In a quest to identify a favorable target for head and
neck cancers and
squamous cell carcinoma, we sought to determine if Hsp47/
CBP2 could be used as a target and whether the expression of this target was influenced by
hypoxia. Moreover, we determined if
doxorubicin (DOX)
immunoconjugates directed against Hsp47/
CBP2 that linked
monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the 13-keto position of the
drug possessed high cytotoxic
drug activity and antibody-directed killing of
antigen bearing
tumor target cells. Experiments were performed using established cell lines of human oral
squamous carcinoma cells (SCCs) (SCC-4, -9, -15 and -25) obtained from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (Manassas, VA). In addition, the UMB2 cell line is a spontaneous mutant of SCC-9 that does not express Hsp47/
CBP2 was also used. Synthesis of the
immunoconjugates was accomplished by thiolating the MAbs with 2 IT and reacting the MAbs with the DOX-
hydrazone. The binding of MAb-DOX conjugates to SCC cells was determined by indirect immunofluorescence and analyzed using a Becton Dickinson FACS scan with Cell Quest software. Comparison of the cytotoxicity of DOX, MAb-DOX conjugates and MAb+DOX were determined using a limited dilution assay and colony survival assays during normoxia and
hypoxia. These studies revealed that SCC cells treated with the SPA470-DOX conjugate for 2 h retained the original binding activity for targeted SCC cells and was significantly more potent that unconjugated DOX, DOX-
hydrazone or equivalent MAb protein+DOX. Also, SPA47-DOX produced equal to and at lower concentrations greater cell killing than equivalent dose of free DOX. During
hypoxia cells treated with SPA470-DOX demonstrated a small increase in colony survival and a diminishment in cytotoxicity. SPA470-DOX conjugates target SCC cells that express Hsp47/
CBP2. The demonstration that SPA470-DOX is effective during
hypoxia or conditions that mimic
hypoxia presumes the further utility of SPA470-DOX in treating head and
neck cancers.