A novel vascular endothelial growth factor-directed therapy that selectively activates cytotoxic prodrugs

Abstract

We have generated fusion proteins between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the bacterial enzyme carboxypeptidase G2 (CPG2) that can activate the prodrug 4-[(2-chloroethyl)(2-mesyloxyethyl)amino]benzoyl-L-glutamic acid (CMDA). Three asparagine residues of CPG2 were mutated to glutamine (CPG2(Q)3) to prevent glycosylation during secretion, and truncations of VEGF165 were fused to either the C- or N-terminal of CPG2. The Km of the fusion proteins (37.5 μM) was similar to that of secreted CPG2(Q)3 (29.5 μM) but greater than that of wild-type CPG2 (8 μM). The affinity of the fusion proteins for VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR2) (Kd = 0.5 - 1.1 nM) was similar to that of [125l]VEGF (Kd = 0.5 nM) (ELISA) or slightly higher (Kd = 1.3 - 9.6 nM) (competitive RIA). One protein, VEGF115-CPG2(Q)3-H6, possessed 140% of the enzymic activity of secreted CPG2(Q)3, and had a faster half-maximal binding time for VEGFR2 (77 s), than the other candidates (330s). In vitro, VEGF115-CPG2(Q)3-H6 targeted CMDA cytotoxicity only towards VEGFR-expressing cells. The plasma half-life of VEGF115-CPG2(Q)3-H6 in vivo was 3 h, comparable to equivalent values observed in ADEPT. We conclude that enzyme prodrug therapy using VEGF as a targeting moiety represents a promising novel antitumour therapy, with VEGF115-CPG2(Q)3-H6 being a lead candidate. © 2003 Cancer Research UK.