Radioimmunotherapy of CD22-expressing Daudi tumors in nude mice with a ⁹⁰Y-labeled anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody

A study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of a high affinity, rapidly internalizing anti-CD 22 monoclonal antibody for selectively delivering high-energy ⁹⁰Y radioactivity to B lymphoma cells in vivo. The antibody, RFB4, was readily labeled with ⁹⁰Y using the highly stable chelate, 1B4M-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid. Labeled RFB4 selectively bound to the CD22⁺ Burkitt's lymphoma cell line Daudi, but not to CD22^- control cells in vitro as compared with a control antibody, and was more significantly bound (P = 0.03) to Daudi solid tumors growing in athymic nude mice. Biodistribution data correlated well with the antitumor effect. The therapeutic effect of ⁹⁰Y-labeled anti-CD22 (Y22) was dose-dependent, irreversible, and the best results were achieved in mice receiving a single i.p. dose of 196 μCi. These mice displayed a significantly better (P < 0.01) antitumor response than control mice and survived >200 days with no evidence of tumor. Histology studies showed no significant injury to kidney, liver, or small intestine. Importantly, tumor-bearing mice treated with Y22 had no radiologic bone marrow damage compared with tumor-bearing mice treated with the control-labeled antibody arguing that the presence of CD22 ⁺ tumor protected mice from bone marrow damage. When anti-CD22 radioimmunotherapy was compared to radioimmunotherapy with anti-CD19 and anti-CD45 antibodies, all three antibodies distributed significantly high levels of radioisotope to flank tumors in vivo compared with controls (P < 0.05), induced complete remission, and produced long-term, tumor-free survivors. These findings indicate that anti-CD22 radioimmunotherapy with Y22 is highly effective in vivo against CD22-expressing malignancies and may be a useful therapy for drug-refractory B cell leukemia patients.