Anti-galectin-9 antibodies and uses thereof
Disclosed herein are anti-Galectin-9 antibodies and methods of using such for inhibiting a signaling pathway mediated by Galectin-9 or eliminating pathologic cells expressing Galectin-9. Such anti-Galectin-9 antibodies may also be used to diagnose and/or to treat diseases associated with Galectin-9, such as autoimmune diseases and solid tumors.
1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule or a set of nucleic acid molecules, comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding a heavy chain variable region (VH) and a light chain variable region (VL) of an antibody that binds human galectin-9, wherein said antibody comprises: a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (CDR1) set forth as SEQ ID NO: 361, a heavy chain complementary determining region 2 (CDR2) set forth as SEQ ID NO: 388, and a heavy chain complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) set forth as SEQ ID NO: 406; and comprises a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (CDR1) set forth as SEQ ID NO: 328, a light chain complementary determining region 2 (CDR2) set forth as SEQ ID NO: 329, and a light chain complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) set forth as SEQ ID NO: 352.
2. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences encode a VH set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55 and a VL set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54.
3. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a heavy chain (HC) and a light chain (LC) of a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof.
4. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences encode the VH region and the VL region of a single chain antibody.
5. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a HC and a LC of a human antibody.
6. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a HC of an IgG molecule.
7. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 6 , wherein the IgG molecule is an IgG1 or IgG4 molecule.
8. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 7 , wherein the IgG molecule is an IgG4 molecule, and wherein the IgG4 has a S228P mutation.
9. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a HC constant region set forth as SEQ ID NO: 422, and a light chain constant region set forth as SEQ ID NO: 418.
10. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a HC set forth as SEQ ID NO: 316 and a LC set forth in SEQ ID NO: 108.
11. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a heavy chain (HC) and a light chain (LC) of a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof.
12. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences encode the VH region and the VL region of a single chain antibody.
13. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a HC and a LC of a human antibody.
14. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a HC of an IgG molecule.
15. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 14 , wherein the IgG molecule is an IgG1 or IgG4 molecule.
16. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 15 , wherein the IgG molecule is an IgG4 molecule, and wherein the IgG4 has a S228P mutation.
17. The isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences further encode a HC constant region set forth as SEQ ID NO 422, and a light chain constant region set forth as SEQ ID NO: 418.
18. A vector or two vectors comprising the isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules of claim 1 .
19. The vector or two vectors of claim 18 , wherein the vector or two vectors are expression vector(s).
20. The vector or two vectors of claim 19 , wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules comprise nucleic acid sequences encoding a VH set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55 and a VL set forth as SEQ ID NO 54.
21. The vector or two vectors of claim 20 , wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules comprise nucleic acid sequences encoding the VH set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55 and a HC constant region set forth in SEQ ID NO: 422; and the VL set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54 and a LC constant region set forth as SEQ ID NO: 418.
22. The vector or two vectors of claim 21 , wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule or the set of nucleic acid molecules comprise a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 316 and a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 108.
23. A host cell comprising the vector or the two vectors of claim 18 .
24. The host cell according to claim 23 , wherein the host cell is selected from the group consisting of E. coli cells, simian COS cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, or myeloma cells.
25. The host cell of claim 24 , comprising the vector or the two vectors, which encode a VH set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55 and a VL set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54.
26. The host cell of claim 25 , comprising the vector or the two vectors, which encode the set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55 and a HC constant region set forth in SEQ ID NO: 422; and the VL set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54 and a LC constant region set forth as SEQ ID NO: 418.
27. A method of producing an antibody that binds human Galectin-9, the method comprising:
(i) culturing the host cell of claim 23 conditions allowing for expression of the antibody; and
(ii) harvesting the antibody thus produced from the cell culture.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the antibody comprises a VH set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55 and a VL set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the antibody comprises a heavy chain comprising the VH set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55 and a HC constant region set forth in SEQ ID NO: 422; and a light chain comprising the VL set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54 and a LC constant region set forth as SEQ ID NO: 418.
30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the antibody that binds human Galectin-9 comprises a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 316 and a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 108.