US 5,635,601 AGrant

Beta-8 Integrin Subunit Antibodies

Issue Date:1997-06-03

•6 Claims

•13 Drawing Sheets

Abstract

The cDNA encoding a novel beta integrin subunit, called the beta-8 integrin subunit, has been isolated from rabbit and human tissue and sequenced. Provided herein is nucleic acid sequence of the beta-8 integrin subunit useful as a diagnostic and in the recombinant preparation of beta-8 integrin subunit and alpha-beta integrin complexes. The beta-8 integrin subunit is used in the preparation and purification of antibodies thereto, and in diagnostic assays.

Metadata

Assignee

Genentech, Inc.

Inventors

Matthew Moyle
John W. McLean

Application Information

Application Number:US 4544552

Filing Date:1995-05-30

Priority Date:1991-03-14

Art Unit:183

Classifications

IPC:

A61K 39395C07K 1628C12P 2108C12N 1506

Field of Search:

424435530139.1;143.1;144.1;158.1;172.169.6;70.21;172.2;240.27387.9;388.2;388.22;388.7;389.2;389.6

Patent Drawings (13 sheets)

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the isolation of a novel beta integrin subunit polypeptide and to the DNA encoding this polypeptide. The invention further relates to methods for preparing variants of this beta integrin subunit.

2. Description of Background and Related Art

The integrins are a family of plasma-membrane bound cell surface proteins. Many integrins exist; some are cell-type specific while others are present in several types of cells. At least one integrin has been found in nearly every animal cell type that has been evaluated (Hemler, Ann. Rev. Immunol., 8:365 [1990]; Albelda et al., FASEB J., 4:2868 [1990]) suggesting they may be ubiquitous in the animal kingdom.

Each integrin consists of an alpha polypeptide subunit and a beta polypeptide subunit. The subunits are non-covalently bound in such a way as to confer ligand-binding activity on the complex as a whole. Both types of subunits have three domains: 1) a cytoplasmic domain, which is the carboxyl terminus of the polypeptide, 2) a membrane-spanning or transmembrane domain, which is located near the carboxyl terminus and serves to anchor the polypeptide into the plasma membrane, and 3) an extracellular domain which binds ligand.

Several alpha subunits are known, (see Ruoslahti, J. Clin. Invest., 87:1 [1991]), and three human beta subunits have been known for some time. Recently, three additional human beta subunits have been identified, cloned and sequenced, and named beta-4 (Suzuki et al., EMBO J., 9:757 [1990]; Hogervorst et al., EMBO J., 9:765 [1990]), beta-5 (McLean et al., J. Biol. Chem., 265:17126 [1990]; (Ramaswarmy et al., EMBO J., 9:1561 [1990]) and beta-6 (Sheppard et al., 265:11502[1990]). A seventh beta subunit, beta-7, has just been reported (Yuan et al., Internat'l. Immunol., 2:1097 [1990]. Alpha and beta subunits can associate with each other in a variety of combinations thus creating a large number of distinct integrins (see Albelda et al., supra and Helmer, supra).

The human beta integrin subunits that have been identified to date share an amino acid sequence identity of around 32-56 percent and show conservation of about 50 cysteine residues (Yuan et al., supra). The beta-1 integrin subunit has an 82-90 percent homology between human, chicken, frog, and mouse (Hemler, supra), suggesting a highly conserved functional role for this subunit.

The integrins are known to mediate cell adhesion. One of the ways this mediation can occur is via the integrin binding to the extracellular matrix. Certain integrins have been shown to bind to such extracellular matrix proteins as fibronectin, fibrin, laminin, some collagens, tenascin, vitronectin, and von Willebrand factor (Ruoslahti, supra). A second way in which integrins can mediate cell adhesion is through cell-cell binding. For example, one integrin glycoprotein, Ilb/Illa, located on the surface of platelets, promotes the binding of platelets to each other via mediator molecules, especially fibrinogen. Other integrins have been shown to have a role in mediating the attachment of circulating leukocytes to tissue, thus removing them from circulation, which is important in tissue repair (Ruoslahti, supra).

It has been observed that the extracellular matrix surrounding many tumorigenic cells is less extensive than that observed for normal, non-tumorigenic cells, leading to enhanced mobility of tumor cells as compared to normal cells (Ruoslahti, supra). It has been shown that the integrin alpha-5/beta-1, as well as certain other integrins, have an altered level of expression in certain tumor cells (Plantefaber et al., Cell, 56:281 [1989]).

Recent research has suggested that some integrins may have a role in mediating the movement of neurons along glial fibers during development and differentiation of the cerebellum (Hatten, Trends. Neurol Sci., 13:179[1990]; Sanes, Ann. Rev. Neurosci., 12:491 [1989]).

There is a current and continuing need in the art to identify new integrin subunits and to identify their biological role(s), including their roles in mediating cell-cell adhesion, cell mobility, and cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to identify a novel beta subunit integrin polypeptide that shares some common structural features with beta integrin subunits 1-7.

It is another object to provide nucleic acid encoding the novel beta integrin subunit polypeptide and to use this nucleic acid to produce the polypeptide in recombinant cell culture for research or diagnostic use, or for potential therapeutic use in certain neurological or immunological disorders and with certain tumors and tumorigenic cells.

It is a further object to provide derivatives and modified forms of the novel beta integrin subunit, including amino acid sequence variants and covalent derivatives thereof.

It is an additional object to prepare immunogens for raising antibodies against the novel beta integrin subunit, as well as to obtain antibodies capable of binding to the beta integrin subunit. It is a further object to prepare immunogens for raising antibodies against a complex comprising a novel beta integrin subunit which is associated with an alpha integrin subunit. It is preferable that the antibodies raised against these novel immunogens will not bind to beta integrin subunits 1-7.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to the ordinary artisan upon consideration of the specification as a whole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These objects are accomplished, in one aspect, by providing an isolated novel beta integrin subunit polypeptide that is related structurally to beta integrin subunits 1-7. This polypeptide is hereafter termed beta-8 integrin subunit, and includes N-terminal and C-terminal fragments thereof.

In another aspect, the invention provides a composition comprising the beta-8 integrin subunit that is free of contaminating polypeptides of the animal species from which the beta-8 integrin subunit is derived In other aspects, the beta-8 integrin subunit provided is associated with an alpha integrin subunit.

The beta-8 integrin subunit or fragments thereof (which also may be synthesized by chemical methods) are fused (by recombinant expression or in vitro covalent methods) to an immunogenic polypeptide and this fusion polypeptide, in turn, is used to immunize an animal to raise antibodies against a beta-8 integrin subunit epitope. Anti-beta-8 integrin subunit antibodies are recovered from the serum of immunized animals Alternatively, monoclonal antibodies are prepared from cells of the immunized animal in conventional fashion. Antibodies identified by routine screening will bind to beta-8 integrin subunit but will not substantially cross-react with any other known beta integrin subunit, including beta integrin subunits 1-7.

Immobilized anti-beta-8 integrin subunit antibodies are useful particularly in the diagnosis (in vitro or in vivo) or purification of the beta-8 integrin subunit, e.g. a mixture of beta-8 integrin subunit is passed over a column to which the antibodies are bound.

Substitutional, deletional, or insertional variants of the beta-8 integrin subunit are prepared by in vitro or recombinant methods and screened for immuno-crossreactivity with the beta-8 integrin subunit and for beta-8 integrin subunit antagonist or agonist activity.

The beta-8 integrin subunit also is derivatized in vitro to prepare immobilized beta-8 integrin subunit and labeled beta-8 integrin subunit, particularly for purposes of diagnosis of beta-8 integrin subunit or its antibodies, or for affinity purification of beta-8 integrin subunit antibodies.

The beta-8 integrin subunit, its derivatives, or its antibodies are formulated into physiologically acceptable vehicles, especially for therapeutic use. Such vehicles include sustained-release formulations of the beta-8 integrin subunit.

In still other aspects, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit, labeled or unlabeled, and a nucleic acid sequence that is complementary, or hybridizes under stringent conditions to, a nucleic acid sequence encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit, excluding nucleic acid sequences complementary to nucleic acid sequences encoding beta integrin subunits 1-7, i.e., those known beta integrin subunits that are not the beta-8 integrin subunit.

In addition, the invention provides a replicable vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit operable linked to control sequences recognized by a host transformed by the vector; host cells transformed with the vector; and a method of using a nucleic acid molecule encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit to effect the production of beta-8 integrin subunit, comprising expressing the nucleic acid molecule in a culture of the transformed host cells and recovering the beta-8 integrin subunit from the host cell culture. The nucleic acid sequence is also useful in hybridization assays for beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid.

In further embodiments, the invention provides a method for producing beta-8 integrin subunit comprising inserting into the DNA of a cell containing the nucleic acid encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit a transcription modulatory element in sufficient proximity and orientation to the beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid to influence transcription thereof, with an optional further step comprising culturing the cell containing the transcription modulatory element and the beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid.

In still further embodiments, the invention provides a cell comprising the nucleic acid encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit and an exogenous transcription modulatory element in sufficient proximity and orientation to the beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid to influence transcription thereof; and a host cell containing the nucleic acid encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit operably linked to exogenous control sequences recognized by the host cell.

Still further is provided a method for obtaining cells having increased or decreased transcription of the nucleic acid encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit comprising:

(a) providing cells containing the beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid;

(b) introducing into the cells a transcription modulating element; and

subunit nucleic acid is increased or decreased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 (SEQ. ID. NO. 3) depicts the complete nucleotide sequence of the rabbit beta-8 integrin subunit. The sequence contains an untranslated 5' region and a portion of the 3' untranslated region. The presumed ATG translation start codon is indicated. The predicted amino acid sequence is shown below the nucleotide sequence (SEQ. ID. NO. 4)

FIG. 2 (SEQ. ID. NO. 3) depicts the complete nucleotide sequence of the beta-8 integrin subunit from the human osteosarcoma cell line MG-63 described in the examples The sequence contains an untranslated 5' region and a 3' untranslated region. The presumed ATG translation start codon is indicated,. The predicted amino acid sequence is shown below the nucleotide sequence (SEQ. ID. No. 5).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

I. Definitions

In general, the following words or phrases have the indicated definition when used in the description, examples, and claims:

The term "beta-8 integrin subunit" or ".beta.-8 integrin subunit" is defined as a polypeptide having a qualitative biological activity in common with the beta-8 integrin subunit of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, and which has at least 75% amino acid sequence identity with the beta-8 integrin subunit of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. Preferably the beta-8 integrin subunit comprises at least 5 amino acid residues

Identity or hornology with respect to a beta-8 integrin subunit in defined herein as the percentage of amino acid residues in the candidate sequence that are identical with the residues in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, after aligning the sequences and introducing gaps, if necessary, to achieve the maximum percent homology, and not considering any conservative substitutions as part of the sequence identity. Neither N- nor C-terminal extensions nor insertions shall be construed as reducing identity or homology.

Beta-8 integrin subunit qualitative biological activity is defined as either 1) immunological cross-reactivity with at least one epitope of the beta-8 integrin subunit, or 2) the possession of at least one adhesive, regulatory or effector function qualitatively in common with the beta-8 integrin subunit.

Immunologically cross-reactive as used herein means that the candidate polypeptide is capable of competitively inhibiting the qualitative biological activity of the beta-8 integrin subunit having this activity with polyclonal antibodies or antisera raised against the known active analogue. Such antibodies and antisera are prepared in conventional fashion by injecting an animal such as a goat or rabbit, for example, subcutaneously with the known native beta-8 integrin subunit in complete Freund's adjuvant, followed by booster intraperitoneal or subcutaneous injection in incomplete Freund's.

Included within the scope of the beta-8 integrin subunit as that term is used herein are beta-8 integrin subunits having the translated or translated mature amino acid sequences of the rabbit or human beta-8 integrin subunits as set forth in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, deglycosylated or unglycosylated derivative of the beta-8 integrin subunit, homologous amino acid sequence variants of the sequence of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, and homologous in vitro-generated variants and derivatives of the beta-8 integrin subunit, which are capable of exhibiting a biological activity in common with the beta-8 integrin subunit of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. While native beta-8 integrin subunit is a membrane-bound polypeptide, soluble forms, such as those form lacking a functional transmembrane domain, are also included within this definition.

Also included within the scope of this invention is a polypeptide or protein encoded by the human beta-8 integrin subunit nucleotide sequence set forth in FIG. 2; fragments thereof having 15 and preferably 30 amino acid residues; fragments thereof having greater than about 5 residues comprising an immune epitope or other biologically active site of the beta-8 integrin subunit; amino acid sequence variants of said FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 sequence wherein an amino acid residue has been inserted N- or C-terminal to, or within, said FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 sequence or its fragment as defined above; and/or amino acid sequence variants of said FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 sequence or its fragment as defined above wherein an amino acid residue of said FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 sequence or fragment thereof has been substituted by another residue, including predetermined mutations by, e.g., site-directed or PCR mutagenesis, and other animal species of the beta-8 integrin subunit such as rabbit, rat, porcine, non-human primate, equine, murine, and ovine beta-8 integrin subunit and alleles and other naturally occurring variants of the foregoing and human sequences; and derivatives of the beta-8 integrin subunit or its fragments as defined above wherein the beta-8 integrin subunit or its fragments have been covalently modified by substitution, chemical, enzymatic, or other appropriate means, with a moiety other than a naturally occurring amino acid. Such fragments and variants exclude any polypeptide heretofore identified, including any known beta integrin subunits of any animal species or any known fragment of such beta integrin subunits including beta integrin subunits 1-7. Beta-8 integrin subunit amino acid sequence variants generally will share at least about 75% (preferably >80%, more preferably >85%) sequence identity with the translated sequence shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.

The preferred beta-8 integrin subunit is human beta-8 integrin subunit. The human beta-8 integrin shares a polypeptide sequence identity of about 35%, 32%, 34%, 31%, 34%, 37% and 31% with known human beta integrins subunits 1-7, respectively.

"Isolated" beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid or polypeptide is beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid or polypeptide that is identified and separated from contaminant nucleic acids or polypeptides present in the animal or human source of the beta-8 integrin nucleic acid or polypeptide. The nucleic acid or polypeptide may be labeled for diagnostic and probe purposes, using a label as described and defined further below in the discussion of diagnostic assays. The isolated beta-8 integrin subunit may be associated with any alpha integrin subunit to form a complex, as for example in an alpha-v/beta-8 complex. Associated complexes comprising truncated forms of the beta-8 integrin subunit and/or the alpha integrin subunit are also contemplated by this invention.

Beta-8 integrin subunit "nucleic acid" is defined as RNA or DNA containing greater than ten (10) bases that encodes a beta-8 integrin subunit, is complementary to nucleic acid sequence encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit, hybridizes to such nucleic acid and remains stably bound to it under stringent conditions, or encodes a polypeptide sharing at least 75% sequence identity, preferably at least 80%, and more preferably at least 85%, with the translated amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 4. Preferably the DNA which hybridizes to the nucleic acid of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 contains at least 20, more preferably 40, and even more preferably 60 bases. Most preferably, the hybridizing DNA or RNA contains 45 or even more preferably 90 bases. Such hybridizing or complementary nucleic acid, however, is defined further as being novel and unobvious over any prior art nucleic acid including that which encodes, hybridizes under stringent conditions, or is complementary to nucleic acid encoding a known beta integrin subunit, including beta integrin subunits 1-7.

"Stringent conditions" are those that (1) employ low ionic strength and high temperature for washing, for example, 0015M NaCl/00015M sodium citrate10.1% NaDodSO.sub.4 at 50.degree. C., or (2) employ during hybridization a denaturing agent such as formamide, for example, 50% (vol/vol) formamide with 0.1% bovine serum albumin10.1% Ficoll10.1% polyvinylpyrrolidone/50 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 65 with 750 mM NaCl, 75 mM sodium citrate at 42.degree. C. Another example is use of 50% formamide, 5.times.SSC (0.75M NaCl, 0.075M sodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 68), 0.1% sodium pyrophosphate, 5.times.Denhardt's solution, sonicated salmon sperm DNA (50 .mu.g/ml), 0.1% SDS, and 10% dextran sulfate at 42.degree. C., with washes at 42.degree. C. in 0.2.times.SSC and 0.1% SDS.

The term "control sequences" refers to DNA sequences necessary for the expression of an operably linked coding sequence in a particular host organism. The control sequences that are suitable for prokaryotes, for example, include a promoter, optionally an operator sequence, a ribosome binding site, and possibly, other as yet poorly understood sequences. Eukaryotic cells are known to utilize promoters, polyadenylation signals, and enhancers.

Nucleic acid is "operably linked" when it is placed into a functional relationship with another nucleic acid sequence. For example, DNA for a presequence or secretory leader is operably linked to DNA for a polypeptide if it is expressed as a preprotein that participates in the secretion of the polypeptide; a promoter or enhancer is operably linked to a coding sequence if it affects the transcription of the sequence; or a ribosome binding site is operably linked to a coding sequence if it is positioned so as to facilitate translation. Generally, "operably linked" means that the DNA sequences being linked are contiguous and, in the case of a secretory leader, contiguous and in reading phase. However enhancers do not have to be contiguous. Linking is accomplished by ligation at convenient restriction sites If such sites do not exist, then synthetic oligonucleotide adaptors or linkers are used in accord with conventional practice.

An "exogenous" element is defined herein to mean nucleic acid sequence that is foreign to the cell, or homologous to the cell but in a position within the host cell nucleic acid in which the element is ordinarily not found.

As used herein, the expressions "cell," "cell line," and "cell culture" are used interchangeably and all such designations include progeny. Thus, the words "transformants" and "transformed cells" include the primary subject cell and cultures derived therefrom without regard for the number of transfers. It is also understood that all progeny may not be precisely identical in DNA content, due to deliberate or inadvertent mutations. Mutant progeny that have the same function or biological activity as screened for in the originally transformed cell are included Where distinct designations are intended, it will be clear from the context.

"Plasmids" are designated by a lower case p preceded and/or followed by capital letters and/or numbers. The starting plasmids herein are commercially available, are publicly available on an unrestricted basis, or can be constructed from such available plasmids in accord with published procedures In addition, other equivalent plasmids are known in the art and will be apparent to the ordinary artisan.

"Restriction Enzyme Digestion" of DNA refers to catalytic cleavage of the DNA with an enzyme that acts only at certain locations in the DNA. Such enzymes are called restriction endonucleases, and the sites for which each is specific is called a restriction site. The various restriction enzymes used herein are commercially available and their reaction conditions, cofactors, and other requirements as established by the enzyme suppliers are used. Restriction enzymes commonly are designated by abbreviations composed of a capital letter followed by other letters representing the microorganism from which each restriction enzyme originally was obtained and then a number designating the particular enzyme. In general, about 1 .mu.g of plasmid or DNA fragment is used with about 1-2 units of enzyme in about 20 .mu.l of buffer solution. Appropriate buffers and substrate amounts for particular restriction enzymes are specified by the manufacturer, Incubation of about 1 hour at 37.degree. C. is ordinarily used, but may vary in accordance with the supplier's instructions. After incubation, protein or polypeptide is removed by extraction with phenol and chloroform, and the digested nucleic acid is recovered from the aqueous fraction by precipitation with ethanol. Digestion with a restriction enzyme may be followed with bacterial alkaline phosphatase hydrolysis of the terminal 5' phosphates to prevent the two restriction cleaved ends of a DNA fragment from "circularizing" or forming a closed loop that would impede insertion of another DNA fragment at the restriction site. Unless otherwise stated, digestion of plasmids is not followed by 5' terminal dephosphorylation. Procedures and reagents for dephosphorylation are conventional as described in sections 1.56-1.61 of Sambrook et al., (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989).

"Recovery" or "isolation" of a given fragment of DNA from a restriction digest means separation of the digest on polyacrylamide or agarose gel by electrophoresis, identification of the fragment of interest by comparison of its mobility versus that of marker DNA fragments of known molecular weight, removal of the get section containing the desired fragment, and separation of the gel from DNA. This procedure is known generally. For example, see Lawn et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 9: 6103-6114 (1981), and Goeddel et al., Nculeic Acids Res. 8:4057 (1980).

"Southern blot analysis" is a method by which the presence of DNA sequences in a restriction endonuclease digest of DNA or DNA-containing composition is confirmed by hybridization to a known, labeled oligonucleotide or DNA fragment. Southern analysis typically comprises electrophoretic separation of DNA digests on agarose gels, denaturation of the DNA after electrophoretic separation, and transfer of the DNA to nitrocellulose, nylon, or another suitable membrane supports for analysis with a radiolabeled, biotinylated or enzyme-labeled probe as described in sections 9.37-9.52 of Sambrook et al., supra.

"Northern analysis" is a method used to identify RNA sequences that hybridize to a known probe such as an oligonucleotide, DNA fragment, cDNA or fragment thereof, or RNA fragment. The probe is labeled with a radioisotope such as 32-P, or by biotinylation, or with an enzyme. The RNA to be analyzed is usually electrophoretically separated on an agarose or polyacrylamide gel, transferred to nitrocellulose, nylon, or other suitable membrane, and hybridized with the probe, using standard techniques well known in the art such as those described in sections 7.39-7.52 of Sambrook et al., supra.

"Ligation" refers to the process of forming phosphodiester bonds between two nucleic acid fragments. To ligate the DNA fragments together, the ends of the DNA fragments must be compatible with each other. In some cases, the ends will be directly compatible after endonuclease digestion. However, it may be necessary to first convert the staggered ends commonly produced after endonuclease digestion to blunt ends to make them compatible for ligation. To blunt the ends, the DNA is treated in a suitable buffer for at least 15 minutes at 15.degree. C. with about 10 units of the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I or T4 DNA polymerase in the presence of the four deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates. The DNA is then purified by phenol-chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation. The DNA fragments that are to be ligated together are put in solution in about equimolar amounts. The solution will also contain ATP, ligase buffer, and a ligase such as T4 DNA ligase at about 10 units per 0.5 .mu.g of DNA If the DNA is to be ligated into a vector. The vector is first linearized by digestion with the appropriate restriction endonuclease(s). The linearized fragment is then treated with bacterial alkaline phosphatase, or calf intestinal phosphatase to prevent self-ligation during the ligation step.

"Preparation" of DNA from cells means isolating the plasmid DNA from a culture of the host cells. Commonly used methods for DNA preparation are the large and small scale plasmid preparations described in sections 1.25-1.33 of Sambrook et al., supra. After preparation of the DNA, it can be purified by methods well known in the art such as that described in section 1.40 of Sambrook et al., supra.

"Oligonucleotides" are short-length, single-or double-stranded polydeoxynucleotides that are chemically synthesized by known methods (such as phosphotriester, phosphite, or phosphoramidite chemistry, using solid phase techniques such as described in EP 266,032 published 4 May 1988, or via deoxynucleoside H-phosphonate intermediates as described by Froehler et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 14:5399-5407 [1986]). They are then purified on polyacrylamide gels.

The technique of "polymerase chain reaction," or "PCR," as used herein generally refers to a procedure wherein minute amounts of a specific piece of nucleic acid, RNA and/or DNA, are amplified as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,195 issued 28 Jul. 1987. Generally, sequence information from the ends of the region of interest or beyond needs to be available, such that oligonucleotide primers can be designed; these primers will be identical or similar in sequence to opposite strands of the template to be amplified. The 5' terminal nucleotides of the two primers may coincide with the ends of the amplified material. PCR can be used to amplify specific RNA sequences, specific DNA sequences from total genomic DNA, and cDNA transcribed from total cellular RNA, bacteriophage or plasmid sequences, etc. See generally Mullis et al., Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol., 51:263 (1987); Erlich, ed., PCR Technology, (Stockton Press, NY, 1989). As used herein, PCR is considered to be one, but not the only, example of a nucleic acid polymerase reaction method for amplifying a nucleic acid test sample, comprising the use of a known nucleic acid as a primer and utilizes a nucleic acid polymerase to amplify or generate a specific piece of nucleic acid.

II. Suitable Methods for Practicing the Invention

1. Preparation of Native Beta-8 Integrin Subunit and Variants

A. Isolation of DNA Encoding Beta-8 Integrin Subunit

The DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit may be obtained from any cDNA library prepared from tissue believed to possess the beta-8 integrin subunit mRNA and to express it at a detectable level. The beta-8 integrin subunit gene may also be obtained from a genomic library. Libraries are screened with probes designed to identify the gene of interest or the protein encoded by it. For cDNA expression libraries, suitable probes include monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies that recognize and specifically bind to the beta-8 integrin subunit; oligonucleotides of about 20-80 bases in length that encode known or suspected portions of the beta-8 integrin subunit cDNA from the same or different species; and/or complementary or homologous cDNAs or fragments thereof that encode the same or a similar gene. Appropriate probes for screening genomic DNA libraries include, but are not limited to, oligonucleotides; cDNAs or fragments thereof that encode the same or a similar gene; and/or homologous genomic DNAs or fragments thereof. Screening the cDNA or genomic library with the selected probe may be conducted using standard procedures as described in chapters 10-12 of Sambrook et al., supra.

An alternative means to isolate the gene encoding beta-8 integrin is to use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodology as described in section 14 of Sambrook et al., supra. This method requires the use of oligonucleotide probes that will hybridize to the beta-8 integrin. Strategies for selection of oligonucleotides are described below.

Another alternative method for obtaining the gone of interest is to chemically synthesize it using one of the methods described in Engels et al., (Agnew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., 28:716-734 [1989]), specifically incorporated by reference. These methods include triester, phosphite, phosphoramidite and H-Phosphonate methods, PCR and other autoprimer methods, and oligonucleotide syntheses on solid supports. These methods may be used if the entire nucleic acid sequence of the gone is known, or alternatively, if the target amino acid sequence is known, one may infer potential nucleic acid sequences using known and preferred coding residues for each amino acid residue.

A preferred method of practicing this invention is to use carefully selected oligonucleotide sequences to screen cDNA libraries from various tissues, preferably mammalian placental, fetal, brain, and carcinoma cell lines. More preferably, human or rabbit placental, fetal, brain, and carcinoma cell line cDNA libraries are screened with the oligonucleotide probes.

The oligonucleotide sequences selected as probes should be of sufficient length and sufficiently unambiguous that false positives are minimized. The actual nucleotide sequence(s) is usually based on conserved or highly homologous nucleotide sequences or regions of other beta integrin subunits. The oligonucleotides may be degenerate at one or more positions. The use of degenerate oligonucleotides may be of particular importance where a library is screened from a species in which preferential codon usage in that species is not known. The oligonucleotide must be labeled such that it can be detected upon hybridization to DNA in the library being screened. The preferred method of labeling is to use 32-P labeled ATP with polynucleotide kinase, as is well known in the art, to radiolabel the oligonucleotide. However, other methods may be used to label the oligonucleotide, including, but not limited to, biotinylation or enzyme labeling.

Of particular interest is the beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid that encodes a fulllength polypeptide. In some preferred embodiments, the nucleic acid sequence includes the native beta-8 integrin subunit signal sequence. Nucleic acid having all the protein coding sequence is obtained by screening selected cDNA or genomic libraries, and, if necessary, using conventional primer extension procedures as described in section 7.79 of Sambrook et al., supra, to detect precursors and processing intermediates of mRNA that may not have been reverse-transcribed into cDNA.

B. Amino Acid Sequence Variants of the Beta-8 Integrin Subunit

Amino acid sequence variants of the beta-8 integrin subunit are prepared by introducing appropriate nucleotide changes into the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA, or by in vitro synthesis of the desired beta-8 integrin polypeptide. Such variants include, for example, deletions from, or insertions or substitutions of, residues within the amino acid sequence shown for the human beta-8 integrin subunit in FIG. 2. Any combination of deletion, insertion, and substitution can be made to arrive at the final construct, provided that the final construct possesses the desired characteristics. Excluded from the scope of this invention are beta-8 variants or polypeptide sequences that are not novel and unobvious over the prior art. The amino acid changes also may alter post-translational processes of the beta-8 integrin subunit, such as changing the number or position of glycosylation sites, altering the membrane anchoring characteristics, and/or altering the intra-cellular location of the beta-8 integrin subunit by inserting, deleting, or otherwise affecting the leader sequence of the native beta-8 integrin subunit.

In designing amino acid sequence variants of beta-8 integrin subunits, the location of the mutation site and the nature of the mutation will depend on the beta-8 integrin subunit characteristic(s) to be modified. The sites for mutation can be modified individually or in series, e.g., by (1) substituting first with conservative amino acid choices and then with more radical selections depending upon the results achieved, (2) deleting the target residue, or (3) inserting residues of the same or a different class adjacent to the located site, or combinations of options 1-3.

A useful method for identification of certain residues or regions of the beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide that are preferred locations for mutagenesis is called "alanine scanning mutagenesis" as described by Cunningham and Wells (Science, 244:1081-1085 [1989]). Here, a residue or group of target residues are identified (e.g., charged residues such as arg, asp, his, lys, and glu) and replaced by a neutral or negatively charged amino acid (most preferably alanine or polyalanine) to affect the interaction of the amino acids with the surrounding aqueous environment in or outside the cell. Those domains demonstrating functional sensitivity to the substitutions then are refined by introducing further or other variants at or for the sites of substitution. Thus, while the site for introducing an amino acid sequence variation is predetermined, the nature of the mutation per se need not be predetermined. For example, to optimize the performance of a mutation at a given site, ala scanning or random mutagenesis may be conducted at the target codon or region and the expressed beta-8 integrin subunit variants are screened for the optimal combination of desired activity.

In general, the regions of the beta-8 integrin subunit molecule preferred for alterations are the regions that are highly conserved with respect to other known beta integrin subunits. For example, the region between amino acids 118 and 180 of the human beta-8 integrin (numbered according to FIG. 2) is highly homologous with other beta integrins, and thus is a preferred region for mutations. Another preferred region is the region between amino acids 240 and 275. Amino acid sequence deletions generally range from about 1 to 30 residues, more preferably about 1 to 10 residues, and typically are contiguous Deletions may be introduced into regions of low homology between the beta-8 integrin subunit and other beta integrin subunits to modify the activity of the beta-8 integrin subunit Deletions from the beta-8 integrin subunit in areas of substantial hornology with any other beta integrin subunits will be more likely to modify the biological activity of the beta-8 integrin subunit more significantly. The number of consecutive deletions will be selected so as to preserve the tertiary structure of beta-8 integrin in the affected domain, e.g., beta-pleated sheet or alpha helix.

Amino acid sequence insertions include amino- and/or carboxyl-terminal fusions ranging in length from one residue to polypeptides containing a hundred or more residues, as well as intrasequence insertions of single or multiple amino acid residues Intrasequence insertions (i.e., insertions within the beta-8 integrin sequence) may range generally from about 1 to 10 residues, more preferably 1 to 5, most preferably 1 to 3. Examples of terminal insertions include the beta-8 integrin subunit with an N-terminal methionyl residue, an artifact of the direct expression of beta-8 integrin in bacterial recombinant cell culture, and fusion of a heterotogous N-terminal signal sequence to the N-terminus of the beta-8 integrin subunit molecule to facilitate the secretion of the mature beta-8 integrin subunit from recombinant host cells. Such signal sequences generally will be obtained from, and thus homologous to, the intended host cell species. Suitable sequences include STII or Ipp for E. coli., alpha factor for yeast, and viral signals such as herpes gD for mammalian cells.

Other insertional variants of the beta-8 integrin subunit include the fusion to the N- or C-terminus of the beta-8 integrin subunit of immunogenic polypeptides, e.g., bacterial polypeptides such as beta-lactamase or an enzyme encoded by the E. coli. trp locus, or yeast protein, and C-terminal fusions with proteins having a long half-life such as immunoglobulin constant regions (or other immunoglobulin regions), albumin, or ferritin, as described in WO 89/02922 published 6 Apr. 1989.

Another group of variants are amino acid substitution variants. These variants have at least one amino acid residue in the beta-8 integrin subunit molecule removed and a different residue inserted in its place. The sites of greatest interest for substitutional mutagenesis include sites identified as the active site(s) of the beta-8 integrin subunit, and sites where the amino acids found in the beta-8 integrin subunit from various species are substantially different in terms of side-chain bulk, charge, and/or hydrophobicity.

Other sites of interest are those in which particular residues of the beta-8 integrins obtained from various species are identical. These positions may the important for the biological activity of the beta-8 integrin subunit. These sites, especially those falling within a sequence of at least three other identically conserved sites, are substituted in a relatively conservative manner. Such conservative substitutions are shown in Table 1 under the heading of preferred substitutions. If such substitutions result in a change in biological activity, then more substantial changes, denominated exemplary substitutions in Table 1, or as further described below in reference to amino acid classes, are introduced and the products screened.

Substantial modifications in function or immunological identity of the beta-8 integrin subunit are accomplished by selecting substitutions that differ significantly in their effect on maintaining (a) the structure of the polypeptide backbone in the area of the substitution, for example, as a sheet or helical conformation, (b) the charge or hydrophobicity of the molecule at the target site, or (c) the bulk of the side chain. Naturally occurring residues are divided into groups based on common side chain properties:

(1) hydrophobic: norleucine, met, ala, val, leu, lie;

(2) neutral hydrophilic: cys, ser, thr;

(3) acidic: asp, glu;

(4) basic: asn, gin, his, lys, arg;

(5) residues that influence chain orientation: gly, pro; and

(6) aromatic: trp, tyr, phe.

Non-conservative substitutions will entail exchanging a member of one of these classes for another. Such substituted residues may be introduced into regions of the beta-8 integrin subunit that are homologous with other integrins, or, more preferably, into the nonhomologous regions of the molecule.

In one embodiment of the invention, it is desirable to inactivate one or more protease cleavage sites that are present in the molecule. These sites are identified by inspection of the encoded amino acid sequence. Where protease cleavage sites are identified, they are rendered inactive to proteolytic cleavage by substituting the targeted residue with another residue, preferably a basic residue such as glutamine or a hydrophobic residue such as serine; by deleting the residue; or by inserting a prolyl residue immediately after the residue.

In another embodiment, any methionyl residues other than the starting methionyl residue of the signal sequence, or any residue located within about three residues N- or C-terminal to each such methionyl residue, is substituted by another residue (preferably in accord with Table 1) or deleted. Alternatively, about 1-3 residues are inserted adjacent to such sites.

Any cysteine residues not involved in maintaining the proper conformation of beta-8 integrin also may be substituted, generally with serine, to improve the oxidative stability of the molecule and prevent aberrant crosslinking.

DNA encoding amino acid sequence variants of the beta-8 integrin subunit is prepared by a variety of methods known in the art. These methods include, but are not limited to, isolation from a natural source (in the case of naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants) or preparation by oligonucleotide-mediated (or site-directed) mutagenesis, PCR mutagenesis, and cassette mutagenesis of an earlier prepared variant or a non-variant version of the beta-8 integrin subunit.

Oligonucleotide-mediated mutagenesis is a preferred method for preparing substitution, deletion, and insertion variants of beta-8 integrin DNA. This technique is well known in the art as described by Adelman et al., DNA, 2:183 (1983) Briefly, the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA is altered by hybridizing an oligonucleotide encoding the desired mutation to a DNA template, where the template is the single-stranded form of a plasmid or bacteriophage containing the unaltered or native DNA sequence of the beta-8 integrin subunit. After hybridization, a DNA polymerase is used to synthesize an entire second complementary strand of the template that will thus incorporate the oligonucleotide primer, and will code for the selected alteration in the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA.

Generally, oligonucleotides of at least 25 nucleotides in length are used. An optimal oligonucleotide will have 12 to 15 nucleotides that are completely complementary to the template on either side of the nucleotide(s) coding for the mutation. This ensures that the oligonucleotide will hybridize properly to the single-stranded DNA template molecule. The oligonucleotides are readily synthesized using techniques known in the art such as that described by Crea et al., (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 75:5765 [1978]).

Single-stranded DNA template may also be generated by denaturing double-stranded plasmid (or other) DNA using standard techniques.

For alteration of the native DNA sequence (to generate amino acid sequence variants, for example), the oligonucleotide is hybridized to the single-stranded template under suitable hybridization conditions. A DNA polymerizing enzyme, usually the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I, is then added to synthesize the complementary strand of the template using the oligonucleotide as a primer for synthesis. A heteroduplex molecule is thus formed such that one strand of DNA encodes the mutated form of the beta-8 integrin subunit, and the other strand (the original template) encodes the native, unaltered sequence of the beta-8 integrin subunit. This heteroduplex molecule is then transformed into a suitable host cell, usually a prokaryote such as E. coli. JM101. After the cells are grown, they are plated onto agarose plates and screened using the oligonucleotide primer radiolabeled with 32-phosphate to identify the bacterial colonies that contain the mutated DNA. The mutated region is then removed and placed in an appropriate vector for protein production, generally an expression vector of the type typically employed for transformation of an appropriate host.

The method described immediately above may be modified such that a homoduplex molecule is created wherein both strands of the plasmid contain the mutation(s). The modifications are as follows: The single-stranded oligonucleotide is annealed to the single-stranded template as described above. A mixture of three deoxyribonucleotides, deoxyriboadenosine (dATP), deoxyriboguanosine (dGTP), and deoxyribothymidine (dTTP), is combined with a modified thio-deoxyribocytosine called dCTP-(aS) (which can be obtained from Amersham Corporation). This mixture is added to the template-oligonucleotide complex. Upon addition of DNA polymerase to this mixture, a strand of DNA identical to the template except for the mutated bases is generated. In addition, this new strand of DNA will contain dCTP-(aS) instead of dCTP, which serves to protect it from restriction endonuclease digestion.

After the template strand of the double-stranded heteroduplex is nicked with an appropriate restriction enzyme, the template strand can be digested with Exolll nuclease or another appropriate nuclease past the region that contains the site(s) to be mutagenized. The reaction is then stopped to leave a molecule that is only partially single-stranded. A complete double-stranded DNA homoduplex is then formed using DNA polymerase in the presence of all four deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates, ATP, and DNA ligase. This homoduplex molecule can then be transformed into a suitable host cell such as E. coli JM101, as described above.

DNA encoding beta-8 integrin subunit mutants with more than one amino acid to be substituted may be generated in one of several ways. If the amino acids are located close together in the polypeptide chain, they may be mutated simultaneously using one oligonucleotide that codes for all of the desired amino acid substitutions. If, however, the amino acids are located some distance from each other (separated by more than about ten amino acids), it is more difficult to generate a single oligonucleotide that encodes all of the desired changes. Instead, one of two alternative methods may be employed.

In the first method, a separate oligonucleotide is generated for each amino acid to be substituted. The oligonucleotides are then annealed to the single-stranded template DNA simultaneously, and the second strand of DNA that is synthesized from the template will encode all of the desired amino acid substitutions.

The alternative method involves two or more rounds of mutagenesis to produce the desired mutant. The first round is as described for the single mutants: wild-type DNA is used for the template, an oligonucleotide encoding the first desired amino acid substitution(s) is annealed to this template, and the heteroduplex DNA molecule is then generated. The second round of mutagenesis utilizes the mutated DNA produced in the first round of mutagenesis as the template. Thus, this template already contains one or more mutations. The oligonucleotide encoding the additional desired amino acid substitution(s) is then annealed to this template, and the resulting strand of DNA now encodes mutations from both the first and second rounds of mutagenesis. This resultant DNA can be used as a template in a third round of mutagenesis, and so on.

PCR mutagenesis is also suitable for making amino acid variants of beta-8 integrin. While the following discussion refers to DNA, it is understood that the technique also finds application with RNA. The PCR technique generally refers to the following procedure (see Erlich, supra, the chapter by R. Higuchi, p. 61-70): When small amounts of template DNA are used as starting material in a PCR, primers that differ slightly in sequence from the corresponding region in a template DNA can be used to generate relatively large quantities of a specific DNA fragment that differs from the template sequence only at the positions where the primers differ from the template. For introduction of a mutation into a plasmid DNA, one of the primers is designed to overlap the position of the mutation and to contain the mutation; the sequence of the other primer must be identical to a stretch of sequence of the opposite strand of the plasmid, but this sequence can be located anywhere along the plasmid DNA. It is preferred, however, that the sequence of the second primer is located within 200 nucleotides from that of the first, such that in the end the entire amplified region of DNA bounded by the primers can be easily sequenced. PCR amplification using a primer pair like the one just described results in a population of DNA fragments that differ at the position of the mutation specified by the primer, and possibly at other positions, as template copying is somewhat error-prone.

If the ratio of template to product material is extremely low, the vast majority of product DNA fragments incorporate the desired mutation(s). This product material is used to replace the corresponding region in the plasmid that served as PCR template using standard DNA technology. Mutations at separate positions can be introduced simultaneously by either using a mutant second primer, or performing a second PCR with different mutant primers and ligating the two resulting PCR fragments simultaneously to the vector fragment in a three (or more)-part ligation.

In a specific example of PCR mutagenesis, template plasmid DNA (1 .mu.g) is linearized by digestion with a restriction endonuclease that has a unique recognition site in the plasmid. DNA outside of the region to be amplified. Of this material, 100 ng is added to a PCR mixture containing PCR buffer, which contains the four deoxynucleotide tri-phosphates and is included in the GENEAMP.RTM. kits (obtained from Perkin-Elmer Cetus, Norwalk, CT and Emeryville, CA), and 25 pmole of each oligonucleotide primer, to a final volume of 50 .mu.l. The reaction mixture is overlayed with 35 .mu.l mineral oil. The reaction is denatured for 5 minutes at 100.degree. C., placed briefly on ice, and then 1 .mu.l Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerase (5 units/.mu.l, purchased from Perkin-Elmer Cetus, Norwalk, CT and Emeryville, CA) is added below the mineral oil layer. The reaction mixture is then inserted into a DNA. Thermal Cycler (purchased from Perkin-Elmer Cetus) programmed as follows:

2 min. 55.degree. C.,

30 sec. 72.degree. C., then 19 cycles of the following:

30 sec. 94.degree. C.,

30 sec. 55.degree. C., and

30 sec. 72.degree. C.

At the end of the program, the reaction vial is removed from the thermal cycler and the aqueous phase transferred to a new vial, extracted with phenol/chloroform (50:50:vol), and ethanol precipitated, and the DNA is recovered by standard procedures. This material is subsequently subjected to the appropriate treatments for insertion into a vector.

Another method for preparing variants, cassette mutagenesis, is based on the technique described by Wells et al., (Gene, 34:315 [1985]). The starting material is the plasmid (or other vector) comprising the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA to be mutated. The codon(s) in the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA to be mutated are identified. There must be a unique restriction endonuclease site on each side of the identified mutation site(s). If no such restriction sites exist, they may be generated using the above-described oligonucleotide-mediated mutagenesis method to introduce them at appropriate locations in the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA. After the restriction sites have been introduced into the plasmid, the plasmid is cut at these sites to linearize it. A double-stranded oligonucleotide encoding the sequence of the DNA between the restriction sites but containing the desired mutation(s) is synthesized using standard procedures. The two strands are synthesized separately and then hybridized together using standard techniques. This double-stranded oligonucleotide is referred to as the cassette. This cassette is designed to have 3' and 5' ends that are compatible with the ends of the linearized plasmid, such that it can be directly ligated to the plasmid. This plasmid now contains the mutated beta-8 integrin subunit DNA sequence.

C Insertion of DNA into a Cloning Vehicle

The cDNA or genomic DNA encoding native or variant beta-8 integrin subunit is inserted into a replicable vector for further cloning (amplification of the DNA) or for expression. Many vectors are available, and selection of the appropriate vector will depend on 1 ) whether it is to be used for DNA amplification or for DNA expression, 2) the size of the DNA to be inserted into the vector, and 3) the host cell to be transformed with the vector Each vector contains various components depending on its function (amplification of DNA or expression of DNA) and the host cell for which it is compatible. The vector components generally include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: a signal sequence, an origin of replication, one or more marker genes, an enhancer element, a promoter, and a transcription termination sequence.

(i) Signal Sequence Component

In general, the signal sequence may be a component of the vector, or it may be a part of the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA that is inserted into the vector. The native pro beta-8 integrin subunit DNA encodes a signal sequence at the amino terminus (5' end of the DNA) of the polypeptide that is cleaved during post-translational processing of the polypeptide to form the mature beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide Native beta-8 integrin subunit is not however secreted from the cell as it contains a membrane anchoring domain near the carboxyl terminus of the polypeptide. Thus, to form a secreted version of beta-8 integrin subunit, the carboxyl terminal domain of the molecule, including the membrane anchoring domain, is ordinarily deleted. This truncated variant beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide may be secreted from the cell, provided that the DNA encoding the truncated variant retains the amino terminal signal sequence.

Included within the scope of this invention are beta-8 integrin subunits with the native signal sequence deleted and replaced with a heterologous signal sequence. The heterologous signal sequence selected should be one that is recognized and processed (i.e. cleaved by a signal peptidase) by the host cell. For prokaryotic host cells that do not recognize and process the native beta-8 integrin subunit signal sequence, the signal sequence is substituted by a prokaryotic signal sequence selected, for example, from the group of the alkaline phosphatase, penicillinase, Ipp, or heat-stable enterotoxin II leaders. For yeast secretion the native beta-8 integrin subunit signal sequence may be substituted by the yeast invertase, alpha factor, or acid phosphatase leaders. In mammalian cell expression the native signal sequence is satisfactory, although other mammalian signal sequences may be suitable.

(ii) Origin of Replication Component

Both expression and cloning vectors contain a nucleic acid sequence that enables the vector to replicate in one or more selected host cells. Generally, in cloning vectors this sequence is one that enables the vector to replicate independently of the host chromosomal DNA, and includes origins of replication or autonomously replicating sequences. Such sequences are well known for a variety of bacteria, yeast, and viruses. The origin of replication from the plasmid pBR322 is suitable for most Gram-negative bacteria, the 2.mu. plasmid origin is suitable for yeast, and various viral origins (SV40, polyoma, adenovirus, VSV or BPV) are useful for cloning vectors in mammalian cells. Generally, the origin of replication component is not needed for mammalian expression vectors (the SV40 origin may typically be used only because it contains the early promoter).

Most expression vectors are "shuttle" vectors, i.e. they are capable of replication in at least one class of organisms but can be transfected into another organism for expression. For example, a vector is cloned in E. coli and then the same vector is transfected into yeast or mammalian cells for expression even though it is not capable of replicating independently of the host cell chromosome.

DNA may also be amplified by insertion into the host genome. This is readily accomplished using Bacillus species as hosts, for example, by including in the vector a DNA sequence that is complementary to a sequence found in Bacillus genomic DNA. Transfection of Bacillus with this vector results in homologous recombination with the genome and insertion of the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA. However, the recovery of genomic DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit is more complex than that of an exogenously replicated vector because restriction enzyme digestion is required to excise the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA.

(iii) Selection Gene Component

Expression and cloning vectors should contain a selection gene, also termed a selectable marker. This gene encodes a protein necessary for the survival or growth of transformed host cells grown in a selective culture medium Host cells not transformed with the vector containing the selection gene will not survive in the culture medium. Typical selection genes encode proteins that (a) confer resistance to antibiotics or other toxins, e.g. ampicillin, neomycin, methotrexate, or tetracycline, (b) complement auxotrophic deficiencies, or (c) supply critical nutrients not available from complex media, e.g. the gene encoding Dalanine racemase for Bacilli.

One example of a selection scheme utilizes a drug to arrest growth of a host cell. Those cells that are successfully transformed with a heterologous gene express a protein conferring drug resistance and thus survive the selection regimen Examples of such dominant selection use the drugs neomycin (Southern et al., J. Molec. Appl. Genet., 1:327 [1982]), mycophenolic acid (Mulligan et al., Science, 209:1422 [1980]) or hygromycin (Sugden et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 5:410-413 [1985]). The three examples given above employ bacterial genes under eukaryotic control to convey resistance to the appropriate drug G418 or neomycin (geneticin), xgpt (mycophenolic acid), or hygromycin, respectively.

Another example of suitable selectable markers for mammalian cells are those that enable the identification of cells competent to take up the beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid, such as dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) or thymidine kinase. The mammalian cell transformants are placed under selection pressure which only the transformants are uniquely adapted to survive by virtue of having taken up the marker. Selection pressure is imposed by culturing the transformants under conditions in which the concentration of selection agent in the medium is successively changed, thereby leading to amplification of both the selection gene and the DNA that encodes the beta-8 integrin subunit. Amplification is the process by which genes in greater demand for the production of a protein critical for growth are reiterated in tandem within the chromosomes of successive generations of recombinant cells. Increased quantities of the beta-8 integrin subunit are synthesized from the amplified DNA.

For example, cells transformed with the DHFR selection gene are first identified by culturing all of the transformants in a culture medium that contains methotrexate (Mtx), a competitive antagonist of DHFR. An appropriate host cell when wild-type DHFR is employed is the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line deficient in DHFR activity, prepared and propagated as described by Urlaub and Chasin, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:4216 [1980]. The transformed cells are then exposed to increased levels of methotrexate. This leads to the synthesis of multiple copies of the DHFR gene, and, concomitantly, multiple copies of other DNA comprising the expression vectors, such as the DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit. This amplification technique can be used with any otherwise suitable host, e.g., ATCC No CCL61 CHO-K1, notwithstanding the presence of endogenous DHFR if, for example, a mutant DHFR gene that is highly resistant to Mtx is employed (EEP 117,060). Alternatively, host cells (particularly wild-type hosts that contain endogenous DHFR) transformed or co-transformed with DNA sequences encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit, wild-type DHFR protein, and another selectable marker such as aminoglycoside 3' phosphotransferase (APH) can be selected by cell growth in medium containing a selection agent for the selectable marker such as an aminoglycosidic antibiotic, e.g., kanamycin, neomycin, or G418 See U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,199.

A suitable selection gene for use in yeast is the trp1 gene present in the yeast plasmid Yrp7 (Stinchcomb et al., Nature, 282:39 [1979]; Kingsman et al., Gene, 7:141 [1979]; or Tschemper et al., Gene, 10:157 [1980]). The trp1 gene provides a selection marker for a mutant strain of yeast lacking the ability to grow in tryptophan, for example, ATCC No. 44076 or PEP4-1 (Jones, Genetics, 85:12 [1977]). The presence of the trp1 lesion in the yeast host cell genome then provides an effective environment for detecting transformation by growth in the absence of tryptophan. Similarly, Leu2-deficient yeast strains (ATCC 20,622 or 38,626) are complemented by known plasmids bearing the Leu2 gene.

(iv) Promoter Component

Expression and cloning vectors usually contain a promoter that is recognized by the host organism and is operably linked to the beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid. Promoters are untranslated sequences located upstream (5') to the start codon of a structural gene (generally within about 100 to 1000 bp) that control the transcription and translation of a particular nucleic acid sequence, such as the beta-8 integrin subunit, to which they are operably linked. Such promoters typically fall into two classes, inducible and constitutive. Inducible promoters are promoters that initiate increased levels of transcription from DNA under their control in response to some change in culture conditions, e.g. the presence or absence of a nutrient or a change in temperature. At this time a large number of promoters recognized by a variety of potential host cells are well known. These promoters are operably linked to DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit by removing the promoter from the source DNA by restriction enzyme digestion and inserting the isolated promoter sequence into the vector. Both the native beta-8 integrin subunit promoter sequence and many heterologous promoters may be used to direct amplification and/or expression of the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA. However, heterologous promoters are preferred, as they generally permit greater transcription and higher yields of expressed beta-8 integrin subunit as compared to the native beta-8 integrin subunit promoter.

Promoters suitable for use with prokaryotic hosts include the .beta.-lactamase and lactose promoter systems (Chang et al., Nature, 275:615 [1978]; and Goeddel et al., Nature, 281: 544 [1979]), alkaline phosphatase, a tryptophan (trp) promoter system (Goeddel, Nucleic Acids Res, 8:4057 [1980] and EP 36,776) and hybrid promoters such as the tac promoter (deBoer et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 80:21-25 [1983]). However, other known bacterial promoters are suitable. Their nucleotide sequences have been published, thereby enabling a skilled worker operably to ligate them to DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit (Siebenlist et al., Cell, 20:269 [1980]) using linkers or adaptors to supply any required restriction sites. Promoters for use in bacterial systems also generally will contain a Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence operably linked to the DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit.

Suitable promoting sequences for use with yeast hosts include the promoters for 3phosphoglycerate kinase (Hitzeman et al., J. Biol. Chem., 255:2073 [1980]) or other glycolytic enzymes (Hess et al., J. Adv. Enzyme Reg., 7:149 [1968]; and Holland, Biochemistry, 17:4900 [1978]), such as enolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, pyruvate decarboxylase, phosphofructokinase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, 3-phosphoglycerate mutase, pyruvate kinase, triosephosphate isomerase, phosphoglucose isomerase, and glucokinase.

Other yeast promoters, which are inducible promoters having the additional advantage of transcription controlled by growth conditions, are the promoter regions for alcohol dehydrogenase 2, isocytochrome C, acid phosphatase, degradative enzymes associated with nitrogen metabolism, metallothionein, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and enzymes responsible for maltose and galactose utilization. Suitable vectors and promoters for use in yeast expression are further described in Hitzeman et al., EP 73,657. A Yeast enhancers also are advantageously used with yeast promoters.

Promoter sequences are known for eukaryotes. Virtually all eukaryotic genes have an AT-rich region located approximately 25 to 30 bases upstream from the site where transcription is initiated. Another sequence found 70 to 80 bases upstream from the start of transcription of many genes is a CXCAAT region where X may be any nucleotide. At the 3' end of most eukaryotic genes is an AATAAA sequence that may be the signal for addition of the poly. A tail to the 3' end of the coding sequence. All of these sequences are suitably inserted into mammalian expression vectors.

Beta-8 integrin subunit transcription from vectors in mammalian host cells is controlled by promoters obtained from the genomes of viruses such as polyoma virus, fowlpox virus (UK 2,211,504 published 5 Jul. 1989), adenovirus (such as Adenovirus 2), bovine papilloma virus, avian sarcoma virus, cytomegalovirus, a retrovirus, hepatitis-B virus and most preferably Simian Virus 40 (SV40), from heterologous mammalian promoters, e.g. the actin promoter or an immunoglobulin promoter, from heat-shock promoters, and from the promoter normally associated with the beta-8 integrin subunit sequence, provided such promoters are compatible with the host cell systems.

The early and late promoters of the SV40 virus are conveniently obtained as an SV40 restriction fragment that also contains the SV40 viral origin of replication. Fiers et al., Nature, 273:113 (1978); Mulligan and Berg, Science, 209:1422-1427 (1980); Pavlakis et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 78:7398-7402 (1981). The immediate early promoter of the human cytomegalovirus is conveniently obtained as a HindIII E restriction fragment Greenaway et al., Gene, 18:355-360 (1982). A system for expressing DNA in mammalian hosts using the bovine papilloma virus as a vector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,446. A modification of this system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,978. See also Gray et al., Nature, 295:503-508 (1982) on expressing cDNA encoding immune interferon in monkey cells; Reyes et al., Nature, 297: 598-601 (1982) on expression of human .beta.-interferon cDNA in mouse cells under the control of a thymidine kinase promoter from herpes simplex virus, Canaani and Berg, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 79:5166-5170 (1982) on expression of the human interferon .beta.1 gene in cultured mouse and rabbit cells, and Gorman et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 79:6777-6781 (1982) on expression of bacterial CAT sequences in CV-1 monkey kidney cells, chicken embryo fibroblasts, Chinese hamster ovary cells, HeLa cells, and mouse NIH-3T3 cells using the Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat as a promoter.

(v) Enhancer Element Component

Transcription of a DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit of this invention by higher eukaryotes is often increased by inserting an enhancer sequence into the vector. Enhancers are cis-acting elements of DNA, usually about from 10-300 bp, that act on a promoter to increase its transcription. Enhancers are relatively orientation and position independent having been found 5' (Laimins et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 78:993 [1981]) and 3' (Lusky et al., Mol. Cell. Bio., 3:1108 [1983]) to the transcription unit, within an intron (Baneall et al., Cell, 33:729 [1983]) as well as within the coding sequence itself (Osborne et al., Mol. Cell Bio., 4:1293 [1984]). Many enhancer sequences are now know from mammalian genes (globin, elastase, albumin, .alpha.-fetoprotein and insulin). Typically, however, one will use an enhancer from a eukaryotic cell virus. Examples include the SV40 enhancer on the late side of the replication origin (bp 100-270), the cytomegalovirus early promoter enhancer, the polyoma enhancer on the late side of the replication origin, and adenovirus enhancers. See also Yaniv, Nature, 297:17-18 (1982) on enhancing elements for activation of eukaryotic promoters. The enhancer may be spliced into the vector at a position 5' or 3' to the beta-8 integrin subunit DNA, but is preferably located at a site 5' from the promoter.

(vi) Transcription Termination Component

Expression vectors used in eukaryotic host cells (yeast, fungi, insect, plant, animal, human, or nucleated cells from other multicellular organisms) will also contain sequences necessary for the termination of transcription and for stabilizing the mRNA. Such sequences are commonly available from the 5' and, occasionally 3' untranslated regions of eukaryotic or viral DNAs or cDNAs. These regions contain nucleotide segments transcribed as polyadenylated fragments in the untranslated portion of the mRNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit. The 3' untranslated regions also include transcription termination sites.

Construction of suitable vectors containing one or more of the above listed components the desired coding and control sequences employs standard ligation techniques Isolated plasmids or DNA fragments are cleaved, tailored, and religated in the form desired to generate the plasmids required.

For analysis to confirm correct sequences in plasmids constructed, the ligation mixtures are used to transform E. coli K12 strain 294 (ATCC 31,446) and successful transformants selected by ampicillin or tetracycline resistance where appropriate Plasmids from the transformants are prepared, analyzed by restriction endonuclease digestion, and/or sequenced by the method of Messing et al., Nucleic Acids Res, 9:309 (1981) or by the method of Maxam et al., Methods in Enzymology, 65:499 (1980).

Particularly useful in the practice of this invention are expression vectors that provide for the transient expression in mammalian cells of DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit. In general, transient expression involves the use of an expression vector that is able to replicate efficiently in a host cell, such that the host cell accumulates many copies of the expression vector and, in turn, synthesizes high levels of a desired polypeptide encoded by the expression vector. Transient expression systems, comprising a suitable expression vector and a host cell, allow for the convenient positive identification of polypeptides encoded by cloned DNAs, as well as for the rapid screening of such polypeptides for desired biological or physiological properties. Thus, transient expression systems are particularly useful in the invention for purposes of identifying analogs and variants of the beta-8 integrin subunit that have beta-8 integrin subunit-like activity.

Other methods, vectors, and host cells suitable for adaptation to the synthesis of the beta-8 integrin subunit in recombinant vertebrate cell culture are described in Gething et al., Nature, 293:620-625 [1981]; Mantel et al., Nature, 281: 40-46 [1979]; Levinson et al.,; EP 117,060; and EP 117,058. A particularly useful plasmid for mammalian cell culture expression of the beta-8 integrin subunit is pRK5 (EP pub no 307,247) or pSVI6B (U.S. Ser. No. 07/441,574 filed 22 Nov. 1989, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference).

D. Selection and Transformation of Host Cells

Suitable host cells for cloning or expressing the vectors herein are the prokaryote, yeast, or higher eukaryote cells described above. Suitable prokaryotes include eubacteria, such as Gram-negative or Gram-positive organisms, for example, E. coli, Bacilli such as B. subtilis, Pseudomonas species such as P. aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimuriun, or Serratia marcescans. One preferred E. coli clining host is E. coli 294 (ATCC 31,446), although other strains such as E. coli B, E. coli .sub.X 1776 (ATCC 31,537), and E. coli W3110 (ATCC 27,325) are suitable. These examples are illustrative rather than limiting. Preferably the host cell should secrete minimal amounts of proteolytic enzymes. Alternatively, in vitro methods of cloning, e.g. PCR or other nucleic acid polymerase reactions, are suitable.

In addition to prokaryotes, eukaryotic microbes such as filamentous fungi or yeast are suitable hosts for vectors containing beta-8 integrin subunit DNA. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or common baker's yeast, is the most commonly used among lower eukaryotic host microorganisms. However, a number of other genera, species, and strains are commonly available and useful herein, such as S. pombe [Beach and Nurse, Nature, 290:140 [1981)], Kluyveromycer lactis [Louvencourt et al., J. Bacteriol., 737 (1983)], yarrowla [EP 402,226], Pichia pastorias [EP 183,070], Trichoderma reesia [EP 244,234], Neuorspora crassa [Case et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 76:5259-5263 (1979)], and Aspergillus hosts such as A. nidulans [Ballance et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 112:284-289 (1983); Tilburn et al., Gene, 26:205-221 (1983); Yelton et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81:1470-1474 (1984)] and A. niger [Kelly and Hynes, EMBO J., 4:475-479 (1985)].

Suitable host cells for the expression of glycosylated beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide are derived from multicellular organisms. Such host cells are capable of complex processing and glycosylation activities. In principle, any higher eukaryotic cell culture is workable, whether from vertebrate or invertebrate culture Examples of invertebrate cells include plant and insect cells. Numerous baculoviral strains and variants and corresponding permissive insect host cells from hosts such as Spodoptera frugiperda (caterpillar), Aedes aegypti (mosquito), Aedes albopictur albopictus (mosquito), Drosophila melanogaster (fruitfly), and Bombyx mori host cells have been identified See, e.g., Luckow et al., Bio/Technology, 6:47-55 (1988); Miller et al., in Genetic Engineering, Setlow, J. K. et al., eds., Vol. 8 (Plenum Publishing, 1986), pp. 277-279; and Maeda et al., Nature, 315:592-594 (1985). A variety of such viral strains are publicly available, e.g., the L-1 variant of Autographa californica NPV and the Bm-5 strain of Bombyx mori NPV, and such viruses may be used as the virus herein according to the present invention, particularly for transfection of Spodoptera frugiperda cells.

Plant cell cultures of cotton, corn, potato, soybean, petunia, tomato, and tobacco can be utilized as hosts. Typically, plant cells are transfected by incubation with certain strains of the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which has been previously manipulated to contain the beta-8 integrin DNA. During incubation of the plant cell culture with A. tumefaciens, the DNA encoding beta-8 integrin is transferred to the plant cell host such that it is transfected, and will, under appropriate conditions, express the beta-8 integrin DNA. In addition, regulatory and signal sequences compatible with plant cells are available, such as the nopaline synthase promoter and polyadenylation signal sequences. Depicker et al., J. Mol. Appl. Gen., 1:561 (1982). In addition, DNA segments isolated from the upstream region of the T-DNA 780 gene are capable of activating or increasing transcription levels of plant-expressible genes in recombinant DNA-containing plant tissue. See EP 321,196 published 21 Jun. 1989 .

However, interest has been greatest in vertebrate cells, and propagation of vertebrate cells in culture (tissue culture) has become a routine procedure in recent years [Tissue Culture, Academic Press, Kruse and Patterson, editors (1973)]. Examples of useful mammalian host cell lines are monkey kidney CV1 line transformed by SV40 (COS-7, ATCC CRL 1651 ); human embryonic kidney line (293 or 293 cells subcloned for growth in suspension culture, Graham et al., J. Gen Virol., 36:59 [1977]); baby hamster kidney cells (BHK, ATCC CCL 10); Chinese hamster ovary cells/-DHFR (CHO, Urlaub and Chasin, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:4216 [1980]); mouse sertoli cells (TM4, Mather, Biol. Reprod., 23:243-251 [1980]); monkey kidney cells (CV1 ATCC CCL 70); African green monkey kidney cells (VERO-76, ATCC CRL-1587); human cervical carcinoma cells (HELA, ATCC CCL 2); canine kidney cells (MDCK, ATCC CCL 34); buffalo rat liver cells (BRL 3A, ATCC CRL 1442); human lung cells (W138, ATCC CCL 75); human liver cells (Hep G2, HB 8065); mouse-mammary tumor (MMT 060562, ATCC CCL51 ); TRl cells (Mather et al., Annals N.Y. Acad. Sci., 383:44-68 [1982]); MRC 5 cells; FS4 cells; and a human hepatoma cell line (Hep G2) Preferred host cells are human embryonic kidney 293 and Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Host cells are transfected and preferably transformed with the above-described expression or cloning vectors of this invention and cultured in conventional nutrient media modified as appropriate for inducing promoters, selecting transformants, or amplifying the genes encoding the desired sequences.

Transfection refers to the taking up of an expression vector by a host cell whether or not any coding sequences are in fact expressed. Numerous methods of transfection are known to the ordinarily skilled artisan, for example, CaPO.sub.4 and electroporation. Successful transfection is generally recognized when any indication of the operation of this vector occurs within the host cell.

Transformation means introducing DNA into an organism so that the DNA is replicable, either as an extrachromosomal element or by chromosomal integrant. Depending on the host cell used, transformation is done using standard techniques appropriate to such cells. The calcium treatment employing calcium chloride, as described in section 1.82 of Sambrook et al., supra, is generally used for prokaryotes or other cells that contain substantial cell-wall barriers. Infection with Agrobacterium tumefaciens is used for transformation of certain plant cells, as described by Shaw et al., Gene, 23:315 (1983) and WO 89/05859 published 29 Jun. 1989. For mammalian cells without such cell walls, the calcium phosphate precipitation method described in sections 16.30-16.37 of Sambrook et al., supra, is preferred. General aspects of mammalian cell host system transformations have been described by Axel in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,216 issued 16 Aug. 1983. Transformations into yeast are typically carried out according to the method of Van Solingen et al., J. Bact., 130:946 (1977) and Hsiao et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA), 76:3829 (1979). However, other methods for introducing DNA into cells such as by nuclear injection, electroporation, or by protoplast fusion may also be used.

E. Culturing the Host Cells

Prokaryotic cells used to produce the beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide of this invention are cultured in suitable media as described generally in Sambrook et al., supra.

The mammalian host cells used to produce the beta-8 integrin subunit of this invention may be cultured in a variety of media. Commercially available media such as Ham's F10 (Sigma), Minimal Essential Medium ([MEM], Sigma), RPMI-1640 (Sigma), and Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium ([DMEM], Sigma) are suitable for culturing the host cells. In addition, any of the media described in Ham and Wallace, Meth. Enz., 58:44(1979), Barnes and Sato, Anal. Biochem., 102:255 (1980), U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,704; 4,657,866; 4,927,762; or 4,560,655; WO 90/03430; WO 87/00195; U.S. Pat. Re. 30,985; or copending U.S. Ser. No. 07/592,107 or 071592,141, both filed in 3 Oct. 1990, the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference, may be used as culture media for the host cells. Any of these media may be supplemented as necessary with hormones and/or other growth factors (such as insulin, transferrin, or epidermal growth factor), salts (such as sodium chloride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate), buffers (such as HEPES), nucleosides (such as adenosine and thymidine), antibiotics (such as GENTAMYCIN.TM. drug), trace elements (defined as inorganic compounds usually present at final concentrations in the micromolar range), and glucose or an equivalent energy source. Any other necessary supplements may also be included at appropriate concentrations that would be known to those skilled in the art. The culture conditions, such as temperature, pH, and the like, are those previously used with the host cell selected for expression, and will be apparent to the ordinarily skilled artisan.

The host cells referred to in this disclosure encompass cells in in vitro culture as well as cells that are within a host animal.

It is further envisioned that the beta-8 integrin subunit of this invention may be produced by homologous recombination, or with recombinant production methods utilizing control elements introduced into cells already containing DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit currently in use in the field. For example, a powerful promoter/enhancer element, a suppressor, or an exogenous transcription modulatory element is inserted in the genome of the intended host cell in proximity and orientation sufficient to influence the transcription of DNA encoding the desired beta-8 integrin subunit. The control element does not encode the beta-8 integrin subunit of this invention, but the DNA is present in the host cell genome. One next screens for cells making the beta-8 integrin subunit of this invention, or increased or decreased levels of expression, as desired.

F. Detecting Gene Amplification/Expression

Gene amplification and/or expression may be measured in a sample directly, for example, by conventional Southern blotting, northern blotting to quantitate the transcription of mRNA (Thomas, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:5201-5205 [1980]), dot blotting (DNA analysis), or in situ hybridization, using an appropriately labeled probe, based on the sequences provided herein Various labels may be employed, most commonly radioisotopes, particularly .sup.32 P. However, other techniques may also be employed, such as using biotin-modified nucleotides for introduction into a polynucleotide. The biotin then serves as the site for binding to avidin or antibodies, which may be labeled with a wide variety of labels, such as radionuclides, fluorescers, enzymes, or the like. Alternatively, antibodies may be employed that can recognize specific duplexes, including DNA duplexes, RNA duplexes, and DNA-RNA hybrid duplexes or DNA-protein duplexes. The antibodies in turn may be labeled and the assay may be carried out where the duplex is bound to a surface, so that upon the formation of duplex on the surface, the presence of antibody bound to the duplex can be detected.

Gene expression, alternatively, may be measured by immunological methods, such as immunohistochemical staining of tissue sections and assay of cell culture or body fluids, to quantitate directly the expression of gene product. With immunohistochemical staining techniques, a cell sample is prepared, typically by dehydration and fixation, followed by reaction with labeled antibodies specific for the gene product coupled, where the labels are usually visually detectable, such as enzymatic labels, fluorescent labels, luminescent labels, and the like. A particularly sensitive staining technique suitable for use in the present invention is described by Hsu et al., Am. J. Clin. Path., 75:734-738 (1980).

Antibodies useful for immunohistochemical staining and/or assay of sample fluids may be either monoclonal or polyclonal, and may be prepared in any mammal. Conveniently, the antibodies may be prepared against a native beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide or against a synthetic peptide based on the DNA sequences provided herein as described further in Section 4 below.

G. Purification of The Beta-8 Integrin Subunit Polypeptide

The beta-8 integrin subunit preferably is recovered from the culture medium as a secreted polypeptide, although it also may be recovered from host cell lysates when directly expressed without a secretory signal.

When the beta-8 integrin subunit is produced in cultured cells which normally produce alpha integrin subunits (such as 293 cells), frequently the alpha and beta subunits will be found associated in a complex. This complex may be found in the membrane or in the cytoplasm of the cell, or in the cell culture medium if it is a truncated beta-8 integrin subunit which is expressed with a functional signal sequence. The alpha and beta subunits may be separated from each other for purposes of purification by treating the complex with EDTA, EGTA, or other calcium and cation chelator. When the alpha/beta-8 integrin complex is disrupted, some changes in tertiary conformation of either subunit may result, and these changes may affect the biological activity of either subunit. It may be possible to avoid formation of the complex by selecting host cells which do not produce an alpha subunit, or by transfecting host cells with beta-8 integrin fragments.

When the beta-8 integrin subunit is expressed in a recombinant cell other than one of human origin, the beta-8 integrin subunit is completely free of proteins or polypeptides of human origin. However, it is necessary to purify the beta-8 integrin subunit from recombinant cell proteins or polypeptides to obtain preparations that are substantially homogeneous as to the beta-8 integrin subunit. As a first step, the culture medium or lysate is centrifuged to remove particulate cell debris. The membrane and soluble protein fractions are then separated. The beta-8 integrin subunit may then be purified from the soluble protein fraction and from the membrane fraction of the culture lysate, depending on whether the beta-8 integrin subunit is membrane bound. The following procedures are exemplary of suitable purification procedures: fractionation on immunoaffinity or ion-exchange columns; ethanol precipitation; reverse phase HPLC; chromatography on silica or on a cation exchange resin such as DEAE; chromatofocusing; SDS-PAGEE; ammonium sulfate precipitation; gel filtration using, for example, Sephadex G-75; and protein A Sepharose columns to remove contaminants such as IgG.

Beta-8 integrin subunit variants in which residues have been deleted, inserted or substituted are recovered in the same fashion as the native beta-8 integrin subunit, taking account of any substantial changes in properties occasioned by the variation. For example, preparation of a beta-8 integrin subunit fusion with another protein or polypeptide, e.g. a bacterial or viral antigen, facilitates purification; an immunoaffinity column containing antibody to the antigen can be used to adsorb the fusion. Immunoaffinity columns such as a rabbit polyclonal anti-beta-8 integrin subunit column can be employed to absorb the beta-8 integrin subunit variant by binding it to at least one remaining immune epitope. A protease inhibitor such as phenyl methyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) also may be useful to inhibit proteolytic degradation during purification, and antibiotics may be included to prevent the growth of adventitious contaminants. One skilled in the art will appreciate that purification methods suitable for native beta-8 integrin subunit may require modification to account for changes in the character of the beta-8 integrin subunit or its variants upon expression in recombinant cell culture.

H. Covalent Modifications of Beta-8 Integrin Subunit Polypeptides

Covalent modifications of beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptides are included within the scope of this invention Both native beta-8 integrin subunits and amino acid sequence variants of the beta-8 integrin subunit may be covalently modified. One type of covalent modification included within the scope of this invention is a beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide fragment Beta-8 integrin subunit fragments having up to about 40 amino acid residues may be conveniently prepared by chemical synthesis, or by enzymatic or chemical cleavage of the full-length beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide or beta-8 integrin subunit variant polypeptide. Other types of covalent modifications of the beta-8 integrin subunit or fragments thereof are introduced into the molecule by reacting targeted amino acid residues of the beta-8 integrin subunit or fragments thereof with an organic derivatizing agent that is capable of reacting with selected side chains or the N- or C-terminal residues.

Cysteinyl residues most commonly are reacted with .alpha.-haloacetates (and corresponding amines), such as chloroacetic acid or chloroacetamide, to give carboxymethyl or carboxyamidomethyl derivatives. Cysteinyl residues also are derivatized by reaction with bromotrifluoroacetone, .alpha.-bromo-.beta.-(5-imidozyl)propionic acid, chloroacetyl phosphate, N-alkylmaleimides, 3-nitro-2-pyridyl disulfide, methyl 2-pyridyl disulfide, p-chloromercuribenzoate, 2-chloromercuri-4-nitrophenol, or chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole.

Histidyl residues are derivatized by reaction with diethylpyrocarbonate at pH 5.5-7.0 because this agent is relatively specific for the histidyl side chain. Para-bromophenacyl bromide also is useful; the reaction is preferably performed in 0.1M sodium cacodylate at pH 6.0.

Lysinyl and amino terminal residues are reacted with succinic or other carboxylic acid anhydrides. Derivatization with these agents has the effect of reversing the charge of the lysinyl residues. Other suitable reagents for derivatizing .alpha.-amino-containing residues include imidoesters such as methyl picolinimidate; pyridoxal phosphate; pyridoxal; chloroborohydride; trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid; O-methylisourea; 2,4-pentanedione; and transaminase-catalyzed reaction with glyoxylate.

Arginyl residues are modified by reaction with one or several conventional reagents, among them phenylglyoxal, 2,3-butanedione, 1,2-cyclohexanedione, and ninhydrin. Derivatization of arginine residues requires that the reaction be performed in alkaline conditions because of the high pK.sub.a of the guanidine functional group Furthermore, these reagents may react with the groups of lysine as well as the arginine epsilon-amino group.

The specific modification of tyrosyl residues may be made, with particular interest in introducing spectral labels into tyrosyl residues by reaction with aromatic diazonium compounds or tetranitromethane. Most commonly, N-acetylimidizole and tetranitromethane are used to form O-acetyl tyrosyl species and 3-nitro derivatives, respectively. Tyrosyl residues are iodinated using .sup.125 I or .sup.135 I to prepare labeled proteins for use in radioimmunoassay, the chloramine T method described above being suitable.

Carboxyl side groups (aspartyl or glutamyl) are selectively modified by reaction with carbodiimides (R'--N.dbd.C.dbd.N--R'), where R and R' are different alkyl groups, such as 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinyl-4-ethyl) carbodiimide or 1-ethyl-3-(4-azonia-4,4-dimethylpentyl) carbodiimide. Furthermore, aspartyl and glutamyl residues are converted to asparaginyl and glutaminyl residues by reaction with ammonium ions.

Derivatization with bifunctional agents is useful for crosslinking beta-8 integrin to a water-insoluble support matrix or surface for use in the method for purifying anti-beta-8 integrin subunit antibodies, and vice versa. Commonly used crosslinking agents include, e.g., 1,1-bis(diazoacetyl)-2-phenylethane, glutaraldehyde, N-hydroxysuccinimide esters, for example, esters with 4-azidosalicylic acid, homobifunctional imidoesters, including disuccinimidyl esters such as 3,3'-dithiobis(succinimidylpropionate), and bifunctional maleimides such as bis-N-maleimido-1,8-octane. Derivatizing agents such as methyl-3-[(p-azidophenyl)dithio]propioimidate yield photoactivatable intermediates that are capable of forming crosslinks in the presence of light. Alternatively, reactive water-insoluble matrices such as cyanogen bromide-activated carbohydrates and the reactive substrates described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,969,287; 3,691,016; 4,195,128; 4,247,642; 4,229,537; and 4,330,440 are employed for protein immobilization.

Glutaminyl and asparaginyl residues are frequently deamidated to the corresponding glutamyl and aspartyl residues, respectively. Alternatively, these residues are deamidated under mildly acidic conditions. Either form of these residues falls within the scope of this invention.

Other modifications include hydroxylation of proline and lysine, phosphorylation of hydroxyl groups of seryl or threonyl residues, methylation of the .alpha.-amino groups of lysine, arginine, and histidine side chains (T. E. Creighton, Proteins: Structure and Molecular Properties, W. H. Freeman & Co, San Francisco, p.p. 79-86 [1983]), acetylation of the N-terminal amine, and amidation of any C-terminal carboxyl group.

Another type of covalent modification of the beta-8 polypeptide included within the scope of this invention comprises altering the native glycosylation pattern of the polypeptide. By altering is meant deleting one or more carbohydrate moieties found in native beta-8, and/or adding one or more glycosylation sites that are not present in the native beta-8 polypeptide.

Glycosylation of polypeptides is typically either N-linked or O-linked. N-linked refers to the attachment of the carbohydrate moiety to the side chain of an asparagine residue. The tri-peptide sequences asparagine-X-serine and asparagine-X-threonine, where X is any amino acid except proline, are the recognition sequences for enzymatic attachment of the carbohydrate moiety to the asparagine side chain. Thus, the presence of either of these tripeptide sequences in a polypeptide creates a potential glycosylation site O-linked glycosylation refers to the attachment of one of the sugars N-acetylgalactosamine, galactose, or xylose, to a hydroxyamino acid, most commonly serine or threonine, although 5-hydroxyproline or 5-hydroxylysine may also be used.

Addition of glycosylation sites to the beta-8 integrin polypeptide is conveniently accomplished by altering the amino acid sequence such that it contains one or more of the above-described tri-peptide sequences (for N-linked glycosylation sites). The alteration may also be made by the addition of, or substitution by, one or more serine or threonine residues to the native beta-8 integrin subunit sequence (for 0-linked glycosylation sites). For ease, the beta-8 integrin subunit amino acid sequence is preferably altered through changes at the DNA level, particularly by mutating the DNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide at preselected bases such that codons are generated that will translate into the desired amino acids. The DNA mutation(s) may be made using methods described above under the heading of "Amino Acid Sequence Variants of Beta-8 Integrin Subunit Polypeptide".

Another means of increasing the number of carbohydrate moieties on the beta-8 polypeptide is by chemical or enzymatic coupling of glycosides to the polypeptide. These procedures are advantageous in that they do not require production of the polypeptide in a host cell that has glycosylation capabilities for N- and O-linked glycosylation. Depending on the coupling mode used, the sugar(s) may be attached to (a) arginine and histidine, (b) free carboxyl groups, (c) free sulfhydryl groups such as those of cysteine, (d) free hydroxyl groups such as those of serine, threonine, or hydroxyproline, (e) aromatic residues such as those of phenylalanine, tyrosine, or tryptophan, or (f) the amide group of glutamine. These methods are described in WO 87/05330 published 11 Sep. 1987, and in Aplin and Wriston (CRC Crit. Rev. Biochem., pp. 259-306 [1981]).

Removal of carbohydrate moieties present on the native beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide may be accomplished chemically or enzymatically. Chemical deglycosylation requires exposure of the polypeptide to the compound trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, or an equivalent compound. This treatment results in the cleavage of most or all sugars except the linking sugar (N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine), while leaving the polypeptide intact. Chemical deglycosylation is described by Hakimuddin et al. (Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 259:52 [1987]) and by Edge et al., (Anal. Biochem., 118:131 [1981 ]). Enzymatic cleavage of carbohydrate moieties on polypeptides can be achieved by the use of a variety of endo- and exo- glycosidases as described by. Thotakura et al., (Meth. Enzymol., 138:350 [1987]).

Glycosylation at potential glycosylation sites may be prevented by the use of the compound tunicamycin as described by Duskin et al., (J. Biol. Chem., 257:3105 [1982]). Tunicamycin blocks the formation of protein-N-glycoside linkages.

Another type of covalent modification of the beta-8 integrin subunit comprises linking the beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide to various nonproteinaceous polymers, e.g. polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol or polyoxyalkylenes, in the manner set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,640,835; 4,496,689; 4,301,144; 4,670,417; 4,791,192 or 4,179,337.

The beta-8 integrin subunit also may be entrapped in microcapsules prepared, for example, by coacervation techniques or by interfacial polymerization (for example, hydroxymethylcellulose orgelatin-microcapsulesand poly-[methylmethacylate]microcapsules, respectively), in colloidal drug delivery systems (for example, liposomes, albumin microspheres, microemulsions, nano-particles and nanocapsules), or in microemulsions. Such techniques are disclosed in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 16th edition, Osol, A., Ed., (1980).

Beta-8 integrin subunit preparations are also useful in generating antibodies, as standards in assays for the beta-8 integrin subunit (e.g. by labeling the beta-8 integrin subunit for use as a standard in a radioimmunoassay, enzyme-linked immunoassay, or radioreceptor assay), in affinity purification techniques, and in competitive-type receptor binding assays when labeled with radioiodine, enzymes, fluorophores, spin labels, and the like.

Since it is often difficult to predict in advance the characteristics of a variant beta-8 integrin subunit, it will be appreciated that some screening of the recovered variant will be needed to select the optimal variant. For example, a change in the immunological character of the beta-8 integrin subunit molecule, such as affinity for a given antibody, is measured by a competitive-type immunoassay. The variant is assayed for changes in the suppression or enhancement of its activity by comparison to the activity observed for native beta-8 integrin subunit in the same assay Other potential modifications of protein or polypeptide properties such as redox or thermal stability, hydrophobicity, susceptibility to proteolytic degradation, or the tendency to aggregate with carriers or into multimars are assayed by methods well known in the art.

3. Therapeutic Compositions and Administration of Beta-8 Integrin

Therapeutic formulations of beta-8 integrin subunit are prepared for storage by mixing beta-8 integrin subunit having the desired degree of purity with optional physiologically acceptable carriers, excipients, or stabilizers (Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, supra), in the form of lyophilized cake or aqueous solutions Acceptable carriers, excipients or stabilizers are nontoxic to recipients at the dosages and concentrations employed, and include buffers such as phosphate, citrate, and other organic acids; antioxidants including ascorbic acid; low molecular weight (less than about 10 residues) polypeptides; proteins, such as serum albumin, gelatin, or immunoglobulins; hydrophilic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone; amino acids such as glycine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine or lysine; monosaccharides, disaccharides, and other carbohydrates including glucose, mannose, or dextrins; chelating agents such as EDTA; sugar alcohols such as mannitol or sorbitol; saltforming counterions such as sodium; and/or nonionic surfactants such as Tween, Pluronics or polyethylene glycol (PEG).

The beta-8 integrin subunit to be used for in vivo administration must be sterile. This is readily accomplished by filtration through sterile filtration membranes, prior to or following lyophilization and reconstitution. The beta-8 integrin subunit ordinarily will be stored in lyophilized form or in solution.

Therapeutic beta-8 integrin subunit compositions generally are placed into a container having a sterile access port, for example, an intravenous solution bag or vial having a stopper pierceable by a hypodermic injection needle.

The route of beta-8 integrin subunit or beta-8 integrin subunit antibody administration is in accord with known methods, e.g. injection or infusion by intravenous, intraperitoneal, intracerebral, intramuscular, intraocular, intraarterial, or intralesional routes, or by sustained release systems as noted below. The beta-8 integrin subunit is administered continuously by infusion or by bolus injection Beta-8 integrin subunit antibody is administered in the same fashion, or by administration into the blood stream or lymph.

Suitable examples of sustained-release preparations include semipermeable polymer matrices in the form of shaped articles, e.g. films, or microcapsules Sustained release matrices include polyesters, hydrogels, polylactides (U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,919, EP 48,481), copolymers of L-glutamic acid and gamma ethyl-L-glutamate (Sidman et al., Bipolymers, 22:547-556 [1983], poly (2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate) (Langer et al., J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 15:167-277 [1981] and Langer, Chem. Tech., 12:98-105 [1982]), ethylene vinyl acetate (langer et al., supra) or poly-D-(-)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (EP 133,988) Sustained-release beta-8 integrin compositions also include liposomally entrapped beta-8 integrin subunit Liposomes containing beta-8 integrin subunit are prepared by methods known per se: DE 3,218,121; Epstein et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 82:3688-3692 (1985); Hwang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:4030-4034 (1980); EP 52,322; EP 36,676; EP 88,046; EP 143,949; EP 142,641; Japanese patent application 83-118008; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,045 and 4,544,545; and EP 102,324 Ordinarily the liposomes are of the small (about 200-800 Angstroms) unilamelar type in which the lipid content is greater than about 30 mol % cholesterol, the selected proportion being adjusted for the optimal beta-8 integrin subunit therapy.

Another use of the present invention comprises incorporating beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide into formed articles. Such articles can be used in modulating cellular migration, such as the migration of granule cells into the molecular layer of the cerebellum during differentiation of brain cells. In addition, cell migration during wound healing or tumor invasion may be modulated with these articles.

An effective amount of beta-8 integrin subunit to be employed therapeutically will depend, for example, upon the therapeutic objectives, the route of administration, and the condition of the patient. Accordingly, it will be necessary for the therapist to titer the dosage and modify the route of administration as required to obtain the optimal therapeutic effect. A typical daily dosage might range from about 1 .mu.g/kg to up to 100 mg/kg or more, depending on the factors mentioned above. Typically, the clinician will administer the beta-8 integrin subunit until a dosage is reached that achieves the desired effect. The progress of this therapy is easily monitored by conventional assays.

4. Beta-8 Integrin Subunit Antibody Preparation

Polyclonal antibodies to the beta-8 integrin subunit generally are raised in animals by multiple subcutaneous (sc) or intraperitoneal (ip) injections of the beta-8 integrin subunit and an adjuvant. It may be useful to conjugate the beta-8 integrin subunit or a fragment containing the target amino acid sequence to a protein that is immunogenic in the species to be immunized, e.g., keyhole limpet hemocyanin, serum albumin, bovine thyroglobulin, or soybean trypsin inhibitor using a bifunctional or derivatizing agent, for example, maleimidobenzoyl sulfosuccinimide ester (conjugation through cysteine residues), N-hydroxysuccinimide (through lysine residues), glutaraldehyde, succinic arthydride, SOCl.sub.2, or R.sup.1 N.dbd.C.dbd.NR, where R and R.sup.1 are different alkyl groups.

Animals are immunized against the immunogenic conjugates or derivatives by combining 1 mg or 1 .mu.g of conjugate (for rabbits or mice, respectively) with 3 volumes of Freund's complete adjuvant and injecting the solution intradermally at multiple sites. One month later the animals are boosted with 1/5 to 1/10 the original amount of conjugate in Freund's complete adjuvant by subcutaneous injection at multiple sites 7 to 14 days later animals are bled and the serum is assayed for anti-beta-8 integrin titer. Animals are boosted until the titer plateaus Preferably, the animal is boosted with the conjugate of the same betaintegrin subunit, but conjugated to a different protein and/or through a different cross-linking agent Conjugates also can be made in recombinant cell culture as protein fusions. Also, aggregating agents such as alum are used to enhance the immune response.

Monoclonal antibodies are prepared by recovering spleen cells from immunized animals and immortalizing the cells in conventional fashion, e.g. by fusion with myeloma cells or by Epstein-Barr (EB)-virus transformation and screening for clones expressing the desired antibody. The monoclonal antibody preferably does not cross-react with other known beta integrin subunit polypeptides

5. Uses of Beta-8 Integrin and its Antibodies

The nucleic acid encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit may be used as a diagnostic for tissue specific typing. For example, such procedures as in situ hybridization, and northern and Southern blotting, and PCR analysis may be used to determine whether DNA and/or RNA encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit are present in the cell type(s) being evaluated. In particular, the nucleic acid may be useful as a specific probe for certain types of tumor cells such as, for example, brain tumor, gliomal, other tumor cells that are neuronal in origin, and certain other non-neuronal carcinomas such as adenocarcinoma, osteocarcinoma, and lung carcinoma Probes based on the nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences of the beta-8 integrin subunit may also be used to locate additional, novel, beta integrin subunits.

Isolated beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide may be used in quantitative diagnostic assays as a standard or control against which samples containing unknown quantities of beta-8 integrin subunit may be compared.

Beta-8 integrin subunit antibodies are useful in diagnostic assays for beta-8 integrin expression in specific cells or tissues. The antibodies are labeled in the same fashion as the beta-8 integrin subunit described above and/or are immobilized on an insoluble matrix.

Beta-8 integrin subunit antibodies also are useful for the affinity purification of the beta-8 integrin subunit from recombinant cell culture or natural sources. The beta-8 integrin subunit antibodies that do not detectably cross-react with other beta integrin subunits can be used to purify beta-8 integrin subunit free from other known beta integrins.

Suitable diagnostic assays for the beta-8 integrin subunit and its antibodies are well known per se. Such assays include competitive and sandwich assays, and steric inhibition assays. Competitive and sandwich methods employ a phase-separation step as an integral part of the method while steric inhibition assays are conducted in a single reaction mixture. Fundamentally, the same procedures are used for the assay of the beta-8 integrin subunit and for substances that bind the beta-8 integrin subunit, although certain methods will be favored depending upon the molecular weight of the substance being assayed. Therefore, the substance to be tested is referred to herein as an analyte, irrespective of its status otherwise as an antigen or antibody, and proteins that bind to the analyte are denominated binding partners, whether they be antibodies, cell surface receptors, or antigens.

Analytical methods for the beta-8 integrin subunit or its antibodies all use one or more of the following reagents: labeled analyte analogue, immobilized analyte analogue, labeled binding partner, immobilized binding partner and steric conjugates. The labeled reagents also are known as "tracers."

The label used (and this is also useful to label beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid for use as a probe) is any detectable functionality that does not interfere with the binding of analyte and its binding partner. Numerous labels are known for use in immunoassay, examples including moieties that may be detected directly, such as fluorochrome, chemiluminescent, and radioactive labels, as well as moieties, such as enzymes, that must be reacted or derivatized to be detected. Examples of such labels include the radioisotopes .sup.32 P, .sup.14 C, .sup.125 I, .sup.3 H, and .sup.131 I, fluorophores such as rare earth chelates or fluorescein and its derivatives, rhodamine and its derivatives, dansyl, umbelliferone, luceriferases, e.g., firefly luciferase and bacterial luciferase (U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,456), luciferin, 2,3-dihydrophthalazinediones, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), alkaline phosphatase, .beta.-galactosidase, glucoamylase, lysozyme, saccharide oxidases, e.g., glucose oxidase, galactose oxidase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, heterocyclic oxidases such as uricase and xanthine oxidase, coupled with an enzyme that employs hydrogen peroxide to oxidize a dye precursor such as HRP, lactoperoxidase, or microperoxidase, biotin/avidin, spin labels, bacteriophage labels, stable free radicals, and the like.

Conventional methods are available to bind these labels covalently to proteins or polypeptides. For instance, coupling agents such as dialdehydes, carbodiimides, dimaleimides, bis-imidates, bis-diazotized benzidine, and the like may be used to tag the antibodies with the above-described fluorescent, chemiluminescent, and enzyme labels See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,940,475 (fluorimetry) and 3,645,090 (enzymes); Hunter et al., Nature, 144:945 (1962); David et al., Biochemistry, 13:1014-1021 (1974); Pain et al., J. Immunol. Methods, 40:219-230 (1981); and Nygren, J. Histochem. and Cytochem., 30:407-412 (1982) Preferred labels herein are enzymes such as horseradish peroxidase and alkaline phosphatase.

The conjugation of such label, including the enzymes, to the antibody is a standard manipulative procedure for one of ordinary skill in immunoassay techniques. See, for example, O'Sullivan et al., "Methods for the Preparation of Enzyme-antibody Conjugates for Use in Enzyme Immunoassay," in Methods in Enzymology, ed. J. J. Langone and H. Van Vunakis, Vol. 73 (Academic Press, New York, New York, 1981), pp. 147-166. Such bonding methods are suitable for use with beta-8 integrin or its antibodies, all of which are proteinaceous.

Immobilization of reagents is required for certain assay methods. Immobilization entails separating the binding partner from any analyte that remains free in solution. This conventionally is accomplished by either insolubilizing the binding partner or analyte analogue before the assay procedure, as by adsorption to a water-insoluble matrix or surface (Bennich et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,760), by covalent coupling (for example, using glutaraldehyde crosslinking), or by insolubilizing the partner or analogue afterward, e.g., by immunoprecipitation.

Other assay methods, known as competitive or sandwich assays, are well established and widely used in the commercial diagnostics industry.

Competitive assays rely on the ability of a tracer analogue to compete with the test sample analyte for a limited number of binding sites on a common binding partner. The binding partner generally is insolubilized before or after the competition and then the tracer and analyte bound to the binding partner are separated from the unbound tracer and analyte. This separation is accomplished by decanting (where the binding partner was preinsolubilized) or by centrifuging (where the binding partner was precipitated after the competitive reaction). The amount of test sample analyte is inversely proportional to the amount of bound tracer as measured by the amount of marker substance. Dose-response curves with known amounts of analyte are prepared and compared with the test results to quantitatively determine the amount of analyte present in the test sample. These assays are called ELISA systems when enzymes are used as the detectable markers.

Another species of competitive assay, called a "homogeneous" assay, does not require a phase separation. Here, a conjugate of an enzyme with the analyte is prepared and used such that when anti-analyte binds to the analyte the presence of the anti-analyte modifies the enzyme activity. In this case, the beta-8 integrin subunit or its immunologically active fragments are conjugated with a bifunctional organic bridge to an enzyme such as peroxidase. Conjugates are selected for use with anti-beta-8 integrin subunit so that binding of the antibeta-8 integrin inhibits or potentiates the enzyme activity of the label. This method per se is widely practiced under the name of EMIT.

Steric conjugates are used in steric hindrance methods for homogeneous assay. These conjugates are synthesized by covalently linking a low-molecular-weight hapten to a small analyte so that antibody to hapten substantially is unable to bind the conjugate at the same time as anti-analyte. Under this assay procedure the analyte present in the test sample will bind anti-analyte, thereby allowing anti-hapten to bind the conjugate, resulting in a change in the character of the conjugate hapten, e.g., a change in fluorescence when the hapten is a fluorophore.

Sandwich assays particularly are useful for the determination of beta-8 integrin subunit or beta-8 integrin subunit antibodies. In sequential sandwich assays an immobilized binding partner is used to adsorb test sample analyte, the test sample is removed as by washing, the bound analyte is used to adsorb labeled binding partner, and bound material is then separated from residual tracer. The amount of bound tracer is directly proportional to test sample analyte. In "simultaneous" sandwich assays the test sample is not separated before adding the labeled binding partner. A sequential sandwich assay using an anti-beta-8 integrin subunit monoclonal antibody as one antibody and a polyclonal anti-beta-8 integrin subunit antibody as the other is useful in testing samples for beta-8 integrin activity.

The foregoing are merely exemplary diagnostic assays for beta-8 integrin and antibodies. Other methods now or hereafter developed for the determination of these analytes are included within the scope hereof, including the bioassays described above.

All references cited in this specification are expressly incorporated by reference

The following examples are offered by way of illustration and not by way of limitation

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Cloning and Sequencing of Rabbit and Human Beta-8 Integrin

Beta-8 integrin was initially cloned from a rabbit placental cDNA library, constructed as follows: Total RNA was isolated from rabbit placental tissue by guanidium thiocyanate extraction (McDonald et al., Meth. Enzymol, 152:219 [1987]). Poly(A).sup.+ RNA was purified from 2 mg of total placental RNA using MAP paper (Amersham Corp) Double-stranded cDNA was synthesized from poly(A).sup.+ RNA using oligo(dT) primer. cDNA fragments larger than 2-3 kilobase pairs were purified on a 5% polyacrylamide gel and ligated to EcoRI linkers using standard procedures, Linkered cDNA was ligated into lambda gt10 (Stratagene) and packaged using Gigapack Gold II (Stratagene).

Approximately 16.times.10.sup.6 recombinant phage of the oligo(dT) primed rabbit placental library (unamplified) were initially screened with three .sup.32 P-labelled probes. The first probe was oligonucleotide 1, a published probe which has 54 of 97 nucleotides conserved between the beta-1, beta-2 and beta-3 integrins and is known to hybridize to both rabbit and human beta-1, beta-3, and beta-5 integrin subunits. This probe has the sequence AAGCAGAGTG TGTCACGGAA CCGAGATGCC CCAGAGGGTG GCTTTGATGC CATCATGCAG GCTACAGTCT GTGATGAAAA GATTGGCTGG AGGAATG (SEQ. ID. NO. 1 ) (see the probe identified as intb5 in McLean et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:17126 [1990]). This first oligonucleotide probe is composed of the human beta-3 integrin subunit sequence that is conserved at the DNA level in all known beta integrins.

In addition, probes that encode the rabbit beta-1 integrin subunit and the rabbit beta-5 integrin were used to screen out positives that code for these more abundant beta integrins The second probe was oligonucleotide 2, a beta-5 integrin subunit oligonucleotide (5'-ACGTGCGAGAAGTGCCCCACCTGCCCGGATGCTTGCAGCACCAAG-3'[SEQ. ID. NO. 2])that hybridizes only to rabbit beta-5 subunit sequences. A third probe was a partial rabbit beta-1 integrin subunit cDNA.

Prehybridization and hybridization conditions were 5X SSC (SSC: 150 mM NaCl, 15 mM trisodium citrate), 005M sodium phosphate, pH 6.8, 5X Denhardt's solution, 10% dextran sulfate, and 20.mu.g/ml boiled, sheared salmon sperm DNA Formamide was added to a final concentration of either 20% (for oligonucleotide probes) or 50% (for cDNA probes). Prehybridization and hybridization were at 42.degree. C., and the filters were washed for 30 minutes with either 2X SSC at 45.degree. C. (oligonucleotide probes) or with 01X SSC at 65.degree. C. (cDNA probes). The filters were exposed overnight to x-ray film with two intensifying screens at -70.degree. C. The cDNA inserts from six phage isolates that hybridized to oligonucleotide 1, but not to rabbit beta-1 integrin subunit cDNA or to oligonucleotide 2 were excised from the lambda gt10 vector and were subcloned into the bacteriophage M13 and the DNA was partially sequenced. Two of these clones contained sequences that overlapped. This overlapping sequence was designated Ra-1, and it was found to be similar to, but distinct from, beta integrin subunits 1-7. This Ra-1 clone was thus identified as a novel beta integrin subunit, named the beta-8 integrin subunit. The Ra-1 (beta-8 integrin subunit) clone was used to screen filters from a second, randomly primed rabbit placental cDNA library (constructed as described for the oligo (dT) library, except cDNA was primed using random hexamers (Amersham Corp). Three additional beta-8 integrin subunit isolates were obtained from this rabbit placental library.

The full-length beta-8 integrin subunit sequence from the rabbit was inferred from two overlapping clones to be 2972 nucleotides (as shown in FIG. 1 ). This comprises an open reading frame of 2304 nucleotides (nt), a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 651 nt, and a 3' UTR of 17 nt.

The rabbit beta-8 integrin subunit cDNA was subsequently used to screen human cDNA libraries to isolate the human homolog of the beta-8 integrin subunit. Initially, an amplified human placental cDNA library was screened as follows: Approximately 1.1.times.10.sup.5 recombinant phage of a randomly primed human placental library were screened with the rabbit beta-8 integrin subunit cDNA probe at medium stringency (the same hybridization solution as described above, but containing 30% formamide) and these filters were washed with 1X SSC at 55.degree. C. This library yielded a single clone of approximately 900 base pairs (bp) that comprised about 40% of the coding sequence of the human beta-8 integrin subunit plus a small amount of 3' UTR.

Using PCR analysis, it was determined that beta-8 integrin subunit mRNA was present in MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells. Therefore, a MG-63 cDNA library was screened with the human beta-8 integrin subunit partial cDNA (obtained from the human placental library) as a probe. The randomly primed MG-63 library was constructed using a method similar to that described above for the rabbit placental libraries, except the starting material was 5.times.10.sup.9 MG-63 cells, poly(A+) was prepared using poly(U) Sepharose affinity chromatography and cDNA fragments greater than 3 kb were ligated into lambda gt10. Packaging was done using Gigapack Gold IIXL (Stratagene). This library yielded three overlapping clones, the longest of which, clone Hu-2, is 3789 bp (FIG. 2) and contains an open reading frame of 2307 nucleotides, a 5' UTR of 680 nucleotides and a 3' UTR of 802 nucleotides.

Both strands of the rabbit and human beta-8 integrin subunit clones were sequenced. The beta-8 integrin subunit isolates were subcloned into the BLUESCRIPT II vector (Stratagene) and double stranded DNA was sequenced using the Sequenase version 20 kit (U.S. Biochemical) and synthetic oligonucleotide primers. To facilitate sequence determination of long stretches of DNA, nested deletions were created by exonuclease Ill and mung bean nuclease (using a kit obtained from Stratagene). The rabbit and human beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs obtained are 768 (calculated molecular weight of 84,406) and 769 (calculated molecular weight of 85,631) amino acid residues, respectively as determined from translation of the cDNA sequences. These beta-8 integrin subunit amino acid sequences are very similar (89% at the amino acid level). The beta-8 integrin subunit contains 54 cysteine residues of which all but one are conserved colinearly between rabbit and human. The human beta-8 integrin subunit amino acid sequence was found to be very distinct from known beta integrins; the beta-8 integrin subunit amino acid sequence shares approximately 35%, 32%, 34%, 31%, 34%, 37%, and 31% identity with human beta integrin subunits 1 through 7, respectively.

Example 2: Detection of The Beta-8 Integrin Subunit mRNA Expression by PCR

The method of PCR analysis was used to detect expression of the beta-8 integrin subunit mRNA in several human cell lines. The cell lines evaluated were: 293 human kidney adenocarcinoma (ATCC number CRL 1573), MG-63 human osteosarcoma (ATCC number CRL 1427), UCLA-P3 human lung carcinoma (obtained from Dr. Donald Morton, University of California at Los Angeles) and HEL human erythroleukemia (obtained from the University of California at San Francisco Cell Culture Facility). PCR primers were derived from the human beta-8 integrin subunit nucleotide sequence. Single stranded cDNA was synthesized by priming 1 .mu.g of poly(A).sup.+ RNA from several cell lines (prepared as described by Bodary et al., J. Biol. Chem., 265:5938 [1990]) with random hexanucleotides and extending with avian myoblastosis virus reverse transcriptase (cDNA synthesis kit, Amersham Corp.). One twentieth of the reaction product was amplified using the PCR GeneAmp kit, (Perkin-Elmer-Cetus), with 50 pmol of oligonucleotide primers (24 mers) in a 100 .mu.l reaction volume, on a Perkin-Elmer-Cetus DNA thermal cycler. PCR conditions were: cycle 1, denaturation at 98.degree. C. for 2 min., annealing at 45.degree. C. for 30 sec., extension at 72.degree. C. for 30 sec.; cycles 2-5, denaturation at 98.degree. C. for 15 sec., annealing and extensions as for cycle 1, cycles 6-35, denaturation at 96.degree. C. for 30 sec., annealing and extension as for cycle 1 except that extension times were incremented by 1 sec./cycle. One-tenth of the reaction product was analyzed on a 6.4% acrylamide gel. Primers (5'-TTCATCATTTTTCATAGTTACATTC-3' and 5'CATTAAGTGTTTAAAAATCTTTTT-3'[SEQ. ID. NO. 9]) were chosen that gave a predicted amplified DNA product of 276 bases.

The results indicated that 293, MG-63, and UCLA P-3 cells expressed beta-8 integrin subunit message, while HEL cells did not.

Example 3: Detection of Beta-8 Integrin mRNA Expression by Northern Analyses

The rabbit beta-8 integrin subunit cDNA was used as a probe in northern analyses to investigate expression of beta-6 integrin subunit mRNA in various rabbit tissues. A pregnant rabbit was sacrificed and its tissues (whole fetus, heart, lung, pancreas, spleen, brain, ovary, bone marrow, whole blood, uterus, skeletal muscle, kidney, liver and placenta) were dissected. Total mRNA was prepared from these tissues as follows: Total RNA was obtained from one gram of each tissue by guanidium thiocyanate extraction. Poly(A).sup.+ RNA was purified from 500 .mu.g of total RNA using oligo(dT) cellulose columns (Stratagene). One half of this poly(A).sup.+ RNA was then fractionated on a denaturing 1.2% agarose gel containing 2% formaldehyde and blotted to Blotrace membrane (Gelman Sciences) overnight. The membrane was prehybridized and hybridized as for the cDNA library screening except that the formamide concentration was increased to 50% and all solutions (including wash solutions) contained 0.2% SDS. The membrane was probed with randomly primed .sup.32 P-labelled, partial rabbit beta-8 integrin subunit, beta-1 integrin subunit, and beta-3 integrin subunit cDNAs and washed with 0.1X SSC at 60.degree. C. The membrane was stripped before addition of new probe by washing in 0.2% SDS at 800 with gentle agitation, for 5 minutes.

Tissues that were positive for an approximately 8 kilobase (kb) beta-8 integrin subunit message included kidney, brain, placenta, ovary and uterus. To demonstrate that this pattern of expression was specific for the beta-8 integrin subunit, the blot with the cDNA probes that encoded rabbit beta-1 integrin subunit and beta-3 integrin subunit was reprobed. In these experiments, an approximately 3.5 kb beta-1 integrin subunit message was detected in all tissues. In addition, two beta-3 integrin subunit messages of about 3.5 and 5.5 kb were detected in only uterus and bone marrow. From these and the sequencing results, the beta-8 integrin subunit appears to be a distinct and separate beta integrin subunit.

Example 4: Expression and Detection of the Human Beta-8 Intefirin Subunit

The 3789 bp human beta-8 integrin subunit cDNA was subcloned into the pRK5 expression vector described in EP 07/560,482 and human embryonic kidney 293 cells were transfected with this construct using the standard calcium phosphate precipitate method (Sambrook et al., supra). Cells were plated on day I at a concentration of 2.times.10.sup.6, exposed to a calcium phosphate precipitate containing 10 .mu.g of expression plasmid or no DNA (control cells) on day 2 and harvested on day 4 with 5 mM EDTA in Ca2 +/Mg2 +-free PBS (phosphate buffered saline, see section B.12 of Sambrook et al., supra).

Cells (1-2.times.10.sup.-7) were surface labelled with 1 mCi Na.sup.125 (Amersham Corp.) and 100 .mu.g lactoperoxidase (Sigma) in the presence of 0.0015% H.sub.2 O.sub.2. After labelling for 10 min. at room temperature, cells were washed once with 5 mM Kl in PBS and then twice with PBS. Labelled cells were solubilized for 30 min. at 4.degree. C. in 0.5 ml of Extraction Buffer (1% Triton X-100, 20 mM Tris pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl and 1 mM CaCl.sub.2) with occasional vortexing. Cellular debris was then pelleted by centrifugation at 5000.times.g for 5 min., end the cell extract supernatant diluted to 0.5% Triton X-100 by the addition of 0.5 ml Extraction Buffer without Triton X-100.

The beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide was detected by immunoprecipitation using anti-peptide polyclonal antibodies specific for the beta-8 integrin subunit. The synthetic peptide H.sub.2 N-EEIKMDISKLNAHETFRCNF-COOH (SEQ. ID. NO. 7), comprising C-terminal human beta-8 integrin residues predicted by the cDNA sequence was used as an immunogen. The peptide was synthesized by F-moc chemistry using a Milligen 9050 peptide synthesizer from Biosearch. For immunization, ten mg of this peptide was coupled to 20 mg of soybean trypsin inhibitor using sulfo-MBS (Pierce) as per manufacturer's specifications. Rabbits were immunized, by subcutaneous injection, with the equivalent of 200 .mu.g of peptide at three week intervals. High titer bleeds were obtained at about two to three months after the initial immunization.

For the immunoprecipitation, four hundred microliters of the labelled cell extract was incubated with 1/100 volume of antibody (ascites, culture supernatant or antiserum) at 4.degree. C. overnight, and immunoprecipitations were carried out using Protein G Sepharose.TM. 4FF (Pharmacia) after first preclearing with SEPHAROSE.TM. CL-4B (Pharmacia). Protein G SEPHAROSE.TM. beads were washed three times with 0.05% Tween 20, 20mM Tris pH 8, 120 mM NaCl, 2 mM CaCl.sub.2. Proteins precipitated from the labelled cell extracts were solubilized by heating in sample buffer and analyzed by separation on a 7.5% SDS-polyacrylamide gel followed by autoradiography.

The results indicated that the beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide is expressed on the surface of transformed 293 cells but not on the surface of control 293 cells.

Example 5: Detection of the beta-8/alpha-v Complex

Human embryonic kidney 293 cells, transfected as described in the previous example, were used to demonstrate the presence of a novel beta-8/alpha-v integrin complex. These cells endogenously express various alpha integrin subunits, including alpha-v. The beta-8 integrin transfected cell proteins were prepared for immunoprecipitation as described in Example 4.

Monoclonal antibodies against several different alpha integrin subunits were used in the immunoprecipitations in order to identify with which alpha subunit the beta-8 integrin formed a complex. Mouse monoclonal antibodies against alpha-1 (antibody TS2/7, Hemler et al., J. Immunol., 132:3011 [1984]), alpha-2 (antibody P1H5, Wayner et al., supra), alpha-3 (antibody P1B5, Wayner et al., supra), alpha-5 (antibody P1D6, Wayner et al., supra), alpha-v (antibody 13C2, obtained from M. Horton, Dept. of Haematology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, England) and rat monoclonal antibody against alpha-6 (antibody GoH3), Sonnenberg et al., J. Biol. Chem., 262:10376 [1987]) were tested. The immunoprecipitations were conducted as described in Example 4.

The results of these immunoprecipitations indicated that the alpha-v subunit readily associates with and forms a complex with the beta-8 integrin subunit in transfected human embryonic kidney 293 cells, while in 293 cells, associations were not made with alpha integrin subunits 1,2,3,5, and 6.

Claims

We claim:

1. An isolated antibody that specifically binds to beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide wherein said antibody does not specifically bind to beta integrin subunit polypeptides selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

2. An isolated antibody that specifically binds to a complex comprising a beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide, which peptide is associated with an alpha v integrin subunit polypeptide wherein said antibody does not specifically bind to a complex comprising an alpha v integrin subunit polypeptide associated with a beta integrin subunit polypeptide selected from the group of beta integrin subunit polypeptides consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

3. The antibody of claim 1 which is a monoclonal antibody.

4. The antibody of claim 2 which is a monoclonal antibody.

5. The antibody of claim 1 wherein said beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide is human.

6. The antibody of claim 2 wherein said beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide and said alpha integrin subunit polypeptide are human.

Patent Citations (2)

Patent	Date	Inventor	Cited By
US4394443	1983-07-01	Weissman et al.
US4474893	1984-10-01	Reading

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Abstract

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

2. Description of Background and Related Art

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to identify a novel beta subunit integrin polypeptide that shares some common structural features with beta integrin subunits 1-7.

It is a further object to provide derivatives and modified forms of the novel beta integrin subunit, including amino acid sequence variants and covalent derivatives thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to the ordinary artisan upon consideration of the specification as a whole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Still further is provided a method for obtaining cells having increased or decreased transcription of the nucleic acid encoding the beta-8 integrin subunit comprising:

(a) providing cells containing the beta-8 integrin subunit nucleic acid;

(b) introducing into the cells a transcription modulating element; and

subunit nucleic acid is increased or decreased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

I. Definitions

In general, the following words or phrases have the indicated definition when used in the description, examples, and claims:

II. Suitable Methods for Practicing the Invention

1. Preparation of Native Beta-8 Integrin Subunit and Variants

A. Isolation of DNA Encoding Beta-8 Integrin Subunit

B. Amino Acid Sequence Variants of the Beta-8 Integrin Subunit

(1) hydrophobic: norleucine, met, ala, val, leu, lie;

(2) neutral hydrophilic: cys, ser, thr;

(3) acidic: asp, glu;

(4) basic: asn, gin, his, lys, arg;

(5) residues that influence chain orientation: gly, pro; and

(6) aromatic: trp, tyr, phe.

Single-stranded DNA template may also be generated by denaturing double-stranded plasmid (or other) DNA using standard techniques.

2 min. 55.degree. C.,

30 sec. 72.degree. C., then 19 cycles of the following:

30 sec. 94.degree. C.,

30 sec. 55.degree. C., and

30 sec. 72.degree. C.

C Insertion of DNA into a Cloning Vehicle

(i) Signal Sequence Component

(ii) Origin of Replication Component

(iii) Selection Gene Component

(iv) Promoter Component

(v) Enhancer Element Component

(vi) Transcription Termination Component

D. Selection and Transformation of Host Cells

E. Culturing the Host Cells

Prokaryotic cells used to produce the beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide of this invention are cultured in suitable media as described generally in Sambrook et al., supra.

The host cells referred to in this disclosure encompass cells in in vitro culture as well as cells that are within a host animal.

F. Detecting Gene Amplification/Expression

G. Purification of The Beta-8 Integrin Subunit Polypeptide

H. Covalent Modifications of Beta-8 Integrin Subunit Polypeptides

3. Therapeutic Compositions and Administration of Beta-8 Integrin

4. Beta-8 Integrin Subunit Antibody Preparation

5. Uses of Beta-8 Integrin and its Antibodies

Other assay methods, known as competitive or sandwich assays, are well established and widely used in the commercial diagnostics industry.

All references cited in this specification are expressly incorporated by reference

The following examples are offered by way of illustration and not by way of limitation

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Cloning and Sequencing of Rabbit and Human Beta-8 Integrin

Example 2: Detection of The Beta-8 Integrin Subunit mRNA Expression by PCR

The results indicated that 293, MG-63, and UCLA P-3 cells expressed beta-8 integrin subunit message, while HEL cells did not.

Example 3: Detection of Beta-8 Integrin mRNA Expression by Northern Analyses

Example 4: Expression and Detection of the Human Beta-8 Intefirin Subunit

The results indicated that the beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide is expressed on the surface of transformed 293 cells but not on the surface of control 293 cells.

Example 5: Detection of the beta-8/alpha-v Complex

Claims

We claim:

3. The antibody of claim 1 which is a monoclonal antibody.

4. The antibody of claim 2 which is a monoclonal antibody.

5. The antibody of claim 1 wherein said beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide is human.

6. The antibody of claim 2 wherein said beta-8 integrin subunit polypeptide and said alpha integrin subunit polypeptide are human.

Patent

Date

Inventor

Cited By

US4394443

1983-07-01

Weissman et al.

US4474893

1984-10-01

Reading

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