Anti-alpha(v)beta(6) antibodies and uses thereof

摘要

The present invention is in the fields of cell biology, immunology and oncology. The invention provides humanized antibodies that recognize alpha_vbeta₆ integrins, which antibodies comprise a variable region of nonhuman origin and at least a portion of an immunoglobulin of human origin. The invention also provides methods for preparation of such antibodies, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, and methods of treating, diagnosing and/or preventing various diseases and disorders by administering the humanized anti-alpha_vbeta₆ antibodies of the invention. The invention also relates to the identification of differential expression of the integrin alpha_vbeta₆ on the surfaces of tumor cells and tissues, the use of this differential expression in determining the metastatic potential of tumor cells, and methods of diagnosis and treatment/prevention of tumor metastasis and for elimination of residual metastatic tumor cells using ligands, particularly antibodies, that bind to integrin alpha_vbeta₆.