Polyclonal antibodies are derived from different B-cell lines and thus may recognize multiple epitopes on the same antigen. Polyclonal antibodies are typically produced by immunization of a suitable mammal with the antigen of interest, e.g. , an Ig-like domain of an RTK such as the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit or the D7 domain of a human VEGF. Animals often used for production of polyclonal antibodies are chickens, goats, guinea pigs, hamsters, horses, mice, rats, sheep, and, most commonly, rabbit.
  • a suitable mammal e.g., an Ig-like domain of an RTK such as the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit or the D7 domain of a human VEGF.
  • Animals often used for production of polyclonal antibodies are chickens, goats, guinea pigs, hamsters,
  • Example 14 polyclonal anti-Kit antibodies were generated by immunizing rabbits with the fourth (D4) or fifth (D5) Ig- like domain of Kit or the entire ectodomain of Kit.
  • Standard methods to produce polyclonal antibodies are widely known in the art and can be combined with the methods of the present invention (e.g.,
  • Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) of the present invention can be produced by a variety of techniques, including conventional monoclonal antibody methodology e.g. , the standard somatic cell hybridization technique of Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256: 495. Although somatic cell hybridization procedures are preferred, in principle, other techniques for producing monoclonal antibody can be employed e.g. , viral or oncogenic transformation of B lymphocytes. It should be noted that antibodies
  • a RTK preferably the D4 or D5 domains of the human Kit RTK or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor, to the concensus sequences discussed herein, or to any conformational, discontinuous, or linear epitopes described herein.
  • two small peptides which comprise a conformational epitope may be connected via a flexible linker (e.g. , polyglycol, or a stretch of polar, uncharged amino acids).
  • the linker will allow the peptides to explore various interaction orientations. Immunizing with this construct, followed by appropriate screening could allow for identification of antibodies directed to a conformational epitope.
  • peptides to specific conformational or linear epitopes may be generated by immunizing an animal with a particular domain of an RTK (e.g., domain 4 or domain 5 of the Kit ectodomain or D7 of a VEGF receptor) and subsequently screening for antibodies which bind the epitope of interest.
  • an RTK e.g., domain 4 or domain 5 of the Kit ectodomain or D7 of a VEGF receptor
  • cryoelectron microscopy Jiang et al. (2008) Nature 451, 1130- 1134; Joachim (2006) Oxford
  • University Pres , ,s'_ISBN:0195182189 may be used to identify the epitopes bound by an antibody or antigen binding fragment of the invention.
  • the RTK or a domain thereof may be crystallized with the bound antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof and analyzed by X-ray crystallography to determine the precise epitopes that are bound.
  • epitopes may be mapped by replacing portions of an RTK sequence with the corresponding sequences from mouse or another species.
  • Antibodies directed to epitopes of interest will selectively bind the human sequence regions and, thus, it is possible to sequentially map target epitopes.
  • the epitopes of interest in target RTKs are not glycosylated.
  • an RTK of interest is glycosylated, antibodies or antigen binding portions thereof (and other moieties of the invention), may be raised such that they bind to the relevant amino acid and/or sugar residues.
  • the Kit protein has at least 10 sites for potential N- linked glycosylation (Morstyn, Foote, Lieschke (2004) Hematopoietic Growth Factors in Oncology: Basic Science and Clinical Therapeutics. Humana Press. ISBN: 1588293025). It is further thought that Kit may exhibit O-linked glycosylation as well as attachment to sialic acid residues (Wypych J, et a/.(1995) Blood, 85(l):66-73). Thus, it is
  • antibodies or antigen binding portions thereof may be raised such that they also bind to sugar residues which may be attached to any epitope identified herein.
  • an antigenic peptide of interest may be produced in an animal cell such that it gets properly glycosylated and the glycosylated antigenic peptide may then be used to immunize an animal.
  • Suitable cells and techniques for producing glycosylated peptides are known in the art and described further below (see, for example, the technologies available from GlycoFi, Inc., Riverside, NH and BioWa; Princeton, NJ).
  • the proper glycosylation of a peptide may be tested using any standard methods such as isoelectric focusing (IEF), acid hydrolysis (to determine monosaccharide composition), chemical or enzymatic cleavage, and mass spectrometry (MS) to identify glycans.
  • IEF isoelectric focusing
  • acid hydrolysis to determine monosaccharide composition
  • chemical or enzymatic cleavage to identify glycans.
  • MS mass spectrometry
  • O-glycosylation specifically may be detected using techniques such as reductive alkaline cleavage or "beta elimination", peptide mapping, liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry or any combination of these techniques.
  • hybridomas The preferred animal system for preparing hybridomas is the murine system.
  • Hybridoma production in the mouse is a very well-established procedure. Immunization protocols and techniques for isolation of immunized splenocytes for fusion are known in the art. Fusion partners (e.g., murine myeloma cells) and fusion procedures are also known.
  • Chimeric or humanized antibodies of the present invention can be prepared based on the sequence of a murine monoclonal antibody prepared as described above. DNA encoding the heavy and light chain immunoglobulins can be obtained from the murine hybridoma of interest and engineered to contain non-murine (e.g., human)
  • the murine variable regions can be linked to human constant regions using methods known in the art (see e.g., U.S. Patent No. 4,816,567 to Cabilly et al.).
  • the murine CDR regions can be inserted into a human framework using methods known in the art (see e.g., U.S. Patent No. 5,225,539 to Winter, and U.S. Patent Nos. 5,530,101; 5,585,089; 5,693,762 and
  • a humanized antibody may be designed at the DNA or protein level, given knowledge of human and non-human sequences. Such antibodies may be directly synthesized chemically, or the DNA may be synthesized and expressed in vitro or in vivo to produce a humanized antibody.
  • the antibodies of the invention are human
  • Such human monoclonal antibodies directed against an Ig-like domain of an RTK e.g. the D4 or D5 domain of Kit or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor
  • transgenic or transchromosomic mice carrying parts of the human immune system rather than the mouse system.
  • transgenic and transchromosomic mice include mice referred to herein as HuMAb mice and KM miceTM, respectively, and are collectively referred to herein as "human Ig mice.”
  • the HuMAb mouse® (Medarex, Inc.) contains human immunoglobulin gene miniloci that encode unrearranged human heavy ( ⁇ and ⁇ ) and ⁇ light chain
  • mice exhibit reduced expression of mouse IgM or K, and in response to immunization, the introduced human heavy and light chain transgenes undergo class switching and somatic mutation to generate high affinity human IgGK monoclonal (Lonberg, N. et al. (1994), supra; reviewed in Lonberg, N. (1994)
  • human antibodies of the invention can be raised using a mouse that carries human immunoglobulin sequences on transgenes and
  • transchomosomes such as a mouse that carries a human heavy chain transgene and a human light chain transchromosome.
  • KM miceTM Such mice, referred to herein as "KM miceTM", are described in detail in PCT Publication WO 02/43478 to Ishida et al.
  • immunoglobulin genes are available in the art and can be used to raise the antibodies of the invention.
  • an alternative transgenic system referred to as the
  • Xenomouse (Abgenix, Inc.) can be used; such mice are described in, for example, U.S.
  • mice carrying both a human heavy chain transchromosome and a human light chain tranchromosome referred to as "TC mice” can be used; such mice are described in Tomizuka et al. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97:722-727 ' .
  • cows carrying human heavy and light chain transchromosomes have been described in the art (Kuroiwa et al. (2002) Nature Biotechnology 20:889-894) and can be used to raise the antibodies of the invention.
  • Human monoclonal antibodies of the invention can also be prepared using phage display methods for screening libraries of human immunoglobulin genes.
  • phage display methods for isolating human antibodies are established in the art. See for example: U.S. Patent Nos. 5,223,409; 5,403,484; and 5,571,698 to Ladner et al. ; U.S. Patent Nos. 5,427,908 and 5,580,717 to Dower et al. ; U.S. Patent Nos. 5,969,108 and 6,172,197 to McCafferty et al. ⁇ and U.S. Patent Nos. 5,885,793; 6,521,404; 6,544,731; 6,555,313; 6,582,915 and 6,593,081 to Griffiths et al.
  • Human monoclonal antibodies of the invention can also be prepared using SCID mice into which human immune cells have been reconstituted such that a human antibody response can be generated upon immunization.
  • SCID mice into which human immune cells have been reconstituted such that a human antibody response can be generated upon immunization.
  • Such mice are described in, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,476,996 and 5,698,767 to Wilson et al.
  • antibodies of the invention may be raised using well known phage display techniques, as described in Marks, J.D., et al. ((1991). J. Mol. Biol. 222, 581), Nissim, A., et al. ((1994). EMBO J. 13, 692) and U.S. Patent Nos. 6,794,132; 6562341; 6057098; 5821047; and 6512097.
  • antibodies of the present invention may be found using yeast cell surface display technology as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,423,538; 6,300,065; 6,696,251; 6,699,658.
  • splenocytes and/or lymph node cells from immunized mice can be isolated and fused to an appropriate immortalized cell line, such as a mouse myeloma cell line.
  • an appropriate immortalized cell line such as a mouse myeloma cell line.
  • the resulting hybridomas can be screened for the production of antigen- specific antibodies.
  • single cell suspensions of splenic lymphocytes from immunized mice can be fused to one-sixth the number of P3X63-Ag8. 653 nonsecreting mouse myeloma cells (ATCC, CRL 1580) with 50% PEG.
  • the single cell suspension of splenic lymphocytes from immunized mice can be fused using an electric field based electrofusion method, using a CytoPulse large chamber cell fusion electroporator (CytoPulse Sciences, Inc., Glen Burnie Maryland).
  • Cells are plated at approximately 2 x 10 5 in flat bottom micro titer plate, followed by a two week incubation in selective medium containing 20% fetal Clone Serum, 18% "653" conditioned media, 5% origen (IGEN), 4 mM L-glutamine, 1 mM sodium pyruvate, 5mM HEPES, 0.055 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 50 units/ml penicillin, 50 mg/ml streptomycin, 50 mg/ml gentamycin and IX HAT (Sigma; the HAT is added 24 hours after the fusion). After approximately two weeks, cells can be cultured in medium in which the HAT is replaced with HT.
  • selective medium containing 20% fetal Clone Serum, 18% "653" conditioned media, 5% origen (IGEN), 4 mM L-glutamine, 1 mM sodium pyruvate, 5mM HEPES, 0.055 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 50 units/ml penicillin
  • selected hybridomas can be grown in two-liter spinner-flasks for monoclonal antibody purification.
  • Supernatants can be filtered and concentrated before affinity chromatography with protein A-sepharose (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.).
  • Eluted IgG can be checked by gel electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography to ensure purity.
  • the buffer solution can be exchanged into PBS, and the concentration can be determined by OD 2 8o using 1.43 extinction coefficient.
  • the monoclonal antibodies can be aliquoted and stored at -80° C.
  • Antibodies of the invention also can be produced in a host cell transfectoma (a type of hybridoma) using, for example, a combination of recombinant DNA techniques and gene transfection methods as is well known in the art (e.g. , Morrison, S. (1985) Science 229: 1202).
  • DNAs encoding partial or full-length light and heavy chains can be obtained by standard molecular biology techniques (e.g. , PCR amplification or cDNA cloning using a hybridoma that expresses the antibody of interest) and the DNAs can be inserted into expression vectors such that the genes are operatively linked to transcriptional and translational control sequences.
  • operatively linked is intended to mean that an antibody gene is ligated into a vector such that transcriptional and translational control sequences within the vector serve their intended function of regulating the transcription and translation of the antibody gene.
  • the expression vector and expression control sequences are chosen to be compatible with the expression host cell used.
  • the antibody light chain gene and the antibody heavy chain gene can be inserted into separate vector or, more typically, both genes are inserted into the same expression vector.
  • the antibody genes are inserted into the expression vector by standard methods (e.g. , ligation of complementary restriction sites on the antibody gene fragment and vector, or blunt end ligation if no restriction sites are present).
  • the light and heavy chain variable regions of the described antibodies can be used to create full- length antibody genes of any antibody isotype by inserting them into expression vectors already encoding heavy chain constant and light chain constant regions of the desired isotype such that the VH segment is operatively linked to the CH segment(s) within the vector and the VK segment is operatively linked to the CL segment within the vector.
  • the recombinant expression vector can encode a signal peptide that facilitates secretion of the antibody chain from a host cell.
  • the antibody chain gene can be cloned into the vector such that the signal peptide is linked in-frame to the amino terminus of the antibody chain gene.
  • the signal peptide can be an
  • immunoglobulin signal peptide or a heterologous signal peptide (i.e. , a signal peptide from a non-immunoglobulin protein).
  • the recombinant expression vectors of the invention carry regulatory sequences that control the expression of the antibody chain genes in a host cell.
  • the term "regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g. , polyadenylation signals) that control the transcription or translation of the antibody chain genes.
  • Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel (Gene Expression
  • regulatory sequences for mammalian host cell expression include viral elements that direct high levels of protein expression in mammalian cells, such as promoters and/or enhancers derived from cytomegalovirus (CMV), Simian Virus 40 (SV40), adenovirus, (e.g. , the adenovirus major late promoter (AdMLP) and polyoma.
  • CMV cytomegalovirus
  • SV40 Simian Virus 40
  • AdMLP adenovirus major late promoter
  • polyoma polyoma.
  • nonviral regulatory sequences may be used, such as the ubiquitin promoter or ⁇ -globin promoter.
  • regulatory elements composed of sequences from different sources, such as the SR promoter system, which contains sequences from the SV40 early promoter and the long terminal repeat of human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (Takebe, Y. et al. (1988) Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:466-472).
  • the SR promoter system which contains sequences from the SV40 early promoter and the long terminal repeat of human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (Takebe, Y. et al. (1988) Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:466-472).
  • recombinant expression vectors of the invention may carry additional sequences, such as sequences that regulate replication of the vector in host cells (e.g., origins of replication) and selectable marker genes.
  • the selectable marker gene facilitates selection of host cells into which the vector has been introduced (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,399,216, 4,634,665 and 5,179,017, all by Axel et ah).
  • the selectable marker gene confers resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin or methotrexate, on a host cell into which the vector has been introduced.
  • Preferred selectable marker genes include the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene (for use in dhfr- host cells with methotrexate selection/amplification) and the neo gene (for G418 selection).
  • DHFR dihydrofolate reductase
  • the expression vector(s) encoding the heavy and light chains is transfected into a host cell by standard techniques.
  • the various forms of the term "transfection" are intended to encompass a wide variety of techniques commonly used for the introduction of exogenous DNA into a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell, e.g., electroporation, calcium-phosphate precipitation, DEAE- dextran transfection and the like.
  • Preferred mammalian host cells for expressing the recombinant antibodies of the invention include Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO cells) (including dhfr- CHO cells, described in Urlaub and Chasin, (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Set USA 77:4216-4220, used with a DHFR selectable marker, e.g., as described in R. J. Kaufman and P. A. Sharp (1982) Mol. Biol. 759:601-621), NSO myeloma cells, COS cells and SP2 cells.
  • another preferred expression system is the GS gene expression system disclosed in WO 87/04462, WO 89/01036 and EP 338,841.
  • the antibodies When recombinant expression vectors encoding antibody genes are introduced into mammalian host cells, the antibodies are produced by culturing the host cells for a period of time sufficient to allow for expression of the antibody in the host cells or, more preferably, secretion of the antibody into the culture medium in which the host cells are grown. Antibodies can be recovered from the culture medium using standard protein purification methods.
  • Antibodies of the invention can be tested for binding to the ectodomain, e.g. , an Ig-like domain of a RTK (or any chosen region such as the concensus sequences discussed herein) by, for example, standard ELISA. Briefly, microtiter plates are coated with the purified Ig-like domain (or a preferred receptor domain) at 0.25 ⁇ g /ml in PBS, and then blocked with 5% bovine serum albumin in PBS. Dilutions of antibody (e.g. , dilutions of plasma from immunized mice, e.g. , mice immunized with the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit) are added to each well and incubated for 1-2 hours at 37°C.
  • a RTK or any chosen region such as the concensus sequences discussed herein
  • the plates are washed with PBS/Tween and then incubated with secondary reagent (e.g. , for human antibodies, a goat-anti-human IgG Fc-specific polyclonal reagent) conjugated to alkaline phosphatase for 1 hour at 37°C. After washing, the plates are developed with pNPP substrate (1 mg/ml), and analyzed at OD of 405-650. Preferably, mice which develop the highest titers will be used for fusions.
  • secondary reagent e.g. , for human antibodies, a goat-anti-human IgG Fc-specific polyclonal reagent conjugated to alkaline phosphatase for 1 hour at 37°C.
  • secondary reagent e.g. , for human antibodies, a goat-anti-human IgG Fc-specific polyclonal reagent conjugated to alkaline phosphatase for 1 hour at 37°C.
  • the plates are developed with pNPP substrate (1
  • An ELISA assay as described above can also be used to screen for hybridomas that show positive reactivity with immunogen.
  • Hybridomas that bind with high avidity to, e.g. , an Ig-like domain of an RTK are subcloned and further characterized.
  • One clone from each hybridoma, which retains the reactivity of the parent cells (by ELISA) can be chosen for making a 5- 10 vial cell bank stored at - 140 °C, and for antibody purification.
  • hybridomas can be grown in two-liter spinner-flasks for monoclonal antibody purification.
  • Supernatants can be filtered and concentrated before affinity chromatography with protein A-sepharose (Pharmacia, Piscataway, NJ).
  • Eluted IgG can be checked by gel electrophoresis and high
  • the buffer solution can be exchanged into PBS, and the concentration can be determined by OD 2 8o using 1.43 extinction coefficient.
  • the monoclonal antibodies can be aliquoted and stored at -80 °C.
  • each antibody can be biotinylated using commercially available reagents (Pierce, Rockford, IL). Competition studies using unlabeled monoclonal antibodies and biotinylated monoclonal antibodies can be performed using RTK coated ELISA plates coated with an Ig-like domain of a RTK (e.g., Kit-D4 domain, Kit-D5 domain, or a VEGF receptor D7 domain) as described above. Biotinylated mAb binding can be detected with a strep- avidin-alkaline phosphatase probe.
  • RTK e.g., Kit-D4 domain, Kit-D5 domain, or a VEGF receptor D7 domain
  • isotype ELISAs can be performed using reagents specific for antibodies of a particular isotype. For example, to determine the isotype of a human monoclonal antibody, wells of microtiter plates can be coated with 1 ⁇ g/ml of anti-human immunoglobulin overnight at 4° C. After blocking with 1% BSA, the plates are reacted with 1 ⁇ g /ml or less of test monoclonal antibodies or purified isotype controls, at ambient temperature for one to two hours. The wells can then be reacted with either human IgGl or human IgM- specific alkaline phosphatase- conjugated probes. Plates are developed and analyzed as described above.
  • Anti-RTK human IgGs can be further tested for reactivity with an Ig-like domain of a RTK or a concensus sequence presented herein by Western blotting.
  • an Ig- like domain of a RTK such as the D4 or D5 domain of the Kit RTK or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor, can be prepared and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate
  • Epitope mapping may be employed to determine the binding site of an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof of the invention.
  • Several methods are available which further allow the mapping of conformational epitopes. For example, the methods disclosed in Timmerman et al. (Mol Divers. 2004;8(2):61-77) may be used.
  • Timmerman et al. were able to successfully map discontinuous/conformational epitopes using two novel techniques, Domain Scan and Matrix Scan.
  • the techniques disclosed in Ansong et al. (J Thromb Haemost. 2006. 4(4):842-7) may also be used.
  • Ansong et al. used affinity directed mass spectrometry to map the discontinuous epitope recognized by the antibody R8B12.
  • imaging techniques such as Protein Tomography may be used to visualize antibody or peptide binding to target RTKs.
  • Protein Tomography has been used previously to gain insight into molecular interactions, and was used to show that an inhibitory antibody acted by binding domain III of EGFR thereby locking EGFR into an inflexible and inactive conformation (Lammerts et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008.105(16):6109-14). More traditional methods such as site-directed mutagenesis may also be applied to map discontinuous epitopes. Amino acid regions thought to participate in a discontinuous epitope may be selectively mutated and assayed for binding to an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof of the invention. The inability of the antibody to bind when either region is mutated may indicate that binding is dependent upon both amino acid segments.
  • linear epitopes are characterized by particular three-dimensional structures which must be present in order to bind a moiety of the invention. Such epitopes may be discovered by assaying the binding of the antibody (or another moiety) when the RTK is in its native or folded state and again when the RTK is denatured. An observation that binding occurs only in the folded state would indicate that the epitope is either a linear epitope characterized by a particular folded structure or a discontinuous epitope only present in folded protein.
  • Protein Tomography may be used to determine whether an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof of the invention is able to bind and inactivate a receptor tyrosine kinase. Visualization of the binding interaction may indicate that binding of the antibody may affect the positioning of the two ectodomains at the cell surface interface or alter or prevent conformational changes in the receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • the moiety that binds to the ectodomain, e.g., an Ig-like domain or a hinge region, of a human receptor tyrosine kinase is a small molecule.
  • the small molecules of the instant invention are characterized by particular functional features or properties.
  • the small molecules bind to an Ig-like domain of a RTK, e.g., the D4 or D5 domain of Kit RTK or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor, or a hinge region of a RTK, e.g., the D3-D4 or D4-D5 hinge regions of the Kit RTK.
  • the binding of small molecule inhibitors to the D3-D4 or the D4-D5 hinge regions will prevent the movement that enables the membrane proximal D4 and D5 domains to be at a distance and orientation (position) that allows trans-autophosphorylation and activation of the tyrosine kinase domain followed by recruitment and activation of downstream signaling pathways.
  • the small molecule binding may, in some embodiments, allow the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase to dimerize but affects the positioning, orientation and/or distance between the Ig- like domains of the two monomers (e.g.
  • the D4-D4 or D5-D5 domains of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase or the D7-D7 domains of a type V receptor tyrosine kinase thereby inhibiting the activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • the moiety or small molecule may allow ligand induced dimerization of the receptor tyrosine kinase ectodomains, but affect the positioning of the two ectodomains at the cell surface interface, thereby inhibiting the activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase (e.g., inhibiting receptor internalization and/or inhibiting tyrosine autophosphorylation of the receptor and/or inhibiting the ability of the receptor to activate a downstream signaling pathway).
  • small molecule compounds small molecule drugs
  • small molecules small molecules
  • small molecule inhibitors are used interchangeably herein to refer to the compounds of the present invention screened for an effect on RTKs and their ability to inhibit the dimerization or activity of the RTK, e.g., the Kit RTK or a VEGF receptor.
  • RTKs e.g., the Kit RTK or a VEGF receptor.
  • These compounds may comprise compounds in PubChem database
  • MLSCN Molecular Libraries Screening Center Network
  • analogue or “functional analogue” refers to a chemical compound or small molecule inhibitor that is structurally similar to a parent compound, but differs slightly in composition (e.g. , one or more atoms or functional groups are added, removed, or modified).
  • the analogue may or may not have different chemical or physical properties than the original compound and may or may not have improved biological and/or chemical activity.
  • the analogue may be more
  • the analogue may be a naturally or non-naturally occurring (e.g., recombinant) variant of the original compound.
  • Other types of analogues include isomers (enantiomers, diasteromers, and the like) and other types of chiral variants of a compound, as well as structural isomers.
  • the analogue may be a branched or cyclic variant of a linear compound.
  • a linear compound may have an analogue that is branched or otherwise substituted to impart certain desirable properties (e.g. , improve hydrophilicity or bioavailability).
  • derivative refers to a chemically or biologically modified version of a chemical compound or small molecule inhibitor that is structurally similar to a parent compound and (actually or theoretically) derivable from that parent compound.
  • a “derivative” differs from an "analogue” or “functional analogue” in that a parent compound may be the starting material to generate a "derivative,” whereas the parent compound may not necessarily be used as the starting material to generate an "analogue” or “functional analogue.”
  • a derivative may or may not have different chemical or physical properties of the parent compound. For example, the derivative may be more hydrophilic or it may have altered reactivity as compared to the parent compound.
  • modification by chemical or other means may involve substitution of one or more moieties within the molecule (e.g. , a change in functional group).
  • a hydrogen may be substituted with a halogen, such as fluorine or chlorine, or a hydroxyl group (—OH) may be replaced with a carboxylic acid moiety (— COOH).
  • derivative also includes conjugates, and prodrugs of a parent compound (i.e. , chemically modified derivatives which can be converted into the original compound under physiological conditions).
  • the prodrug may be an inactive form of an active agent. Under physiological conditions, the prodrug may be converted into the active form of the compound.
  • Prodrugs may be formed, for example, by replacing one or two hydrogen atoms on nitrogen atoms by an acyl group (acyl prodrugs) or a carbamate group (carbamate prodrugs). More detailed information relating to prodrugs is found, for example, in Fleisher et al. , Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 19 (1996) 115; Design of Prodrugs, H. Bundgaard (ed.), Elsevier, 1985; and H. Bundgaard, Drugs of the Future 16 (1991) 443.
  • the term "derivative” is also used to describe all solvates, for example hydrates or adducts (e.g. , adducts with alcohols), active metabolites, and salts of the parent compound.
  • acidic groups such as carboxylic acid groups can form alkali metal salts or alkaline earth metal salts (e.g. , sodium salts, potassium salts, magnesium salts, calcium salts, and salts with physiologically tolerable quaternary ammonium ions and acid addition salts with ammonia and physiologically tolerable organic amines such as triethylamine, ethanolamine, or tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)amine).
  • alkali metal salts or alkaline earth metal salts e.g. , sodium salts, potassium salts, magnesium salts, calcium salts, and salts with physiologically tolerable quaternary ammonium ions and acid addition salts with ammonia and physiologically tolerable organic amines such as triethylamine, ethanolamine, or tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)amine.
  • Basic groups can form acid addition salts, for example with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid (“HQ"), sulfuric acid, or phosphoric acid, or with organic carboxylic acids and sulfonic acids such as acetic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, methanesulfonic acid, or p-toluenesulfonic acid.
  • Compounds which simultaneously contain a basic group and an acidic group such as a carboxyl group in addition to basic nitrogen atoms can be present as zwitterions. Salts can be obtained by customary methods known to those skilled in the art, for example by combining a compound with an inorganic or organic acid or base in a solvent or diluent, or from other salts by cation exchange or anion exchange.
  • Small molecules are known to have molecular weights of 1200 or below, 1000 or below, 900 or below, 800 or below, 700 or below, 600 or below, 500 or below, 400 or below, 300 or below, 200 or below, 100 or below, 50 or below, 25 or below, or 10 or below.
  • the small molecule inhibitors of the present invention are selected or designed to bind to the ectodomain, e.g., an Ig-like domain or a hinge region, of a RTK.
  • the small molecule inhibitors are selected or designed to bind an Ig-like domain or a hinge region of human Kit, a human VEGF receptor or PDGFR, e.g., the D4 or D5 domain, or the D3-D4 and/or D4-D5 hinge regions of the human Kit receptor, thereby antagonizing the ability of the receptor to dimerize and become active, e.g., autophosphorylate and activate an intracellular signal transduction pathway.
  • the small molecule inhibitors are selected to bind domains sharing homology to a domain of the Kit receptor or VEGF receptor.
  • a small molecule of the present invention may be directed toward a domain which is at least 50% identical, at least 60% identical, at least 70% identical, at least 80% identical, at least 90% identical, or at least 95% or 99% identical to an Ig-like domain of a RTK, e.g., the D4 or D5 domain of Kit or the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor; or a hinge region of a RTK, e.g., the D3-D4 or D4-D5 hinge regions, of the Kit or PDGFR receptor.
  • Such a small molecule would be capable of binding protein domains, possibly in Kit, VEGF receptors and other RTKs, which are functionally similar to, for example, the D4, D5 or D7 domains or the D3-D4 and/or D4-D5 hinge regions of the Kit or PDGF receptor .
  • the small molecule inhibitors of the present invention may also bind to a particular motif or consensus sequence derived from an Ig-like domain or a hinge region of a RTK, e.g. , a human VEGF receptor or a human type III RTK, allowing the small molecule inhibitors to specifically bind domains which are shared among members of the RTK family, e.g. , members of the human type III family of RTKs.
  • a RTK e.g. , a human VEGF receptor or a human type III RTK
  • a small molecule of the present invention binds to the following consensus sequence for the D4 interaction site: LX 1 RX 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 X 7 G wherein L is Leucine, R is Arginine, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 , X 6 and X 7 are any amino acid.
  • Xi is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Isoleucine, Valine, Proline, Asparagine, or Lysine
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Leucine, Valine, Alanine, and Methionine
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Histidine, Asparagine, and Arginine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Valine, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, and Methionine
  • X5 is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Glutamine, and Aspartic acid
  • X 6 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Aspartic acid, and Glutamine
  • X 7 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Serine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Glutamine, and Threonine.
  • a small molecule of the present invention binds binds to the following consensus sequence for the D7 domain of a member of the VEGF receptor family: rXiRVX 2 X 3 EDX 4 G wherein I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, E is Glutamic Acid, D is Aspartic Acid, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are any amino acid.
  • Xi is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Arginine, and Glutamine
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine and Threonine
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Lysine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Alanine (SEQ ID NO: 1).
  • a moiety of the present invention binds to the following consensus sequence for the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor: L/I Xi R ⁇ X 2 X 3 X 4 D/E X 5 G (SEQ ID NO: 158), wherein L is Leucine, I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, ⁇ is a hydrophobic amino acid, D is Aspartic Acid, E is Glutamic Acid, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 , X 4 and X5 are any amino acid.
  • ⁇ is Valine
  • Xi is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid and Aspartic Acid
  • X 2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Lysine and Threonine
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine and Valine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Valine
  • X5 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Serine and Glutamine.
  • small molecule inhibitors bind protein motifs or consensus sequences which represent the three dimensional structure of the protein.
  • Such motifs or consensus sequences would not represent a contiguous string of amino acids, but a non-linear amino acid arrangement that results from the three-dimensional folding of the RTK (i.e. , a structural motif).
  • An example of such a motif would be a motif designed based on the D3-D4 and/or D4-D5 hinge regions of the Kit receptor.
  • Such motifs and consensus sequences may be designed according to the methods discussed in Section I regarding antibodies.
  • a small molecule inhibitor of the invention does not bind to the ligand binding site of the RTK, e.g. , the SCF binding site of the Kit receptor.
  • the small molecule inhibitor does not bind to the Ig-like domains of a RTK responsible for ligand binding.
  • the small molecule inhibitor of the invention binds to a contiguous epitope on the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is composed of two or more residues in the D7 domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is an epitope selected from the group consisting of 672 VAISSS 677 of VEGFR1, 678 TTLDCHA 684 of VEGFR1, 685 NGVPEPQ 691 of VEGFR1, 700 KIQQEPG 706 of VEGFR1, 707 IILG 710 of VEGFR1, 711 PGS 713 of VEGFR1, 714 STLFI 718 of VEGFR1, 719 ERVTEEDEG V 728 of VEGFR1, 689 VNVSDS 694 of VEGFR3, 695 LEMQCLV 701 of VEGFR3, 702 AGAHAPS 708 of VEGFR3,
  • small molecule inhibitors of the invention are selected or designed to bind specifically to a mutant ectodomain, e.g. , a mutant Ig-like domain or a mutant hinge region, of a RTK.
  • the mutant RTK is a tumorigenic or an oncogenic mutant.
  • the small molecule inhibitor is selected or designed to bind to an oncogenic Kit receptor mutant.
  • Kit receptor mutants which may be targeted by the small molecules of the instant invention are Kit receptors with mutations in one or more of the following amino acids: Thr417, Tyr418, Asp419, Leu421, Arg420, Tyr503, or Ala502.
  • the methods of the invention would be applicable to other mutations in Kit or to mutations in other RTKs.
  • One advantage of targeting a mutant RTK is that a therapeutic small molecule may bind to only the RTKs on cells containing the mutation, leaving healthy cells largely or entirely unaffected. Accordingly, in instances where the mutation is tumorigenic, only tumor cells would be targeted for therapy, potentially reducing side effects and dosage requirements.
  • the small molecule binds to specific sequences of the human Kit receptor, for example, residues 309-413, residues 410-519, 381 Arg and 386 Glu, or 418 Tyr and 505 Asn of the human Kit receptor.
  • the small molecule binds to specific sequences of a human VEGF receptor, for example, residues 718-727 of VEGFR1, Arg720 and Asp725 of VEGFR1, residues 724-733 of VEGFR2, Arg726 and Asp731 of VEGFR2, residues 735-744 of VEGFR3, or residues Arg737 and Asp742 of VEGFR3.
  • a small molecule of the invention may bind to one or more residues in the Kit receptor which make up the small cavities or pockets described in Table 4 (below).
  • a small molecule of the invention may bind to one or more of the following residues in the D3-D4 hinge region of the Kit receptor: K218, S220, Y221, L222 from the D3 domain and F340, P341, K342, N367, E368, S369, N370, 1371, Y373 from the D4 domain.
  • a small molecule of the invention may also bind to one or more of the following residues which make up a concave surface in the
  • a small molecule of the invention may bind to one or more of the following residues which form a pocket in the D2-D3 hinge region of the Kit receptor:Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206 and F208 from the D2 domain and V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268 and Y269 from the D3 domain.
  • a small molecule of the invention may bind to contiguous or non-contiguous amino acid residues and function as a molecular wedge that prevents the motion required for positioning of the membrane proximal region of the RTK at a distance and orientation that enables tyrosine kinase activation.
  • a small molecule of the invention may also act to prevent homotypic D4 or D5 receptor interactions or destabilize the ligand- receptor interaction site.
  • a small molecule of the invention may bind to one or more of the following residues on the Kit receptor: Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206, P206, F208, K127, A207, V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, Y269, T295, L222, L222, L223, E306, V308, R224, V308, K310, K218, A219, S220, K218, A220, Y221, A339, D327, D398, E338, E368, E386, F312, F324, F340, F355, G311, G384, G387, G388, 1371, K342, K358, L382, L379, N326, N367, N370, N410, P341, S369, T385, V325, V407, V409, Y373, Y350,
  • a small molecule of the invention may be easily targeted to the corresponding residues in other type III RTKs, e.g., those residues that form similar pockets or cavities or those in the same position by structural alignment or sequence alignment.
  • a small molecule of the invention binds to a conformational epitope or a discontinuous epitope on a type III RTK or a type V RTK.
  • the conformational or discontinuous epitope may be composed of two or more residues from the D3, D4, or D5 domain or the D4-D5 or D3-D4 hinge regions from a type III RTK, e.g., the human Kit receptor or the PDGF receptor, or two or more residues from the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor.
  • the conformational or discontinuous epitope may be composed of two or more of the residues listed in Table 4 below.
  • a small molecule of the invention binds to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of Y125, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206. V238, S239, S240, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, and Y269.
  • a small molecule of the invention may bind to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from one of the following groups of amino acids: P206, F208, V238, and S239; K127, A207, F208, and T295; L222, A339, F340, K342, E368, S369, N370, 1371, and Y373; L222, L223, E306, V308, F312, E338, F340, and 1371 ; R224, V308, K310, G311, F340, P341 , and D398; K218, A219, S220, N367, E368, and S369; K218, A220, E368, and S369; G384, T385, T411, K412, E414, and K471 ; Y408, F433, G470, K471, and L472; F324, V325, N326, and N410;D327, N410, T411, K
  • the small molecules of the invention may bind to all of the amino acid residues forming a pocket or a cavity identified in Table 4 or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the pocket or the cavity It is to be understood that, in certain embodiments, when reference is made to a small molecule of the invention binding to an epitope, e.g. , a conformational epitope, the intention is for the small molecule to bind only to those specific residues that make up the epitope (e.g., the pocket or cavity identified in Table 4) and not other residues in the linear amino acid sequence of the receptor.
  • an epitope e.g. , a conformational epitope
  • a small molecule of the invention binds to a conformational epitope wherein the conformational epitope is composed of two or more amino acid residues selected from the peptides listed in Table 5.
  • the conformational epitope is composed of one or more amino acid residues selected from a first peptide and one or more amino acid residues selected from a second peptide, wherein the first and second peptides are selected from the group of peptides listed in Table 5.
  • a small molecule of the invention binds a conformational epitope wherein the first and second peptide groups are as follows: Ala219-Leu222 and Thr304-Val308; Asp309-Gly311 and Arg224-Gly226; Thr303 - Glu306 and Ala219-Leu222; Asn367-Asn370 and Ser217-Tyr221 ; Ala339-Pro343 and Asn396-Val399; Ala339-Pro343 and Glu368-Arg372; Lys358-Tyr362 and Val374- His378; Asp357-Glu360 and Leu377-Thr380; Met351-Glu360 and His378-Thr389; His378-Thr389 and Val323-Asp332; Val409-Ile415 and Ala493-Thr500; Val409-Ile415 and Ala431-Thr437; Val409-
  • the small molecules of the invention may bind to all of the amino acid residues forming the foregoing first and second peptide groups or they may bind to a subset of the residues forming the first and second peptide groups. It is to be understood that, in certain embodiments, when reference is made to a small molecule of the invention binding to an epitope, e.g., a conformational epitope, the intention is for the small molecule to bind only to those specific residues that make up the epitope (e.g. , the specific peptides identified in Table 5) and not other residues in the linear amino acid sequence of the receptor.
  • an epitope e.g., a conformational epitope
  • a small molecule of the invention binds to a
  • conformational or discontinuous epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of E33, P34, D72, E76, N77, K78, Q79, K158, D159, N250, S251, Q252, T253, K254, L255, N260, W262, H264, G265, E344, N352, R353, F355, T356, D357, Y362, S365, E366, N367, N370, and G466.
  • a small molecule of the invention binds to amino acid
  • Small molecules of the invention may exert their inhibitory effect on receptor activation by preventing critical homotypic interactions (such as salt
  • small molecules of the invention may allow dimerization of PDGFRP while preventing activation.
  • Structure based sequence alignment has shown that the size of the EF loop, and the critical amino acids comprising the D4-D4 interface are conserved in Kit, PDGFRa, PDGFRp, and CSFIR.
  • small molecules of the invention may be targeted to the conserved regions of the D4 or D5 domains of type III RTKs.
  • a small molecule of the invention binds to an Ig-like domain or hinge region of Kit (e.g. , the D3-D4 and/or D4-D5 hinge regions or the D4- D4 and/or D5-D5 interface binding site of the Kit receptor) with high affinity, for
  • Small molecule inhibitors of the invention may be made or selected by several methods known in the art. Screening procedures can be used to identify small molecules from libraries which bind desired Ig-like domains or hinge regions of a RTK, e.g., the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit RTK.
  • Screening procedures can be used to identify small molecules from libraries which bind desired Ig-like domains or hinge regions of a RTK, e.g., the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit RTK.
  • One method, Chemetics® Nuevolutions
  • Chemetics® uses DNA tags for each molecule in the library to facilitate selection.
  • the Chemetics® system allows screening of millions of compounds for target binding. Patents related to small molecule libraries and tag based screening are U.S. Pat. Application Nos.
  • tags can be amplified, using for example, polymerase chain reaction, to produce many copies of the tag and identify the tag by sequencing. The sequence of the tag then identifies the structure of the binding molecule, which can be synthesized in pure form and tested for activity.
  • combinatorial chemical libraries which may be used to identify moieties of the invention include, but are not limited to, peptide libraries (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,175, Furka, Int. J. Pept. Prot. Res. 37:487 493 (1991) and Houghton et al., Nature 354:84 88 (1991)).
  • chemistries for generating chemical diversity libraries are well known in the art and can be used. Such chemistries include, but are not limited to: peptoids (e.g., PCT Publication No.
  • small molecules of the invention may be selected using virtual screening methods.
  • Virtual screening technologies predict which small molecules from a library will bind to a protein, or a specific epitope therein, using statistical analysis and protein docking simulations. Most commonly, virtual screening methods compare the three-dimensional structure of a protein to those of small molecules in a library. Different strategies for modeling protein-molecule interactions are used, although it is common to employ algorithms which simulate binding energies between atoms, including hydrogen bonds, electrostatic forces, and van-der walls interactions. Typically, virtual screening methods can scan libraries of more than a million compounds and return a short list of small molecules which are likely to be strong binders.
  • Small molecules of the invention may contain one of the scaffold structures depicted in the table below.
  • the references cited in the table are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
  • the groups R 1; R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are limited only in that they should not interfere with, or significantly inhibit, the indicated reaction, and can include hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, heteroalkyl, substituted heteroalkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, substituted arylalkyl, substituted heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, halogen, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, substituted amino and others as are known in the art.
  • Suitable substituents include, but are not limited to, alkyl, alkoxy, thioalkoxy, nitro, hydroxyl, sulfhydryl, aryloxy, aryl-S-, halogen, carboxy, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylamino, cyano, cyanate, nitrile, isocyanate, thiocyanate, carbamyl, and substituted carbamyl. Table 6.
  • the moiety that binds to the ectodomain, e.g. , an Ig-like domain or a hinge region, of a human receptor tyrosine kinase is a peptidic molecule.
  • the peptidic molecules may be designed based on an Ig-like domain of a RTK or a consensus sequence derived from such a domain.
  • the peptidic molecules bind to the following consensus sequence for the D4 interaction site: LX 1 RX 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 X 7 G wherein L is Leucine, R is Arginine, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 , X4, X 5 , X 6 and X 7 are any amino acid.
  • Threonine is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Isoleucine, Valine, Proline, Asparagine, or Lysine
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Leucine, Valine, Alanine, and Methionine
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Histidine, Asparagine, and Arginine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Valine, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, and Methionine
  • X 5 is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Glutamine, and Aspartic acid
  • X 6 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Aspartic acid, and Glutamine
  • X 7 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Serine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Glutamine, and Threonine.
  • the peptidic molecules of the invention comprise or consist of a sequence matching the aforementioned consensus sequence
  • LX 1 RX 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 X 7 G wherein L is Leucine, R is Arginine, G is Glycine; and X 1; X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 , X 6 and X 7 are any amino acid.
  • Xi is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Isoleucine, Valine, Proline, Asparagine, or Lysine;
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Leucine, Valine, Alanine, and Methionine;
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Histidine, Asparagine, and Arginine;
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Valine, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, and Methionine;
  • X 5 is selected from the group consisting of Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Glutamine, and Aspartic acid;
  • X 6 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Aspartic acid, and Glutamine; and
  • X 7 is selected from the group consisting of Glycine, Serine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Glutamine, and Threonine.
  • the peptidic molecules of the invention comprise or consist of a consensus sequence for the D7 domain of a VEGF receptor: L/I Xi R ⁇ X 2 X 3 X 4 D/E X5 G (SEQ ID NO: 158), wherein L is Leucine, I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, ⁇ is a hydrophobic amino acid, D is Aspartic Acid, E is Glutamic Acid, G is Glycine; and Xi, X 2 , X 3 , X 4 and X 5 are any amino acid.
  • ⁇ is Valine
  • Xi is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid and Aspartic Acid
  • X 2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine, Lysine and
  • Threonine is selected from the group consisting of Lysine, Glutamic Acid,
  • Glutamine and Valine X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Valine; and X 5 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Serine and Glutamine.
  • the peptidic molecules bind to the following consensus sequence for the D7 domain of a member of the VEGF receptor family:
  • Xi is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Arginine, and Glutamine
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine and Threonine
  • X is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Lysine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Alanine (SEQ ID NO: 1).
  • the peptidic moieties of the invention comprise or consist of a sequence matching the consensus sequence IXiRVX 2 X 3 EDX 4 G wherein I is Isoleucine, R is Arginine, E is Glutamic Acid, D is Aspartic Acid, G is Glycine; and X 1 ; X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are any amino acid.
  • X 1 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid, Arginine, and Glutamine
  • X2 is selected from the group consisting of Arginine and Threonine
  • X 3 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Lysine
  • X 4 is selected from the group consisting of Glutamic Acid and Alanine (SEQ ID NO: 1).
  • the peptidic moieties of the invention may comprise an entire protein domain, for example, a D4 or a D5 domain such as the D4 domain (residues 309-413) or the D5 domain (residues 410-519) of human Kit.
  • the peptidic moieties of the invention may comprise a D7 domain (or fragment thereof) of a type V RTK, such as the D7 domain of a VEGFR (residues 718-727 of VEGFRl, residues 724-733 of VEGFR2 or residues 735-744 of VEGFR3).
  • a peptidic molecule binds the RTK and acts as an antagonist by preventing activation of RTK (see Example 16 below).
  • the peptidic moieties of the invention may have as little as 50% identity to a domain of a RTK, such as a Type III RTK, e.g., a peptidic moiety of the invention may be at least 50% identical, at least 60% identical, at least 70% identical, at least 80% identical, at least 90% identical, or at least 95%, 96%, 97%, or 98% identical to a D4, a D5 or a D7 domain of a RTK.
  • the peptidic moiety of the invention is at least 80% identical, at least 90% identical, or at least 95%, 96%, 97%, or 98% identical to amino acid residues 309-413 of human Kit RTK, amino acid residues 718-727 of VEGFRl, amino acid residues 724-733 of VEGFR2, or amino acid residues 735-744 of VEGFR3.
  • the peptidic moiety of the invention is at least 80% identical, at least 90% identical, or at least 95%, 96%, 97%, or 98% identical to amino acid residues 410-519 of human Kit RTK, amino acid residues 718-727 of VEGFRl, amino acid residues 724-733 of VEGFR2, or amino acid residues 735-744 of VEGFR3.
  • the peptidic moiety of the invention binds to or comprises specific sequences of the human Kit receptor, for example, residues 309-413, residues 410-519, 381 Arg and 386 Glu, or 418 Tyr and 505 Asn of the human Kit receptor.
  • the peptidic moiety of the invention binds to or comprises specific sequences of a VEGF receptor, for example, residues 718-727 of VEGFR1, Arg720 and Asp725 of VEGFR1, residues 724-733 of VEGFR2, Arg726 and Asp731 of VEGFR2, residues 735-744 of VEGFR3, or Arg737 and Asp742 of VEGFR3.
  • a peptidic moiety of the invention may bind to (or comprise or consist of) one or more residues in the Kit receptor which make up the small cavities or pockets described in Table 4 (below).
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention may bind to (or comprise or consist of) one or more of the following residues in the D3-D4 hinge region of the Kit receptor: K218, S220, Y221, L222 from the D3 domain and F340, P341, K342, N367, E368, S369, N370, 1371, Y373 from the D4 domain.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention may also bind to (or comprise or consist of) one or more of the following residues which make up a concave surface in the D4 domain of the Kit receptor: Y350, R353, F355, K358, L379, T380, R381, L382, E386 and T390.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention may bind to (or comprise or consist of) one or more of the following residues which form a pocket in the D2-D3 hinge region of the Kit receptor:Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206 and F208 from the D2 domain and V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268 and Y269 from the D3 domain.
  • a peptidic moiety of the invention may bind to contiguous or non-contiguous amino acid residues and function as a molecular wedge that prevents the motion required for positioning of the membrane proximal region of the RTK at a distance and orientation that enables tyrosine kinase activation.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention may also act to prevent homotypic D4, D5 or D7 receptor interactions or destabilize the ligand- receptor interaction site.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention may bind to (or comprise or consist of) one or more of the following residues on the Kit receptor: Y125, G126, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206, P206, F208, K127, A207, V238, S239, S240, S241, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, Y269, T295, L222, L222, L223, E306, V308, R224, V308, K310, K218, A219, S220, K218, A220, Y221, A339, D327, D398, E338, E368, E386, F312, F324, F340, F355, G311, G384, G387, G388, 1371, K342, K358, L382, L379, N326, N367, N370, N410, P341, S369, T385, V325, V407, V409,
  • the peptidic moieties of the invention may bind to (or comprise or consist of) all of the amino acid residues forming a pocket or a cavity identified in Table 4 or they may bind to (or comprise or consist of) a subset of the residues forming the pocket or the cavity.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention may be easily targeted to the corresponding residues in other type III RTKs, e.g., those residues that form similar pockets or cavities or those in the same position by structural alignment or sequence alignment.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention binds to a conformational epitope or a discontinuous epitope on a type III RTK or a type V RTK.
  • the conformational or discontinuous epitope may be composed of two or more residues from the D3, D4, D5 or D7 domain or the D4-D5 or D3-D4 hinge regions from a type III RTK, e.g., the human Kit receptor or the PDGF receptor or a type V RTK, e.g., a human VEGF receptor.
  • the conformational or discontinuous epitope may be composed of two or more of the residues listed in Table 4 below.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention binds to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of Y125, H180, R181, K203, V204, R205, P206, V238, S239, S240, H263, G265, D266, F267, N268, and Y269.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention may bind to a conformational epitope composed of 2 or more amino acids selected from one of the following groups of amino acids: P206, F208, V238, and S239; K127, A207, F208, and T295; L222, A339, F340, K342, E368, S369, N370, 1371, and Y373; L222, L223, E306, V308, F312, E338, F340, and 1371 ; R224, V308, K310, G311, F340, P341 , and D398; K218, A219, S220, N367, E368, and S369; K218, A220, E368, and S369; G384, T385, T411, K412, E414, and K471 ; Y408, F433, G470, K471, and L472; F324, V325, N326, and N410;D327, N410, T41
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention binds to a conformational epitope wherein the conformational epitope is composed of two or more amino acid residues selected from the peptides listed in Table 5.
  • the conformational epitope is composed of one or more amino acid residues selected from a first peptide and one or more amino acids selected from a second peptide, wherein the first and second peptides are selected from the group of peptides listed in Table 5.
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention binds a conformational epitope wherein the first and second peptide groups are as follows:
  • a peptidic moiety of the invention may bind to (or comprise or consist of) 2 or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of E33, P34, D72, E76, N77, K78, Q79, K158, D159, N250, S251, Q252, T253, K254, L255, N260, W262, H264, G265, E344, N352, R353, F355, T356, D357, Y362, S365, E366, N367, N370, and G466.
  • a peptidic moiety of the invention binds to a contiguous epitope on the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is composed of two or more residues in the D7 domain of the VEGF receptor.
  • the contiguous epitope is an epitope selected from the group consisting of 672 VAISSS 677 of VEGFR1, 678 TTLDCHA 684 of VEGFR1, 685 NGVPEPQ 691 of VEGFR1, 700 KIQQEPG 706 of VEGFR1, 707 IILG 710 of VEGFR1, 711 PGS 713 of VEGFR1,
  • VEGFR3 and 736 QRVREEDAGR 745 of VEGFR3 , 678 TSIGES 683 of VEGFR2,
  • a peptidic molecule of the invention binds to, or
  • Peptidic molecules of the invention may exert their inhibitory effect on receptor activation by preventing critical homotypic
  • peptidic molecules of the invention may allow dimerization of PDGFRP while preventing activation.
  • peptidic molecules of the invention may be targeted to the conserved regions of the D4 or D5 domains of type III RTKs.
  • peptidic moieties of the invention may be peptides comprising or consisting of any of the amino acid sequences identified herein (e.g., SEQ ID NOs: 1-89, 92, 93, and 105- 157).
  • peptidic moieties of the invention may be peptides comprising or consisting of any of the following amino acid sequences: EVVDKGFIN (SEQ ID NO: 2), ASYL (SEQ ID NO: 3), TLEVV (SEQ ID NO: 4), ASYLTLEVV (SEQ ID NO: 5), DKG , REG, DKGREG (SEQ ID NO: 6), VVSVSKASYLL (SEQ ID NO: 7), VTTTLEVVD (SEQ ID NO: 8), REGEEFTVTCTI (SEQ ID NO: 9), TTLE (SEQ ID NO: 10), TTLEASYL (SEQ ID NO: 11), KSENESNIR (SEQ ID NO: 12), NESN (SEQ ID NO: 13),
  • HLTRLKGTEGGT (SEQ ID NO: 32), MNRTFTDKWEHLTRLKGTEGGT (SEQ ID NO: 33), VFVNDGENVD (SEQ ID NO: 34), VNTKPEI (SEQ ID NO: 35),
  • AYNDVGKT SEQ ID NO: 36
  • VNTKPEIAYNDVGKT SEQ ID NO: 37
  • AGFPEPT SEQ ID NO: 38
  • VNTKPEIAGFPEPT SEQ ID NO: 39
  • FGKLV SEQ ID NO: 40
  • VNTKPEI FGKLV SEQ ID NO: 41
  • VNDGEN SEQ ID NO: 42
  • VNTKPEIVNDGEN SEQ ID NO: 43
  • RLKGTEG SEQ ID NO: 44
  • VNTKPEIRLKGTEG SEQ ID NO: 45
  • GPPFGKL SEQ ID NO: 46
  • GTEGG SEQ ID NO: 47
  • GPPFGKLGTEGG SEQ ID NO: 48
  • VNDGE SEQ ID NO: 49
  • YNDVGK (SEQ ID NO: 50), VNDGEYNDVGK (SEQ ID NO: 51), TKPEILTYDRL (SEQ ID NO: 52), DRLVNGMLQC (SEQ ID NO: 53), GKTSAYFNFAFK (SEQ ID NO: 54), CPGTEQRCSAS (SEQ ID NO: 55), CSASVLPVDVQ (SEQ ID NO: 56), DSSAFKHNGT (SEQ ID NO: 57), GTVECKAYND (SEQ ID NO: 58),
  • LNSSGPPFGKL (SEQ ID NO: 59), FAFKGNNKEQI (SEQ ID NO: 60), TKPEIL (SEQ ID NO: 61), VGKTSA (SEQ ID NO: 62), TKPEILVGKTSA (SEQ ID NO: 63), ILTYDRL (SEQ ID NO: 64), AYFNFA (SEQ ID NO: 65), ILTYDRLAYFNFA (SEQ ID NO: 66), KHNGT (SEQ ID NO: 67), AYFNFAKHNGT (SEQ ID NO: 68),
  • YHRKVRPVSSHGDFNY (SEQ ID NO: 71), PFVS (SEQ ID NO: 72), KAFT (SEQ ID NO: 73), LAFKESNIY (SEQ ID NO: 74), LLEVFEFI (SEQ ID NO: 75), RVKGFPD (SEQ ID NO: 76), KASNES (SEQ ID NO: 77), KAES (SEQ ID NO: 78), GTTKEK (SEQ ID NO: 79), YFGKL (SEQ ID NO: 80), FVNN (SEQ ID NO: 81), DNTKV (SEQ ID NO: 82), GGVK (SEQ ID NO: 83), LGVV (SEQ ID NO: 84),
  • KSYLFPKNESNIY SEQ ID NO: 86
  • GGGYVTFFGK SEQ ID NO: 87
  • DTKEAGK SEQ ID NO: 88
  • YFKLTRLET SEQ ID NO: 89
  • a peptide molecule of the invention may be further modified to increase its stability, bioavailability or solubility
  • one or more L-amino acid residues within the peptidic molecules may be replaced with a D-amino acid residue.
  • the term "mimetic” as applied to the peptidic molecules of the present invention is intended to include molecules which mimic the chemical structure of a D-peptidic structure and retain the functional properties of the D-peptidic structure.
  • the term “mimetic” is further intended to encompass an "analogue” and/or “derivative" of a peptide as described below. Approaches to designing peptide analogs, derivatives and mimetics are known in the art. For example, see Farmer, PS. in Drug Design (E.J.
  • a "derivative" of a peptidic molecule of the invention refers to a form of the peptidic molecule in which one or more reaction groups on the molecule have been derivatized with a substituent group.
  • peptide derivatives include peptides in which an amino acid side chain, the peptide backbone, or the amino- or carboxy-terminus has been derivatized (e.g., peptidic compounds with methylated amide linkages).
  • an "analogue" of a peptidic molecule of the invention to a peptidic molecule which retains chemical structures of the molecule necessary for functional activity of the molecule yet which also contains certain chemical structures which differ from the molecule.
  • an analogue of a naturally- occurring peptide is a peptide which includes one or more non-naturally-occurring amino acids.
  • a "mimetic" of a peptidic molecule of the invention refers to a peptidic molecule in which chemical structures of the molecule necessary for functional activity of the molecule have been replaced with other chemical structures which mimic the conformation of the molecule.
  • Examples of peptidomimetic s include peptidic compounds in which the peptide backbone is substituted with one or more
  • Analogues of the peptidic molecules of the invention are intended to include molecules in which one or more L- or D- amino acids of the peptidic structure are substituted with a homologous amino acid such that the properties of the molecule are maintained.
  • conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more amino acid residues.
  • a "conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art, including basic side chains (e.g. , lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g. , aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g.
  • glycine asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine
  • nonpolar side chains e.g. , alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan
  • beta-branched side chains e.g. , threonine, valine, isoleucine
  • aromatic side chains e.g. , tyrosine
  • substitutions that can be made in the structures of the peptidic molecules of the invention include substitution of D-phenylalanine with D-tyrosine, D-pyridylalanine or D- homophenylalanine, substitution of D-leucine with D-valine or other natural or non- natural amino acid having an aliphatic side chain and/or substitution of D-valine with D- leucine or other natural or non-natural amino acid having an aliphatic side chain.
  • mimetic and in particular, peptidomimetic, is intended to include isosteres.
  • isostere as used herein is intended to include a chemical structure that can be substituted for a second chemical structure because the steric conformation of the first structure fits a binding site specific for the second structure.
  • the term specifically includes peptide back-bone modifications (i.e., amide bond mimetics) well known to those skilled in the art. Such modifications include modifications of the amide nitrogen, the cc-carbon, amide carbonyl, complete replacement of the amide bond, extensions, deletions or backbone crosslinks.
  • Several peptide backbone modifications are known, including ⁇
  • modulator compounds of the invention include C-terminal hydroxymethyl derivatives, O-modified derivatives (e.g. , C-terminal hydroxymethyl benzyl ether), N-terminally modified derivatives including substituted amides such as alkylamides and hydrazides.
  • Peptidic molecules of the present invention may be made by standard methods known in the art.
  • the peptidic molecule e.g., D4 domain of the human Kit RTK or D7 domain of a human VEGF receptor, may be cloned from human cells using standard techniques, inserted in to a recombinant vector, and expressed in an in vitro cell system (e.g., by transfection of the vector into yeast cells).
  • the peptidic molecules may be designed and synthesized de novo via known synthesis methods such as Atherton et al. (1989) Oxford, England: IRL Press. ISBN 0199630674; Stewart et al. (1984). 2nd edition, Rockford: Pierce Chemical Company, 91. ISBN 0935940030; Merrifield (1963) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 85: 2149-2154.
  • the peptidic molecules can then be tested for functional activity using any of the assays described herein, e.g., those described in the Examples section below. IV. Screening Assays for Identifying Moieties of the Invention
  • moieties of the invention may be screened for RTK inhibitory activity using any of the assays described herein and those assays that are well known in the art. For example, assays which may determine receptor internalization, receptor
  • autophosphorylation, and/or kinase signaling may be used to identify moieties which prevent the activation of target RTKs, e.g., the Kit receptor or a human VEGF receptor. Screening for new inhibitor moieties may be accomplished by using standard methods known in the art, for example, by employing a phosphoELISATM procedure (available at Invitrogen) to determine the phosphorylation state of the RTK or a downstream molecule.
  • the phosphorylation state of the receptor e.g., the Kit receptor or a VEGF receptor, may be determined using commercially available kits such as, for example, C- Kit [pY823] ELISA KIT, HU (BioSourceTM; Catalog Number - KHO0401); c-KIT
  • [TOTAL] ELISA KIT, HU BioSourceTM; Catalog Number - KHO0391.
  • Antibodies, small molecules, and other moieties of the invention may be screened using such kits to determine their RTK inhibitory activity.
  • a phosphoELISATM may be performed to determine the phosphorylation state and, thus, the activation state of a RTK of interest.
  • Moieties of the invention could be identified as those which prevent RTK activation. Examples 15 and 16 below describe assays which involve the detection of RTK activation using anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies.
  • Example 20 below describes one possible assay for detecting receptor activation using the phosphoELISATM system.
  • Examples 22-25 (including the methods and introduction related thereto) describe further methods used herein to determine the activation state of RTKs. Since receptor activation may lead to endocytosis and receptor internalization, it is useful, in some embodiments, to determine the ability of moieties of the invention to inhibit target RTKs by measuring their ability to prevent receptor internalization.
  • Example 25 describes the measurement of the internalization and degradation of PDGF receptor mutants.
  • Receptor internalization assays are well known in the art and described in, for example, Fukunaga et al. (2006) Life Sciences. 80(1). p. 17-23; Bernhagen et al. (2007) Nature Medicine 13, 587 - 596; natureprotocols.com/2007/04/18/receptor_internalization_assay.php), the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
  • One well-known method to determine receptor internalization is to tag a ligand with a flurorecent protein, e.g.,
  • Green Flurorescent Protein GFP
  • flurorescence microscopy may be used to visualize receptor internalization.
  • a moiety of the invention may be tagged with a labeling agent and flurorescence microscopy may be used to visualize receptor internalization. If the moiety is able to inhibit the activity of the receptor, lessened internalization of flurorescence in the presence of ligand as compared to appropriate controls ⁇ e.g., fluorescence may be observed only at the periphery of the cell where the moity binds the receptor rather than in endosomes or vesicles).
  • Receptor activation by ligand binding typically initiates subsequent intracellular events, e.g., increases in secondary messengers such as IP 3 which, in turn, releases intracellular stores of calcium ions.
  • receptor activity may be determined by measuring the quantity of secondary messengers such as IP 3> cyclic nucleotides, intracellular calcium, or phosphorylated signaling molecules such as STAT, PI3K,Grb2, or other possible targets known in the art.
  • U.S. Patent No. 7,056,685 describes and references several methods which may be used in accordance with the present invention to detect receptor activity and is incorporated herein by reference.
  • receptor internalization assays or receptor activation assays may involve the detection or quantification of a target RTK using immunological binding assays (e.g., when using a radiolabeled antibody to detecting the amount of RTK on the cell surface during a receptor internalization assay).
  • Immunological binding assays are widely described in the art (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,366,241; 4,376,110; 4,517,288; and 4,837,168).
  • Methods in Cell Biology Antibodies in Cell Biology, volume 37 (Asai, ed. 1993); Basic and Clinical Immunology (Stites & Terr, eds., 7th ed. 1991).
  • Immunoassays such as may be employed in receptor internalization studies, receptor activation studies, or receptor detection assays often use a labeling agent to specifically bind to and label the complex formed by the detecting antibody and the RTK (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,685 which is incorporated herein by reference).
  • the labeling agent may itself be the antibody used to detect the receptor (the antibody here may or may not be a moiety of the invention).
  • the labeling agent may be a third agent, such as a secondary or tertiary antibody (e.g., and anti-mouse antibody binding to mouse monoclonal antibody specific for the target RTK).
  • proteins capable of specifically binding immunoglobulin constant regions such as protein A or protein G may also be used as the labeling agent in an immunological binding assay. These proteins exhibit a strong non-immunogenic reactivity with immunoglobulin constant regions from a variety of species (see, e.g., Kronval et al. (1973), J. Immunol. 111: 1401- 1406; Akerstrom et al. (1985), J. Immunol. 135:2589 2542).
  • the labeling agent can also be modified with a detectable agent, such as biotin, to which another molecule can specifically bind, such as streptavidin. A variety of detectable moieties are well known to those skilled in the art.
  • Commonly used assays include noncompetitive assays, e.g., sandwich assays, and competitive assays.
  • Commonly used assay formats include Western blots
  • a label is any composition detectable by spectroscopic, photochemical, biochemical, immunochemical, electrical, optical or chemical means.
  • Useful labels in the present invention include fluorescent dyes ⁇ e.g., fluorescein isothiocyanate, Texas red, rhodamine, and the like), radiolabels
  • enzymes e.g., horse radish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase and others commonly used in an ELISA
  • colorimetric labels such as colloidal gold or colored glass or plastic beads ⁇ e.g., polystyrene, polypropylene or latex).
  • the label may be coupled directly or indirectly to the desired component of the assay according to methods well known in the art.
  • the label can also be conjugated directly to signal generating compounds, e.g., by conjugation with an enzyme or fluorophore.
  • Enzymes of interest as labels will primarily be hydrolases, particularly phosphatases, esterases and glycosidases, or oxidotases, particularly peroxidases.
  • Fluorescent compounds include fluorescein and its derivatives, rhodamine and its derivatives, dansyl, umbelliferone, and the like.
  • Chemiluminescent compounds include luciferin, and 2,3-dihydrophthalazinediones, e.g., luminol.
  • Means of detecting labels are well known to those of skill in the art.
  • means for detection include a
  • the label is a fluorescent label
  • it may be detected by exciting the fluorochrome with the appropriate wavelength of light and detecting the resulting fluorescence.
  • the fluorescence may be detected visually, by means of photographic film, by the use of electronic detectors such as charge coupled devices (CCDs) or photomultipliers and the like.
  • enzymatic labels may be detected by providing the appropriate substrates for the enzyme and detecting the resulting reaction product.
  • simple colorimetric labels may be detected simply by observing the color associated with the label. Thus, in various dipstick assays, conjugated gold often appears pink, while various conjugated beads appear the color of the bead.
  • the moieties of the present invention may bind to epitopes on a target RTK and still allow the ectodomain of the receptor tyrosine kinase to dimerize.
  • the binding of the moiety may affect the positioning, orientation and/or distance between the Ig-like domains of the two monomers (e.g. , the D4-D4 or D5-D5 domains of a type III receptor tyrosine kinase or the D7-D7 domains of a type V receptor tyrosine kinase), thereby inhibiting the activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • the moiety may allow ligand induced dimerization of the receptor tyrosine kinase ectodomains, but affect the positioning of the two ectodomains at the cell surface interface or alter or prevent conformational changes in the receptor tyrosine kinases, thereby inhibiting the activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase (e.g. , inhibiting receptor internalization and/or inhibiting tyrosine autophosphorylation of the receptor and/or inhibiting the ability of the receptor to activate a downstream signaling pathway).
  • Example 18 describes experiments performed with the PDGF receptor whereby receptor dimerization is detected using cross linking, and receptor activation is determined using phosphotyrosine specific antibodies.
  • Example 23 shows that a mutant of PDGFR has an impairment in ligand- induced tyrosine autophosphorylation which is not caused by a deficiency in ligand- induced receptor dimerization (see also the Methods and Introducion to Examples 22- 25).
  • the conformational state of the RTK may also be determined by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) analysis.
  • FRET Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • a RTK of interest is labeled with appropriate FRET fluorophores.
  • cells expressing the labeled RTK are incubated with test moieties of the invention and the ligand of the RTK(e.g., SCF for the Kit RTK).
  • FRET analysis will allow the observation of conformational changes in the RTK associated with ligand binding, RTK dimerization, and/or receptor activation.
  • FRET fluorophores may be incorporated into any domain or hinge region of a RTK to detect conformational changes (e.g., the D4 or D5 domains of a Type III RTK or the D7 domain of a Type V RTK) provided that the fluorophores do not interfere with the function of the RTK or the ability of moieties of the invention to bind the RTK.
  • Fluorophores useful for FRET are often the same as those useful for FRET.
  • Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) as discussed below.
  • the most popular FRET method is to engineer reactive cystein residues into a protein of interest. Fluorophores can then easily react with the chosen cystein residies. Often fusion proteins are constructed, whereby a protein of interest is fused to Green Fluorescent Protein (see Neininger et al. (2001) EMBO Reports. 2(8):703-708). Additional methods and useful fluorophores for FRET are described in Huebsch and Mooney (2007)
  • RTK conformation is specifically indicative of dimerization without activation.
  • one of skill in the art may combine assays that determine receptor dimerization with those that determine receptor activation. For example, one may use traditional cross-linking studies (exemplified by Rodriguez et al. (1990) Molecular Endocrinology, 4(12), 1782-1790) to detect RTK dimerization in combination with any of the receptor activation assays discussed above. FRET and similar systems may also be used to directly measure receptor activation or dimerization.
  • a successful moiety of the invention is one which allows receptor dimerization, as measured by cross-linking or FRET, but which prevents receptor activation, detected as lack of fluorescence by FRET or BRET analysis or by other receptor activation assays (e.g., autophosphorylation assay employing anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies and
  • Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) analysis may be used to identify moieties which inhibit the activity of RTKs.
  • BRET Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • BRET is useful for identifying moieties of the present invention from test compounds by screening for those moieties which prevent RTK activation.
  • BRET based assays can be used to monitor the interaction of proteins having a bioluminescent donor molecule (DM) with proteins having a fluorescent acceptor moiety (AM). Briefly, cells expressing an RTK-DM fusion will convert the substrate's chemical energy into light. If there is an AM (e.g., a signaling protein- AM fusion) in close proximity to the RTK-DM fusion, then the cells will emit light at a certain wavelength.
  • AM e.g., a signaling protein- AM fusion
  • BRET based assays can be used to assess the interaction between a RTK-luciferase fusion and a GFP-signalling protein fusion. This differs slightly from FRET analysis, where the donor molecule may be excited by light of a specific wavelength rather than by chemical energy conversion. Examples of bioluminescent proteins with luciferase activity that may be used in a BRET analysis may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,229,285, 5,219,737, 5,843,746, 5, 196,524, 5,670,356.
  • Alternative DMs include enzymes, which can act on suitable substrates to generate a luminescent signal.
  • beta-galactosidase alkaline phosphatase
  • beta- glucuronidase beta-glucosidase
  • Synthetic luminescent substrates for these enzymes are well known in the art and are commercially available from companies, such as Tropix Inc. (Bedford, Mass., USA).
  • DMs can also be isolated or engineered from insects (U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,356).
  • DMs emit light at different wavelengths.
  • substrates for DMs include coelenterazine, benzothiazole, luciferin, enol formate, terpene, and aldehyde, and the like.
  • the DM moiety can be fused to either the amino terminal or carboxyl terminal portion of the RTK protein.
  • the positioning of the BDM domain within the RTK-DM fusion does not alter the activity of the native protein or the binding of moieties of the present invention.
  • RTK-DM fusion proteins can be tested to ensure that it retains biochemical properties, such as ligand binding and ability to interact with downstream signaling molecules of the native protein.
  • AMs in BRET analysis may re-emit the transferred energy as fluorescence.
  • AMs include Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), or isoforms and derivatives thereof such as YFP, EGFP, EYFP and the like (R. Y. Tsien, (1998) Ann. Rev. Biochem. 63:509-544).
  • GFP Green Fluorescent Protein
  • AM-second protein fusion proteins can be tested to ensure that it retains biochemical properties of the cognate native protein, such as interaction with RTKs.
  • an amino terminal fusion of the GFP protein to any substrate which is phosphorylated by or can bind to the target RTK can be used.
  • the present invention provides a composition, e.g. , a pharmaceutical composition, containing one or a combination of the moieties of the invention (e.g. , monoclonal antibodies, or antigen-binding portion(s) thereof, antibody mimetics, small molecules, or peptidic molecules of the present invention), formulated together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • a pharmaceutical composition of the invention can comprise a combination of antibodies and small molecules that bind to different epitopes on the target RTK or that have complementary activities, e.g. , a small molecule that binds to the D3-D4 hinge region of a type III RTK together with a monoclonal antibody that binds the D4 domain of a type III RTK.
  • compositions of the invention also can be administered in combination therapy, i.e. , combined with other agents.
  • the combination therapy can include an anti-RTK antibody (or small molecule or peptidic molecule) of the present invention combined with at least one other anti-cancer agent. Examples of therapeutic agents that can be used in a combination therapy are described in greater detail below.
  • pharmaceutically acceptable carrier includes any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like that are physiologically compatible.
  • the carrier is suitable for intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, parenteral, spinal or epidermal administration (e.g. , by injection or infusion).
  • the active compound i.e. , the moiety of the invention, may be coated in a material to protect the compound from the action of acids and other natural conditions that may inactivate the compound.
  • the pharmaceutical compounds of the invention may include one or more pharmaceutically acceptable salts.
  • a "pharmaceutically acceptable salt” refers to a salt that retains the desired biological activity of the parent compound and does not impart any undesired toxicological effects (see e.g., Berge, S.M., et al. (1977) J. Pharm. Sci. 66: 1-19). Examples of such salts include acid addition salts and base addition salts.
  • Acid addition salts include those derived from nontoxic inorganic acids, such as hydrochloric, nitric, phosphoric, sulfuric, hydrobromic, hydroiodic, phosphorous and the like, as well as from nontoxic organic acids such as aliphatic mono- and dicarboxylic acids, phenyl-substituted alkanoic acids, hydroxy alkanoic acids, aromatic acids, aliphatic and aromatic sulfonic acids and the like.
  • nontoxic inorganic acids such as hydrochloric, nitric, phosphoric, sulfuric, hydrobromic, hydroiodic, phosphorous and the like
  • nontoxic organic acids such as aliphatic mono- and dicarboxylic acids, phenyl-substituted alkanoic acids, hydroxy alkanoic acids, aromatic acids, aliphatic and aromatic sulfonic acids and the like.
  • Base addition salts include those derived from alkaline earth metals, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and the like, as well as from nontoxic organic amines, such as ⁇ , ⁇ '- dibenzylethylenediamine, N-methylglucamine, chloroprocaine, choline, diethanolamine, ethylenediamine, procaine and the like.
  • a pharmaceutical composition of the invention also may include a
  • antioxidants include: (1) water soluble antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid, cysteine hydrochloride, sodium bisulfate, sodium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite and the like; (2) oil-soluble antioxidants, such as ascorbyl palmitate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), lecithin, propyl gallate, alpha-tocopherol, and the like; and (3) metal chelating agents, such as citric acid, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), sorbitol, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, and the like.
  • water soluble antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, cysteine hydrochloride, sodium bisulfate, sodium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite and the like
  • oil-soluble antioxidants such as ascorbyl palmitate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), lec
  • aqueous and nonaqueous carriers examples include water, ethanol, polyols (such as glycerol, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof, vegetable oils, such as olive oil, and injectable organic esters, such as ethyl oleate.
  • polyols such as glycerol, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, and the like
  • vegetable oils such as olive oil
  • injectable organic esters such as ethyl oleate.
  • Proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of coating materials, such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersions, and by the use of surfactants.
  • compositions may also contain adjuvants such as preservatives, wetting agents, emulsifying agents and dispersing agents.
  • microorganisms may be ensured both by sterilization procedures, and by the inclusion of various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, paraben, chlorobutanol, phenol sorbic acid, and the like. It may also be desirable to include isotonic agents, such as sugars, sodium chloride, and the like into the compositions. In addition, prolonged absorption of the injectable pharmaceutical form may be brought about by the inclusion of agents which delay absorption such as aluminum monostearate and gelatin.
  • Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers include sterile aqueous solutions or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion.
  • sterile aqueous solutions or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion.
  • the use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.
  • compositions typically must be sterile and stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage.
  • the composition can be formulated as a solution, microemulsion, liposome, or other ordered structure suitable to high drug concentration.
  • the carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyethylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof.
  • the proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants.
  • isotonic agents for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as mannitol, sorbitol, or sodium chloride in the composition.
  • Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent that delays absorption, for example, monostearate salts and gelatin.
  • Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by sterilization microfiltration.
  • dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle that contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above.
  • a sterile vehicle that contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above.
  • the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze- drying (lyophilization) that yield a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.
  • the amount of active ingredient which can be combined with a carrier material to produce a single dosage form will vary depending upon the subject being treated, and the particular mode of administration.
  • the amount of active ingredient which can be combined with a carrier material to produce a single dosage form will generally be that amount of the composition which produces a therapeutic effect. Generally, out of one hundred per cent, this amount will range from about 0.01 per cent to about ninety-nine percent of active ingredient, preferably from about 0.1 per cent to about 70 per cent, most preferably from about 1 per cent to about 30 per cent of active ingredient in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • Dosage regimens are adjusted to provide the optimum desired response (e.g., a therapeutic response). For example, a single bolus may be administered, several divided doses may be administered over time or the dose may be proportionally reduced or increased as indicated by the exigencies of the therapeutic situation. It is especially advantageous to formulate parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage.
  • Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subjects to be treated; each unit contains a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier.
  • the specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on (a) the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and (b) the limitations inherent in the art of
  • the dosage ranges from about 0.0001 to 100 mg/kg, and more usually 0.01 to 5 mg/kg, of the host body weight.
  • dosages can be 0.3 mg/kg body weight, 1 mg/kg body weight, 3 mg/kg body weight, 5 mg/kg body weight or 10 mg/kg body weight or within the range of 1-10 mg/kg.
  • An exemplary treatment regime entails administration once per week, once every two weeks, once every three weeks, once every four weeks, once a month, once every 3 months or once every three to 6 months.
  • Preferred dosage regimens for a moiety of the invention include 1 mg/kg body weight or 3 mg/kg body weight via intravenous administration, with the antibody being given using one of the following dosing schedules: (i) every four weeks for six dosages, then every three months; (ii) every three weeks; (iii) 3 mg/kg body weight once followed by 1 mg/kg body weight every three weeks.
  • the antibody, small molecule, or peptidic molecule can be administered as a sustained release formulation, in which case less frequent
  • Dosage and frequency vary depending on the half-life of the administered substance in the patient. In general, human antibodies show the longest half life, followed by humanized antibodies, chimeric antibodies, and nonhuman antibodies.
  • the dosage and frequency of administration can vary depending on whether the treatment is prophylactic or therapeutic. In prophylactic applications, a relatively low dosage is administered at relatively infrequent intervals over a long period of time. Some patients continue to receive treatment for the rest of their lives. In therapeutic applications, a relatively high dosage at relatively short intervals is sometimes required until progression of the disease is reduced or terminated, and preferably until the patient shows partial or complete amelioration of symptoms of disease. Thereafter, the patient can be administered a prophylactic regime.
  • compositions of the present invention may be varied so as to obtain an amount of the active ingredient which is effective to achieve the desired therapeutic response for a particular patient, composition, and mode of administration, without being toxic to the patient.
  • the selected dosage level will depend upon a variety of pharmacokinetic factors including the activity of the particular compositions of the present invention employed, or the ester, salt or amide thereof, the route of
  • a “therapeutically effective dosage” of an anti-RTK moiety of the invention preferably results in a decrease in severity of disease symptoms, an increase in frequency and duration of disease symptom-free periods, or a prevention of impairment or disability due to the disease affliction.
  • a "therapeutically effective dosage” preferably inhibits cell growth or tumor growth by at least about 20%, more preferably by at least about 40%, even more preferably by at least about 60%, and still more preferably by at least about 80% relative to untreated subjects.
  • the ability of a compound to inhibit tumor growth can be evaluated in an animal model system predictive of efficacy in human tumors.
  • this property of a composition can be evaluated by examining the ability of the compound to inhibit, such inhibition in vitro by assays known to the skilled practitioner.
  • a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic compound can decrease tumor size, or otherwise ameliorate symptoms in a subject.
  • One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine such amounts based on such factors as the subject's size, the severity of the subject's symptoms, and the particular composition or route of administration selected.
  • An anti-RTK moiety of the present invention may be tested to determine whether it is effective in antagonizing the RTK.
  • One method of testing the anti-RTK moiety is to confirm that interaction occurs between the anti-RTK moiety and the RTK.
  • one of skill in the art may test whether an antibody, small molecule, or peptidic molecule of the invention binds to the D4 or D5 domain of human Kit RTK or D7 domain of a VEGF receptor.
  • Such tests for binding are well known in the art and may include labeling (e.g., radiolabeling) the anti-RTK moiety, incubating the anti-RTK moiety with an RTK under conditions in which binding may occur, and then
  • antagonizing a RTK is to test the phosphorylation state of the cytoplasmic domain of the RTK.
  • effective antagonists will prevent activation and autophosphorylation of a RTK.
  • Phosphorylation of the RTK may be tested using standard methods known in the art, for example, by using antibodies which specifically bind the phosphorylated residues of the RTK.
  • Other methods to detect phosphorylation events include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6548266; or Goshe et al. (2006) Brief Funct Genomic Proteomic. 4:363-76; de Graauw et al. (2006) Electrophoresis. 27:2676- 86; Schmidt et al.
  • a composition of the present invention can be administered via one or more routes of administration using one or more of a variety of methods known in the art. As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, the route and/or mode of administration will vary depending upon the desired results. Preferred routes of administration for binding moieties of the invention include intravenous, intramuscular, intradermal,
  • parenteral administration means modes of administration other than enteral and topical administration, usually by injection, and includes, without limitation, intravenous, intramuscular, intraarterial, intrathecal, intracapsular, intraorbital, intracardiac, intradermal, intraperitoneal, transtracheal, subcutaneous, subcuticular, intraarticular, subcapsular, subarachnoid, intraspinal, epidural and intrasternal injection and infusion.
  • an anti-RTK binding moiety of the invention can be administered via a non-parenteral route, such as a topical, epidermal or mucosal route of
  • administration for example, intranasally, orally, vaginally, rectally, sublingually or topically.
  • the active compounds can be prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid release, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants, transdermal patches, and microencapsulated delivery systems.
  • a controlled release formulation including implants, transdermal patches, and microencapsulated delivery systems.
  • Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Many methods for the preparation of such formulations are patented or generally known to those skilled in the art. See, e.g., Sustained and Controlled Release Drug Delivery Systems, J.R. Robinson, ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1978.
  • compositions can be administered with medical devices known in the art.
  • a therapeutic composition of the invention can be administered with a needleless hypodermic injection device, such as the devices disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,399,163; 5,383,851; 5,312,335; 5,064,413; 4,941,880; 4,790,824; or 4,596,556.
  • a needleless hypodermic injection device such as the devices disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,399,163; 5,383,851; 5,312,335; 5,064,413; 4,941,880; 4,790,824; or 4,596,556.
  • Examples of well-known implants and modules useful in the present invention include: U.S. Patent No. 4,487,603, which discloses an implantable micro-infusion pump for dispensing medication at a controlled rate;
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,486,194 which discloses a therapeutic device for administering medicants through the skin
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,447,233 which discloses a medication infusion pump for delivering medication at a precise infusion rate
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,486,194 which discloses a therapeutic device for administering medicants through the skin
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,447,233 which discloses a medication infusion pump for delivering medication at a precise infusion rate
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,486,194 which discloses a therapeutic device for administering medicants through the skin
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,447,233 which discloses a medication infusion pump for delivering medication at a precise infusion rate
  • U.S. Patent No. Patent No. Patent No. Patent No. 4,447,233 which discloses a medication infusion pump for delivering medication at a precise infusion rate
  • the present invention provides a method for treating a RTK associated disease in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a moiety of the invention.
  • the anti-RTK moieties e.g., antibodies, small molecules, or peptidic molecules, of the present invention have numerous in vitro and in vivo diagnostic and therapeutic utilities involving the diagnosis and treatment of a receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease.
  • the binding moieties of the present invention can be administered to cells in culture, in vitro or ex vivo, or to human subjects, e.g., in vivo, to treat, prevent and to diagnose a receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease.
  • a receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease is a disease or condition which is mediated by RTK activity or is associated with aberrant RTK expression or activation.
  • receptor tyrosine kinase associated diseases include diseases or conditions that are associated with, for example, FGF receptors, HGF receptors, insulin receptors, IGF-1 receptors, NGF receptors, VEGF receptors, PDGF- receptor-a, PDGF-receptor- ⁇ , CSF-1 -receptor, and Flt3 -receptors, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic retinopathy or pain associated diseases.
  • AMD age-related macular degeneration
  • receptor tyrosine kinase associated diseases include, but are not limited to, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), small cell lung cancer (SCLC), breast cancer, bone metastatic breast cancer, lymphatic diseases and tenosynovial giant cell tumors.
  • GIST gastrointestinal stromal tumors
  • AML acute myelogenous leukemia
  • SCLC small cell lung cancer
  • breast cancer bone metastatic breast cancer
  • lymphatic diseases tenosynovial giant cell tumors.
  • receptor tyrosine kinase associated diseases include colon cancer (including small intestine cancer), lung cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma (e.g., metastatic malignant melanoma), acute myeloid leukemia, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.
  • colon cancer including small intestine cancer
  • lung cancer breast cancer
  • pancreatic cancer melanoma (e.g., metastatic malignant melanoma), acute myeloid leukemia, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.
  • melanoma e.g., metastatic malignant melanoma
  • renal cell carcinoma glioblastoma, lymphatic cancer, brain tumors, chronic or acute leukemias including acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), adult T-cell leukemia (T-ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphomas (e.g., ALL), ALL, T-ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphomas (e.g.
  • ALL acute lymphocytic leukemia
  • T-ALL adult T-cell leukemia
  • chronic myeloid leukemia acute lymphoblastic leukemia
  • chronic lymphocytic leukemia e.g.
  • lymphocytic lymphoma Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphocytic lymphoma, primary CNS lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, anaplastic large-cell lymphomas (ALCL), cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, nodular small cleaved-cell lymphomas, peripheral T-cell lymphomas, Lennert's lymphomas, immunoblastic lymphomas, T-cell leukemia/lymphomas (ATLL), entroblastic/centrocytic (cb/cc) follicular lymphomas cancers, diffuse large cell lymphomas of B lineage,
  • angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AILD)-like T cell lymphoma and HIV associated body cavity based lymphomas), embryonal carcinomas, undifferentiated carcinomas of the rhino-pharynx (e.g. , Schmincke's tumor), Castleman's disease, Kaposi's Sarcoma, multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia and other B- cell lymphomas, nasopharangeal carcinomas, bone cancer, skin cancer, cancer of the head or neck, cutaneous or intraocular malignant melanoma, uterine cancer, rectal cancer, cancer of the anal region, stomach cancer, testicular cancer, uterine cancer, carcinoma of the fallopian tubes, carcinoma of the endometrium, carcinoma of the cervix, carcinoma of the vagina, carcinoma of the vulva, cancer of the esophagus, cancer of the small intestine, cancer of the endocrine system, cancer of the thyroid gland, cancer of the parathyroid gland
  • lymphatic diseases or "diseases of the lymphatic system”
  • afibrinogenemia anemia, aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, congenital nonspherocytic anemia, megaloblastic anemia, pernicious anemia, sickle cell anemia, renal anemia, angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, antithrombin III deficiency, Bernard-Soulier syndrome, blood coagulation disorders, blood platelet disorders, blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome, Chediak-Higashi syndrome, cryoglobulinemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, eosinophilia, Erdheim-Chester disease, erythroblastosis, fetal, evans syndrome, factor V deficiency, factor VII deficiency, factor X deficiency, factor XI deficiency, factor XII deficiency, fanconi anemia
  • neutropenia neutropenia, paraproteinemias, platelet storage pool deficiency, polycythemia vera, protein c deficiency, protein s deficiency, purpura, thrombocytopenic, purpura, thrombotic thrombocytopenic, RH-isoimmunization, sarcoidosis, sarcoidosis, spherocytosis, splenic rupture, thalassemia, thrombasthenia, thrombocytopenia,
  • the binding moieties, compositions, and methods of the present invention can be used to treat a subject with a tumorigenic disorder, e.g. , a disorder characterized by the presence of tumor cells expressing Kit including, for example, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, mast cell disease, and acute myelogenous lukemia.
  • a tumorigenic disorder e.g. , a disorder characterized by the presence of tumor cells expressing Kit including, for example, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, mast cell disease, and acute myelogenous lukemia.
  • a tumorigenic disorder e.g., a disorder characterized by the presence of tumor cells expressing Kit including, for example, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, mast cell disease, and acute myelogenous lukemia.
  • other subjects with a tumorigenic disorder include subjects having renal cancer (e.g.
  • renal cell carcinoma glioblastoma
  • brain tumors chronic or acute leukemias including acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), adult T-cell leukemia (T-ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphomas (e.g.
  • lymphocytic lymphoma Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphocytic lymphoma, primary CNS lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, anaplastic large-cell lymphomas (ALCL), cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, nodular small cleaved-cell lymphomas, peripheral T-cell lymphomas, Lennert's lymphomas, immunoblastic lymphomas, T-cell leukemia/lymphomas (ATLL), entroblastic/centrocytic (cb/cc) follicular lymphomas cancers, diffuse large cell lymphomas of B lineage, angioimmunoblastic
  • AILD lymphadenopathy
  • undifferentiated carcinomas of the rhino-pharynx e.g. , Schmincke's tumor
  • Castleman's disease Kaposi's Sarcoma, multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macro globulinemia and other B-cell lymphomas
  • nasopharangeal carcinomas bone cancer, skin cancer, cancer of the head or neck, cutaneous or intraocular malignant melanoma, uterine cancer, rectal cancer, cancer of the anal region, stomach cancer, testicular cancer, uterine cancer, carcinoma of the fallopian tubes, carcinoma of the endometrium, carcinoma of the cervix, carcinoma of the vagina, carcinoma of the vulva, cancer of the esophagus, cancer of the small intestine, cancer of the endocrine system, cancer of the thyroid gland, cancer of the parathyroid gland, cancer of the adrenal gland,
  • Non-human animals includes all vertebrates, e.g., mammals and non- mammals, such as non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cats, cows, horses, chickens, amphibians, and reptiles.
  • Preferred subjects include human subjects having a receptor tyrosine kinase associated disease.
  • the moieties (e.g., antibodies, antigen binding portions thereof, small molecules, peptidic molecules, antibody mimetics, and compositions) of the invention have additional utility in therapy and diagnosis of a RTK associated disease.
  • the human monoclonal antibodies, the multispecific or bispecific molecules, the small molecules, or the peptidic molecules can be used to elicit in vivo or in vitro one or more of the following biological activities: to inhibit the growth of and/or kill a cell expressing a RTK (e.g., Kit, a VEGF receptor or PDGFR); to mediate phagocytosis or ADCC of a cell expressing a RTK (e.g.
  • Kit a VEGF receptor or PDGFR
  • a RTK e.g., member of the type III or type V family of RTKs
  • Suitable routes of administering the anti-RTK moieties of the invention in vivo and in vitro are well known in the art and can be selected by those of ordinary skill.
  • the anti-RTK moieties can be administered by injection (e.g., intravenous or subcutaneous). Suitable dosages of the molecules used will depend on the age and weight of the subject and the concentration and/or formulation of the binding moiety composition.
  • the anti-RTK moieties of the invention can be coadministered with one or other more therapeutic agents, e.g. , a cytotoxic agent, a radiotoxic agent or an immunosuppressive agent.
  • the moiety can be linked to the agent or can be administered separate from the agent. In the latter case (separate
  • the binding moiety can be administered before, after or concurrently with the agent or can be co-administered with other known therapies, e.g., an anti-cancer therapy, e.g., radiation.
  • therapeutic agents include, among others, anti-neoplastic agents such as doxorubicin (adriamycin), cisplatin bleomycin sulfate, carmustine, chlorambucil and cyclophosphamide hydroxyurea which, by themselves, are only effective at levels which are toxic or subtoxic to a patient.
  • Cisplatin is intravenously administered as a 100 mg/ dose once every four weeks and adriamycin is intravenously administered as a 60-75 mg/ml dose once every 21 days.
  • Co-administration of the anti- RTK binding moieties, of the present invention with chemo therapeutic agents provides two anti-cancer agents which operate via different mechanisms which yield a cytotoxic effect to human tumor cells. Such co-administration can solve problems due to development of resistance to drugs or a change in the antigenicity of the tumor cells which would render them unreactive with the binding moiety.
  • a circulating concentration of administered compound of about 0.001 ⁇ to 20 ⁇ or about 0.01 ⁇ to 5 ⁇ may be used.
  • Patient doses for oral administration of the compounds described herein typically range from about 1 mg/day to about 10,000 mg/day, more typically from about 10 mg/day to about 1,000 mg/day, and most typically from about 50 mg/day to about 500 mg/day. Stated in terms of patient body weight, typical dosages range from about 0.01 to about 150 mg/kg/day, more typically from about 0.1 to about 15 mg/kg/day, and most typically from about 1 to about 10 mg/kg/day, for example 5 mg/kg/day or 3 mg/kg/day.
  • patient doses that retard or inhibit tumor growth can be 1 ⁇ /kg/day or less.
  • the patient doses can be 0.9, 0.6, 0.5, 0.45, 0.3, 0.2, 0.15, or 0.1 ⁇ /kg/day or less (referring to moles of the drug).
  • the anti-RTK moiety-drug conjugate retards growth of the tumor when administered in the daily dosage amount over a period of at least five days.
  • conjugates of the invention can be used to target compounds (e.g. , therapeutic agents, labels, cytotoxins, radiotoxoins immunosuppressants, etc.) to cells which have RTK cell surface receptors by linking such compounds to the anti-RTK binding moiety.
  • an anti-RTK moiety can be conjugated to any of the toxin compounds described in US Patent Nos. 6,281,354 and 6,548,530, US patent publication Nos. 20030050331, 20030064984, 20030073852 and 20040087497 or published in WO 03/022806, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
  • the invention also provides methods for localizing ex vivo or in vivo cells expressing RTK (e.g. , with a detectable label, such as a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme or an enzyme co-factor).
  • Target-specific effector cells e.g. , effector cells linked to compositions (e.g. , antibodies, antigen binding portions thereof, small molecules, or peptidic molecules ) of the invention can also be used as therapeutic agents.
  • Effector cells for targeting can be human leukocytes such as macrophages, neutrophils or monocytes. Other cells include eosinophils, natural killer cells and other IgG- or IgA-receptor bearing cells. If desired, effector cells can be obtained from the subject to be treated.
  • the target- specific effector cells can be administered as a suspension of cells in a physiologically acceptable
  • the number of cells administered can be in the order of 10 -10" but will vary depending on the therapeutic purpose. In general, the amount will be sufficient to obtain localization at the target cell, e.g. , a tumor cell expressing RTK and to effect cell killing by, e.g. , phagocytosis. Routes of administration can also vary.
  • Target-specific effector cells can be performed in conjunction with other techniques for removal of targeted cells.
  • anti-tumor therapy using the moieties of the invention and/or effector cells armed with these compositions can be used in conjunction with chemotherapy.
  • the invention further provides methods for detecting the presence of a human RTK antigen in a sample, or measuring the amount of human RTK antigen (e.g., an Ig- like domain of human Kit RTK, human VEGF receptor or PDGFR), comprising contacting the sample, and a control sample, with and RTK binding moiety, e.g., a human monoclonal antibody, or other binding moiety, which specifically binds to a human RTK, under conditions that allow for formation of a complex between the antibody or other moiety and a human RTK such as Kit or a human VEGF receptor. The formation of a complex is then detected, wherein a difference complex formation between the sample compared to the control sample is indicative the presence of RTK, e.g., human Kit RTK, a human VEGF receptor or the PDGFR RTK in the sample.
  • RTK e.g., an Ig- like domain of human Kit RTK, human VEGF receptor or PDGFR
  • kits comprising the anti-RTK binding moieties (e.g. , antibodies, antigen binding portions thereof, small molecules, or peptidic molecules) and instructions for use.
  • the kit can further contain one more additional reagents, such as an immunosuppressive reagent, a cytotoxic agent or a radiotoxic agent or one or more additional anti-RTK moieties of the invention (e.g., an anti-RTK binding moiety having a complementary activity which binds to an epitope in the RTK antigen distinct from the first anti-RTK moiety).
  • Kits typically include a label indicating the intended use of the contents of the kit.
  • the term label includes any writing, or recorded material supplied on or with the kit, or which otherwise
  • SCF Stem cell factor
  • Kit also known as SCF- receptor
  • Kit was initially discovered as an oncogene in a feline retrovirus that captured an activated and truncated form of the surface receptor (Besmer et al. (1986) J Virol 60: 194-203.).
  • SCF is encoded by the murine steel (SI) locus while Kit is encoded by the dominant white spotting (W) locus in the mouse (Copeland et al. (1990) Cell 63: 175- 183; Huang et al.
  • SCF functions as a non-covalent homodimer and both membrane- anchored and soluble forms of SCF generated by alternative RNA splicing and by proteolytic processing have been described (reviewed in Ashman (1999) Int J Biochem Cell Biol 31: 1037-1051).
  • Kit is a member of type-Ill family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), which also includes PDGF-receptor-a, and ⁇ , CSF-1 -receptor (also known as M-CSF-receptor or Fms), and the Flt3-receptor (also known as Flk2) (reviewed in Ullrich and Schlessinger (1990) Cell 61: 203-212; Blume- Jensen et al. (2001) Nature 411: 355-365).
  • RTK receptor tyrosine kinases
  • Kit is composed of a glycosylated extracellular ligand binding domain (ectodomain) that is connected to a cytoplasmic region by means of a single transmembrane (TM) domain (reviewed in Schlessinger (2000) Cell 103: 211- 225).
  • TM transmembrane
  • the ectodomain of Kit and other members of type-Ill RTKs all contain five Ig-like domains, in which the second and third membrane distal domains were shown to play a role in ligand recognition (reviewed in Ullrich and Schlessinger (1990) Cell 61: 203- 212).
  • RTKs whose extracellular ligand binding domains are composed exclusively of multiple Ig-like repeats include members of the VEGF-receptor family (7 Ig-like), CCK4-receptor (7 Ig-like) and FGF-receptors (3 Ig-like).
  • the cytoplasmic region of Kit contains a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) domain with a large kinase-insert region;
  • mice mutated at the SCF or Kit loci Characterization of mice mutated at the SCF or Kit loci has shown that SCF and Kit are required for development of hematopoietic cells, melanocytes, germ cells and intestinal pacemaker cells (reviewed in Ashman (1999) Int J Biochem Cell Biol
  • Kit loss of function mutations in Kit cause the piebald trait that is characterized by de-pigmentation of the ventral chest and abdomen, white fareflock of hair, deafness and constipation (Fleischman et al. (1991) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 88: 10885-10889).
  • a variety of gain-of-function mutations in Kit were found in different types of human cancers. Activating Kit mutations were found in gastro-intestinal-stromal tumors (GIST), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and mast cell leukemia (MCL) among other cancers.
  • GIST gastro-intestinal-stromal tumors
  • AML acute myeloid leukemia
  • MCL mast cell leukemia
  • Stem Cell Factor initiates its multiple cellular responses by binding to the ectodomain of Kit resulting in tyrosine kinase activation.
  • SCF Stem Cell Factor
  • the structures show that Kit dimerization is driven by SCF binding whose sole role is to bring two Kit molecules together.
  • Receptor dimerization is followed by conformational changes that enable lateral interactions between membrane proximal Ig- like domains D4 and D5 of two Kit molecules.
  • Experiments with cultured cells show that Kit activation is compromised by point mutations in amino acids critical for D4-D4 interaction. Moreover, a variety of oncogenic mutations are mapped to the D5-D5 interface.
  • Kit structures Since key hallmarks of Kit structures, ligand-induced receptor dimerization and the critical residues in the D4-D4 interface are conserved in other receptors, the mechanism of Kit stimulation unveiled in this report may apply for other receptor activation. This indicates that drugs or biologies targeted to these interfaces can be used as therapeutics.
  • the elucidation of the X-ray crystal structure of the entire ectodomain of Kit before and after SCF stimulation described herein has provided valuable insights concerning the mechanism of SCF-induced Kit dimerization and activation.
  • the structure shows that the first three Ig-like domains of Kit designated Dl, D2 and D3 are responsible for SCF binding.
  • the main role of SCF binding is to crosslink two Kit molecules to increase the local concentration of Kit on the cell membrane. This facilitates a large conformational change in the membrane -proximal regions of Kit resulting in homotypic interaction between D4 or D5 of neighboring Kit molecules.
  • the lateral interactions between D4 of two neighboring Kit molecules occur via direct contacts through two pairs of salt bridges from the EF loops of each D4 protomer.
  • the membrane proximal D5 domain provides additional indirect interactions between neighboring Kit molecules to further stabilize and position the membrane proximal part of the ectodomain at a distance and orientation that enables the activation of cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase.
  • Example RTK sequences which may be used by methods of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the Genbank reference sequence for the Kit mRNA NM_000222.2 (encoding the protein NP_000213.1;
  • Kit composed of five Ig-like domains designated Dl, D2, D3, D4 and D5 was expressed in insect cells using the baculovirus expression system.
  • Kit ectodomain (amino acids 1-519) containing a poly-histidine tag at the C-terminus was expressed in insect cells (Sf9) using the baculovirus expression system.
  • Kit ectodomain was purified by Ni-chelate followed by size-exclusion chromatography (Superdex 200, GE Healthcare). After partial deglycosylation using endo-glycosidase Fl, the ectodomain was further purified by anion exchange chromatography (MonoQ, GE Healthcare).
  • SCF (1-141) was expressed, refolded and purified as previously described (Langley et al. (1994) Arch Biochem Biophys 311: 55- 61; Zhang et al. (2000) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97: 7732-7737).
  • HEK and NIH3T3 cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% FCS and 10% CS, respectively. Prior to SCF stimulation, cells were starved overnight in serum free medium as previously described (Kouhara et al. (1997) Cell 30: 693-702). Transfection was performed with Lipofectamin (Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer instructions. The cDNA of full length Kit was subcloned into the RK5 expression vector for transient transfection and into the pBABE/puro vector for stable expression (Kouhara et al. (1997) Cell 30: 693-702). Anti-Kit antibodies were generated by immunizing rabbits with recombinant Kit ectodomain. Monoclonal anti-Kit antibodies (Santa Cruz) were used for immunoblotting. Anti-phosphotyrosine (anti- pTyr) antibodies were purchased from Upstate Biotechnology.
  • Crystals of deglycosylated ectodomain of approximate dimensions of 0.12x0.1x0.05 mm were obtained in phosphate buffer with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) as the precipitant (0.1 M Na-Pi buffer pH 6.0, 0.2 M KC1, 12% PEG 400) at 4°. All crystals were immersed in a reservoir solution supplemented with 5-18% glycerol for several seconds; flash cooled, and kept in a stream of nitrogen gas at 100° K during data collection.
  • PEG polyethyleneglycol
  • Platinum, bromine and iodine derivatives of Kit were prepared by soaking the crystals in a reservoir solution containing heavy atom reagents in concentration ranges of 0.1 mM to 50 mM at 277 K for few seconds to 10 days.
  • Crystals of the SCF-Kit complex were grown with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) as the precipitant (0.2 M ammonium sulfate, 8-12% PEG 8000, 5-8% ethylene glycol at pH
  • the experimental phases were calculated by using multiple isomorphous replacement with anomalous scattering (MIRAS) and by multi-wavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) to 3.0 A resolution (Table 1A).
  • the resulting electron-density maps showed continuous electron density of ⁇ sandwich structures, and clear solvent-protein boundaries.
  • the molecular model of monomeric Kit ectodomain was built manually into the experimental electron density maps.
  • the structure was refined to a 3. OA resolution using the native data set to a crystallographic R-factor of 25.4 % and free R-factor of 29.6% (Table IB).
  • the structure of SCF-Kit 2:2 complex was solved by molecular replacement using the structure of the monomeric form described in this report and the structure of SCF (Zhang et al. (2000) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97: 7732-7737;
  • Rasing power f.m.s (iFhiiEi, wSisre - ⁇ are the -Sedvatais ami native s3 ⁇ 43 ⁇ 4iciu «-faiior sn-ssl&idss, Fh is h ⁇ svy-aft»a s-mstiire !fcde. re-pestivei . ⁇ ss 8a fes ⁇ ti&l Sack of cfcsure «ti3 ⁇ 4r.
  • FC*5> is fce mea « 3 ⁇ 4yj* ofm «a.
  • Kit ectodomain shows an elongated serpentine shape with approximate dimensions of 170 x 60 x 50 A ( Figure 1A).
  • the Dl, D2, D3, D4 and D5 domains of Kit exhibit a typical immunoglobulin super family (IgSF) fold, composed of eight ⁇ strands, designated ABCC'DEFG, assembled into a ⁇ sandwich consisting of two anti- parallel ⁇ sheets ( Figure 1A).
  • Dl, D2, D3 and D5 each contain a conserved disulfide bond connecting cysteine residues at B5 and F5 (Fifth amino acids of strand B and F, respectively); positions that bridge the two ⁇ sheets to form the center of the
  • D2 and D5 contain two disulphide bonds and D4 does not contain any cysteine residue, nevertheless, the integrity of the Ig-like fold of D4 is maintained even though the conserved cysteine residues at B5 and F5 are replaced by a valine and phenylalanine residues, respectively.
  • the angle between Dl and D2 along the axis of the two domains is 76° ( Figure 1A, B) resembling the orientation between the first and second Ig-like domains of interleukin- ⁇ receptor (Vigers et al. (1997) Nature, 386: 190- 194).
  • the angle between D2 and D3 is 150°
  • between D3 and D4 is 119°
  • between D4 and D5 is 162°.
  • the orientations between the ABED and A'GFC ⁇ -sheets for the different Ig- like domains are -180° for D1-D2, -180° for D2-D3, -90° for D3-D4, and -180° for D4-D5 ( Figure 1).
  • Dl, D2, D3 and D4 belong to the I-subset and D5 is related to the C2 and IgCAM subsets of IgSF. Furthermore, among the structurally conserved 20 finger-print residues of IgSF (Harpaz et al. (1994) J Mol Biol 238: 528-539), 10-14 residues are conserved in the five Ig-like domains of Kit (Table 2).
  • Kit Dl The Dl fold is a ⁇ sandwich composed of two ⁇ sheets. One sheet is formed by the three-strands, A, B and E and the second sheet is composed of the five-strands, A', G, F, C and C'(ABE/A'GFCC).
  • the first strand interrupted by a cis-conformation at Pro41, is split into two shorter strands of A and A' which pair with strands B and G, respectively.
  • a disulfide bond connecting Cys58 of B5 with Cys97 of F5 bridges the two ⁇ sheets.
  • a fairly long strand C that interacts with strand C, directs the C-terminal end of the polypeptide chain toward the upper side of D 1 which is directly connected to strand E.
  • Dl belongs to the I2-subset of IgSF (Casasnovas et al. (1998) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95: 4134-4139).
  • Kit D2 consists of a small ⁇ -sheet formed by strands B, E, and D and a second ⁇ - sheet composed of strands A', G, F and C (BED/A' GFC), as well as an additional helix at the crossover between strands E and F (residues 177-179).
  • BED/A' GFC BED/A' GFC
  • the pattern of hydrogen bonds in strand B is altered due to formation of two short ⁇ strands, referred as strands B and B'.
  • the additional B' strand is aligned to strand A, forming a short ⁇ sheet with an AB' topology.
  • the G strand is split into two short strands, G (bottom side) and G' (top side) because of an insert at amino acids 197-199, which results in formation of a ⁇ sheet with strand A' .
  • Disruption of the hydrogen bond pattern caused by a "kink" in G strand at residues 197-199 is compensated by the hydrogen bonds between the side chains of Serl97 and the main chain amide of Cysl86.
  • Serl97 is conserved as a Ser or Thr residue in Kit from different species and in other type-Ill RTKs.
  • D2 contains an additional disulfide bond, between Cysl51 and Cysl83 bridging the CD loop with the end of the F strand to provide additional stability to strand C and the CD loop.
  • the additional disulfide bridge may compensate for the reduced network of hydrogen bonds between strands C and F.
  • Kit D3 is composed of two sets of ⁇ sheets (ABED/A' GFC) belonging to the II- subset of IgSF. The two ⁇ sheets are bridged by a disulfide bond between Cys233 on strand B and Cys290 on strand F. Comparison of telokin (PDB code: 1TLK) and D3 structures shows a Zscore of 10.4 and an r.m.s. deviation of 2.0 A for the 98 aligned Ca residues of D3.
  • Kit D4 Although D4 lacks the characteristic disulfide bond between cysteines at B5 and F5, D4 maintains an IgSF topology. In addition, 13 out of 20 finger-print residues of I- set IgSF are conserved in D4. The structural integrity of D4 is preserved by interactions between buried aliphatic (Val335) and aromatic (Phe392) residues present at B5 and F5, respectively, which constitute part of the hydrophobic core of the domain. Structural comparison using DALI shows that among Kit Ig-like domains D4 is most similar to telokin (retrieve with Protein Data Bank code: 1TLK), with a Z-score of 11.9 and an r.m.s.d. of 1.5 A for the 89 aligned Ca residues.
  • telokin Retrieve with Protein Data Bank code: 1TLK
  • the distance of 8.6 A between Ca-Ca of Val335 and Phe392 is within the distance range seen between similar positions in IgSF domains lacking a disulfide bond connecting B5 and F5.
  • Titin Ig-like domain M5 (Protein Data Bank code: 1TNM); also lacking a disulfide bond,
  • D4 is composed of two ⁇ sheets each containing four strands with the arrangement ABED/A' GFC. Thr321, the first residue of the A' strand, forms Van der Waals contacts with the aromatic ring of the highly conserved Phe405.
  • the CD loop folded upwards to the top side of the domain is stabilized by three main
  • D5 belongs to C2 and IgCAM subset of IgSF and 10 out of 20 fingerprint residues are conserved in this module.
  • D5 exhibits a ABED/CFG topology, a disulfide bond between Cys428 of B5 and Cys491 of F5 that bridges the two ⁇ sheets and a second disulfide bond bridging the C strand and the CD loop.
  • the two disulfide bonds are conserved in all Kit and type-Ill RTKs.
  • the top half of D5 resembles the third Ig of neuronal cell adhesion molecule
  • Axonin-l/TAG-1 (Protein Data Bank code 1CS6).
  • Telokin Protein Data Bank code 1FHG
  • FGFR Protein Data Bank code 1CVS
  • RTK Resistive Karl Fischer
  • Ala residues Ala493
  • the second hallmark is a ring arrangement of the Pro and Gly residues Pro413, Gly432, Pro436 and Gly498 in the A, B, C and G strands, respectively.
  • the third hallmark is the presence of an Asn residue in F9 (Asn495) that forms hydrogen bonds with main chains of Val497 and Pro434 of FG and BC loop, respectively.
  • the inter-domain interactions between the 5 Ig-like domains of Kit are responsible for maintaining the overall topology of Kit ectodomain monomers ( Figure 1).
  • the orientation of Dl relative to D2 is determined by the extensive buried surface area that is caused by the numerous interactions between the two Ig-like domains
  • the buried surface area of the D2-D3 interface is approximately 780 A ° 2.
  • the D2- D3 interface is composed of a small hydrophobic patch surrounded by two electrostatic interactions. This interface is formed by an interaction between the EF loop of D2 and the DE loop of D3 and interactions between the D2-D3 linker region with the FG and BC loops of D3 ( Figure 1C).
  • the buried surface area of D3-D4 interface is
  • D3 and D4 interact primarily through strands A' and G of D3 with the BC and DE loops of D4 (Figure ID).
  • the length of the D3-D4 interface is approximately 20 A due to the angular arrangement of D4 relative to D3 with an angle of 119° along the long axis of the two Ig-like domains.
  • the D4-D5 interface forms a buried surface area of 760 A , mainly mediated by hydrophobic interactions (Figure IE).
  • the interface is formed by interactions between strands A, G and F of D4, with the BC and DE loops of D5, as well as with the D4-D5 linker region ( Figure IE)
  • the D2-D3 interface The hydrophobic patch is composed of the aliphatic part of Argl77 and side chains of Pro206, Phe208, Val238 and Phe267.
  • the electrostatic interaction involves hydrogen bonds between side chains of Glul28 and Aspl29 of D2 with Lys209 of D3 ( Figure 1C).
  • a salt bridge between the side chain of Argl77 and the side chain of Glul28 stabilize the position of the side chain of Argl77 and the side chain of Pro206 in D2 and Phe267 in D3 to create a hydrophobic environment for the aliphatic portion of the side chain of Argl77 in D2 ( Figure 1C).
  • a second electrostatic interaction is mediated by the side chains of Argl 81 in D2 with the side chain of Asp266 of D3.
  • the D3-D4 interface covers a smaller buried area than other inter Ig-like domain interfaces ( Figure ID).
  • the D4-D5 interface The hydrophobic patch on the D4-D5 interface.
  • the hydrophobic patch on the D4-D5 interface includes Phe324 and Tyr408 from the A and G strands of D4 and Phe433 from the BC loop of D5, respectively.
  • van-der-Waals contacts contribute to the stabilization of the interface surrounding the hydrophobic patch; Phe324, Gly384, Thr389, Tyr408, Asn410, Thr411 and Met351 of D4 interact with Val497, Phe433, Gly470, Phe649 and Lys471 of D5 ( Figure IE).
  • the structure of the SCF-Kit complex shows a 2:2 stoichiometry, in which two sets of 1 : 1 complexes in the asymmetric unit are related by a non-crystallographic twofold symmetry ( Figure 2).
  • the observed SCF-Kit 2:2 complex in the crystal lattice is consistent with experiments demonstrating that Kit dimerization is driven by the dimeric SCF ligand (Philo et al. (1996) J Biol Chem 271: 6895-6902; Lemmon et al. (1997) J Biol Chem 272: 6311-6317).
  • the two sets of Kit ectodomains and SCF molecules resemble an upside down "A" letter with approximate dimensions of 170 x 130 x 70 A ( Figure 2A and Figure 9).
  • SCF bound to Kit is similar to the previously described structures of free SCF (Zhang et al. (2000) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97: 7732-7737; Jiang et al. (2000) Embo J 19: 3192-3203).
  • the structure of SCF-Kit 2:2 complex shows that an individual SCF protomer binds directly to Dl, D2 and D3 of an individual Kit protomer ( Figure 2B). Consequently, a single receptor protomer forms a symmetric complex with a similar two-fold related surface on an SCF protomer.
  • Dimerization of Kit is also mediated by homotypic interactions between the two membrane proximal Ig- like domains of Kit, namely, by D4-D4 and D5-D5 interactions (Figure 2B).
  • the structure is also
  • SCF dimerization is driven by SCF dimers which facilitate additional receptor-receptor interactions.
  • Example 6 Analysis of the SCF binding region of Kit SCF is bound to a concave surface formed by Dl, D2 and D3 of Kit in a configuration in which the four helix bundle of SCF is oriented perpendicularly to the long axis of Dl, D2 and D3 and the C-termini of SCF and Kit are facing opposite directions (Figure 2, 3 and Figure 9).
  • the solvent-accessible surface area buried at the interface between Kit and each of the SCF protomers is approximately 2060 A ; a buried surface area that is within the range of known ligand receptor interfaces. It is possible to divide the SCF-Kit interface into three binding sites ( Figure 3 A, B, Table 2, and Table 3).
  • Site-I is located on Dl
  • Site-II is located in D2 and in the D2-D3 linker region
  • Site-Ill is located in D3.
  • the buried surface areas of Site I, II and III are approximately 280, 770 and 1010 A 2 , respectively.
  • the ccC- ⁇ 2 loop of SCF is aligned perpendicularly to strand C of Dl, as presented in Figure 3C. Asp72, Glu73 and Thr74 of Dl and Lys99', SerlOl' and Phel02' of SCF are closely located at a Ca distance of 6-8 A, indicating that these residue could participate in the interactions between Dl and SCF. Due to poor side chain electron density of the ccC- ⁇ 2 loop, specific interactions could not be defined.
  • SCF binding is mediated, for the most part, by complimentary electrostatic interactions of charged surfaces on Kit ( Figure 3 A, B, D).
  • Salt bridges are formed between the basic amino acids Argl22, Argl81, Lys203 and Arg205 of Kit with the acidic amino acids Asp54', Asp77', Asp84' and Glu88' on SCF.
  • the conformation of Argl22 is stabilized by a salt bridge between Glul98 of Kit and Asp54' of SCF.
  • Figure 3D shows that three of the major interacting residues Tyrl25, Argl81 and Lys203 on D2 are aligned on the same plane and form hydrogen bonds with Asp77', Asn81', Asp84', Ser53' and Thr57' of ccB and ccC of SCF.
  • the van-der-Waals contacts between Serl23 and Ile201 of D2 and Val50', and Thr57' of SCF also contribute towards the formation of ligand-receptor complex.
  • there are notable differences in the residues of Site-II in Kit and SCF from other species ( Figure 3, Figure 8 and Figure 10).
  • Argl81 and Lys203 are invariant as basic amino acids in mammals, Tyrl25 is substituted by a phenylalanine in the mouse and rat which most likely results in loss of a hydrogen bond.
  • Arg205 of Kit is a highly conserved amino acid while Glu88' is substituted by a leucine and alanine residues in the mouse and rat, respectively
  • Argl22 of Kit and Asp54' of SCF in human are substituted by a leucine or valine in the mouse and rat, respectively These substitutions may account for the reduced affinity of rodent SCF towards human Kit (Lev et al. (1992b) J Biol Chem 267: 15970-15977).
  • the N-terminal segment of SCF interacts with strand D of D3 ( Figure 3 A, E). Hydrogen bonds are formed between the side chain of AsnlO' of SCF, and the main chain amide and carbonyl group of Ser261, as well as with the side chain of Asp260 and Trp262 on D3. In addition, Thr9' and Asnll'of SCF bind to the side chain and main chain amide of Ser261, and His263 of Kit, respectively. Mutational analysis of SCF has shown that substitution of AsnlO' with alanine or glutamic-acid residues reduces the binding affinity of SCF towards Kit by approximately 10 fold and that AsnlO' (or Asp in other species) is necessary for biological activity (Hsu et al.
  • A3 ⁇ 4t81 N «32 AsrtSI ⁇ 1 Arg 81: Hn2 Asn8 051 SI1S3S6 OB1 ArgSS ' i Nr-2

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