Growth retardation of tumors by adoptive transfer of cytotoxic T lymphocytes reprogrammed by CD44v6-specific scFv:zeta-chimera.

Variants of the CD44 protein family containing sequences encoded by variant exon 6 (v6) are involved in the metastatic spread of rat and human tumors. The rat-specific antibody 1.1ASML, which recognizes a v6 epitope, interferes with metastatic dissemination of a rat pancreatic carcinoma. The single-chain antigen-binding fragment of this monoclonal antibody was fused to the zeta-chain of the T-cell receptor complex. The appropriate fusion gene was incorporated into a retroviral gene transfer vector. Murine cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were infected, and cellular clones which express the single-chain zeta-chain fusion protein on their cell surface were selected. These CTLs are not MHC-restricted in their CD44v6 recognition and exhibit in vitro lytic activity toward cells expressing CD44 variants comprising exon v6. Tumor cell xenografts grown in athymic nude mice are suppressed in their growth upon infusion of the genetically manipulated CTLs. Our data indicate that the CD44v6 epitope is an effective target for immune tumor therapy and demonstrate the efficacy of genetically engineered CTLs in targeting tumors expressing such epitopes.