IODINE-131-LABELED MAB F(AB')2 FRAGMENTS ARE MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS TOXIC THAN INTACT ANTI-CEA ANTIBODIES IN RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY OF LARGE HUMAN COLON-CARCINOMA GRAFTED IN NUDE-MICE

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  • 1 June 1990
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (6) , 1035-1044
Abstract
During one week, beginning 18 days after transplantation, nude mice bearing human colon carcinoma ranging from 115 to 943 mm3 (mean 335 mm3) were treated by repeated intravenous injections of either iodine-131-(131I) labeled intact antibodies or 131I-labeled corresponding F(ab'')2 fragments of a pool of four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against distinct epitopes of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Complete tumor remission was observed in 8 of 10 mice after therapy with F(ab'')2 and 6 of the animals survived 10 mo in good health. In contrast, after treatment with intact MAbs, tumors relapsed in 7 of 8 mice after remission period of 1 to 3.5 mo despite the fact that body weight loss and depression of peripheral white blood cells, symptoms of radiation toxicity, and the calculated radiation doses for liver, spleen, bone, and blood were increased or equal in these animals as compared to mice treated with F(ab'')2.