Methods of making a nucleic acid encoding a human variable region

• US 10,378,037 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Inventors: Murphy, Andrew J., Yancopoulos, George D., Karow, Margaret, Macdonald, Lynn, Stevens, Sean, Economides, Aris N., Valenzuela, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Anoop K
• Application Number:
  US14/035,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20140023637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,149 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2207/15 Humanized animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2217/05 Animals comprising random inserted nucleic acids (transgenic)
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2227/105 Murine
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2267/01 Animal expressing industrially exogenous proteins
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 67/0275 Genetically modified vertebrates, e.g. transgenic
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 67/0278 Knock-in vertebrates, e.g. humanised vertebrates
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/00 Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies antibodies with enzymatic activity, e.g. abzymes C12N9/0002
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/28 against receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/462 Igs containing a variable region (Fv) from one specie and a constant region (Fc) from another
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/10 characterized by their source of isolation or production
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/21 from primates, e.g. man
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/24 containing regions, domains or residues from different species, e.g. chimeric, humanized or veneered
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/51 Complete heavy chain or Fd fragment, i.e. VH + CH1
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/515 Complete light chain, i.e. VL + CL
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/56 variable (Fv) region, i.e. VH and/or VL
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/67 General methods for enhancing the expression
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/85 for animal cells
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8509 for producing genetically modified animals, e.g. transgenic
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/902 using homologous recombination
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/907 in mammalian cells
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2800/204 : of bacterial origin, e.g. BAC
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 21/00 : Preparation of peptides or proteins single cell protein C12N1/00

Abstract

A method for engineering and utilizing large DNA vectors to target, via homologous recombination, and modify, in any desirable fashion, endogenous genes and chromosomal loci in eukaryotic cells. These large DNA targeting vectors for eukaryotic cells, termed LTVECs, are derived from fragments of cloned genomic DNA larger than those typically used by other approaches intended to perform homologous targeting in eukaryotic cells. Also provided is a rapid and convenient method of detecting eukaryotic cells in which the LTVEC has correctly targeted and modified the desired endogenous gene(s) or chromosomal locus (loci) as well as the use of these cells to generate organisms bearing the genetic modification.

Claims

1. A method of producing a nucleic acid encoding a human immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region, the method comprising:

(a) providing a transgenic mouse whose genome comprises in its germline unrearranged human immunoglobulin heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments, wherein the unrearranged human heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments in situ replace mouse endogenous immunoglobulin heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments, and the unrearranged human immunoglobulin heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments are operably linked to an endogenous mouse heavy chain constant region gene, wherein the mouse heavy chain constant region gene is located at an endogenous mouse immunoglobulin heavy chain constant region locus, wherein rearrangement of the human heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments in the mouse results in a rearranged human heavy chain variable region gene linked to the mouse heavy chain constant region gene, wherein the mouse in response to an antigen produces a hybrid antibody that comprises a human heavy chain variable region encoded by the rearranged human heavy chain variable region gene and a mouse heavy chain constant region encoded by the mouse heavy chain constant region gene, wherein the mouse heavy chain constant region gene encodes a Fc region, and wherein the mouse does not produce fully human antibodies;

(b) stimulating an immune response in the mouse by exposing the mouse to an antigen;

(c) preparing a hybridoma expressing the hybrid antibody from the spleen of the mouse stimulated by the antigen in step (b); and

(d) isolating DNA encoding the human heavy chain variable region of the hybrid antibody from the hybridoma of step (c).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein mouse V segments are present upstream of the unrearranged human heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the endogenous immunoglobulin enhancer Eμ

remains intact upstream of the mouse heavy chain immunoglobulin constant region gene.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein mouse V segments are present upstream of the unrearranged human heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the DNA encoding the human heavy chain variable region of the antibody is isolated in step (d) by PCR amplification or cDNA cloning.

6. A method of producing a nucleic acid encoding a human immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region, the method comprising:

(a) providing a transgenic mouse whose genome comprises in its germline unrearranged human immunoglobulin heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments, wherein the unrearranged human heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments in situ replace mouse endogenous immunoglobulin heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments, and the unrearranged human immunoglobulin heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments are operably linked to an endogenous mouse heavy chain constant region gene, wherein the mouse heavy chain constant region gene is located at an endogenous mouse immunoglobulin heavy chain constant region locus, wherein rearrangement of the human heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments in the mouse results in a rearranged human heavy chain gene linked to the mouse heavy chain constant region gene, wherein the mouse in response to an antigen produces a hybrid antibody that comprises a human heavy chain variable region encoded by the rearranged human heavy chain variable region gene and a mouse heavy chain constant region encoded by the mouse heavy chain constant region gene, wherein the mouse heavy chain constant region gene encodes a Fc region, and wherein the mouse does not produce fully human antibodies;

(b) stimulating an immune response in the mouse by exposing the mouse to an antigen; and

(c) isolating DNA encoding the human heavy chain variable region of the hybrid antibody from the mouse stimulated by the antigen in step (b).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein mouse V segments are present upstream of the unrearranged human heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the endogenous immunoglobulin enhancer Eμ

remains intact upstream of the mouse heavy chain immunoglobulin constant region gene.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein mouse V segments are present upstream of the unrearranged human heavy chain V, D, and J gene segments.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the DNA encoding the human heavy chain variable region of the antibody is isolated in step (c) by PCR amplification or cDNA cloning.