RenMab™ Mouse

RenMab™: Fully Human Antibody Mouse

Humanized mouse model is a preferred mean to produce fully-human antibodies for therapeutics discovery. Mice that have endogenous antibody genes (heavy and light chains) replaced with human antibody genes can be used to develop humanized antibodies in just one step.

Biocytogen’s RenMab™ Mouse is an antibody-humanized mouse with the most complete antibody genes replacement in the world, which has been designed to greatly simplified and derisk antibody development process. In the RenMab™ Mouse, the parts of the genes that encode for antibody variable domains of H and κ chains are replaced in situ by human sequences using a unique chromosome engineering technique, while the constant domains and critical regulatory elements remain murine. The length and integrity of humanized antibody genes replacement in the RenMab™ Mouse significantly outperform other existing models. The RenMab™ Mouse has normal immune system development comparable to that of the wild-type mouse. Because of the higher diversity of its antibody genes, the RenMab™ Mouse has a higher potential for antibody drug development. The RenMab^™ Mouse is the ideal platform for researchers to antibody drugs with strong specificity, high affinity, and diversity.

Features and Advantages

1. In situ gene replacement ensures that the antibody gene pattern of the RenMab™ Mouse is highly consistent with that of humans

The RenMab™ Mouse was designed and developed based on Biocytogen’s unique chromosome engineering technique. In this model, the parts of the genes that encode for antibody variable domains of heavy and κ light chains are replaced by human sequences.

H chain: The genes (about 2.6 Mb in length) that encode for murine antibody variable domains were replaced with the human variable domains (about 1 Mb in length, containing all human V/D/J antibody genes, Figure 1A).

κ light chain: Genes that encode for the variable domains of human κ light chain have two copies in opposite directions, namely proximal V cluster and distant V cluster. The coding region of the proximal V cluster is intact, which is frequently selected for antibody gene replacement in other humanized mouse models. Although the distant V cluster lacks the C gene and is considered to be a pseudogene, V and J genes are still potentially functional. We replaced the genes (about 3.2 Mb in length) that encode for murine antibody variable domains with the human variable domains (about 1.6 Mb in length) containing the two opposite-direction gene copies (Figure 1B).

Figure 1. Schematic of humanization in the RenMab™ mouse

2. Accurate humanization ensures that the RenMab™ Mouse has a completely developed immune system comparable to the wild-type mouse

A complete analysis of the immune organs and tissues showed that the RenMab™ Mouse is highly comparable to the wild-type mouse. There is no significant difference in spleen weight between the RenMab™ Mouse and the wild-type mouse. The numbers, differentiation and maturation patterns of immune cells, including B cells, T cells, and NK cells, are also highly comparable between the RenMab™ Mouse and the wild-type mouse (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Distribution of immune cells in the spleen and lymph nodes

3. The high diversity of antibody gene expression significantly boosts the abundance of antibody drug development

The RenMab™ Mouse contains full-length sequences of genes that encode for human antibody variable H and κ light chains domains, and can, therefore, express more diverse antibody molecules than other commercially available humanized mouse models. The components of different antibody isotypes in the serum of the RenMab™ Mouse are nearly the same as those of the wild-type mouse (Figure 3). The genes that encode for human antibody variable domains in the RenMab™ Mouse can be widely used, with a diversity of VDJ recombination. Taken together, the RenMab™ Mouse can produce even more therapeutic antibodies, which facilitates the development of antibody drugs.

Figure 3. Isotype determination of antibodies in serum

Validation Data

1) The genes that encode for human antibody variable domains are highly intact

At the DNA level, antibody genes of the RenMab™ Mouse were comprehensively examined by PCR-sequencing techniques. Our data indicate that the RenMab™ Mouse has intact sequences of human antibody genes.

2) Normal development of the immune system

An extensive examination revealed that there is no significant difference in immune organ development between the RenMab™ Mouse and the wild-type mouse. The numbers, differentiation and maturation patterns of immune cells, including B cells, T cells, NK cells, and DC cells, are also highly comparable between the RenMab™ Mouse and the wild-type mouse.

3) The diversity of antibody genes expression

Using Sanger and Next-Generation Sequencing to detect antibody gene expression levels, we found that the utilization of these genes for V/D/J region of the H chain and V/J region of the κ chain by B cells is highly diverse. The utilization of these genes for V/D/J region in the RenMab™ Mouse is similar to that in humans.

4) The diversity of VDJ recombination

Sequencing data showed that the VDJ recombination in B cells is correct and diverse.

5) The diversity of heavy chain CDR3 length

Statistical analysis of the gene sequence for the CDR3 region of the heavy chain in the RenMab™ Mouse showed that this region has a remarkable length polymorphism. The length of the CDR3 region spans between 6-27 amino acid residues, with the highest frequency between 13-18 amino acid residues.

6) The amino acid composition and utilization of the CDR3 heavy chain region of the RenMab™ mouse is highly similar to that of humans

7) High-frequency somatic hypermutation

DNA sequencing and alignment showed that RenMab™ Mouse antibody genes produce high-frequency somatic hypermutations. The number and location of somatic hypermutations are normal.

8) Normal immune response to antigens

Compared with the non-immunized group, IgG and IgM levels in the serum of the RenMab™ Mouse were significantly upregulated upon immunostimulation by a variety of antigens, indicating that the immune response level of the RenMab™ Mouse is normal.

9) Normal immunoglobulin isotype switching

IgA, IgM, IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3 immunoglobulin isotypes were detected in the RenMab™ Mouse by ELISA, and the components of these isotypes are consistent between the RenMab™ Mouse and the wild-type mouse.

10) Superior antibody specificity and affinity

The fully-human antibody developed from the RenMab™ Mouse has high antigen specificity, and affinity measurements have shown that this antibody can bind antigen at the nmol-pmol level. The RenMab™ Mouse has great potential for developing therapeutic antibodies with high specificity and affinity.

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