Phage display selection of fully human antibody fragments to inhibit growth-promoting effects of glycine-extended gastrin 17 on human colorectal cancer cells

Glycine-extended gastrin 17 (G17-Gly), a dominant processing intermediate of gastrin gene, has been implicated in the development or maintenance of colorectal cancers (CRCs). Hence, neutralizing G17-Gly activity by antibody entities can provide a potential therapeutic strategy in the patients with CRCs. To this end, we isolated fully human antibody fragments from a phage antibody library through biopanning against different epitopes of G17-Gly in order to obtain the highest possible antibody diversity. ELISA screening and sequence analysis identified 2 scFvs and 4 VL antibody fragments. Kinetic analysis of the antibody fragments by SPR revealed KD values to be in the nanomolar range (87.9-334 nM). The selected anti-G17-Gly antibody fragments were analyzed for growth inhibition and apoptotic assays in a CRC cell line, HCT-116, which is well-characterized for expressing gastrin intermediate species but not amidated gastrin. The antibody fragments exhibited significant inhibition of HCT-116 cells proliferation ranging from 36.5 to 73% of controls. Further, Annexin V/PI staining indicated that apoptosis rates of scFv H8 and VL G8 treated cells were 45.8 and 63%, respectively. Based on these results, we for the first time, demonstrated the isolation of anti-G17-Gly human scFv and VL antibodies with potential therapeutic applications in G17-Gly-responsive tumors.