C7Mab-2: A novel monoclonal antibody against mouse CCR7 established by immunization of the extracellular loop domain

The chemokine receptors possess seven transmembrane helices connected by an extracellular N‐terminal region, three extracellular loops (ECL1–3), three intracellular loops, and an intracellular C‐terminal region. Specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against chemokine receptors for flow cytometry have been developed using Cell-Based Immunization and Screening, and the N-terminal peptide immunization methods. However, there are few reports on the establishment of anti-chemokine receptor mAbs through immunization with ECL peptides. Here, an anti-mouse C–C chemokine receptor type 7 (mCCR7) mAb, C7Mab-2 (rat immunoglobulin G2b, kappa), was established through immunization with the ECL3 peptide. C7Mab-2 demonstrated reactivity to mCCR7-overexpressed Chinese hamster ovary-K1 (CHO/mCCR7) cells in flow cytometry, which was inhibited by the ECL3 peptide. C7Mab-2 did not show cross-reactivity with other mouse CC, CXC, CX3C, and XC chemokine receptors. The dissociation constant value of C7Mab-2 was determined to be 2.8 × 10−9 M for CHO/mCCR7 cells. Furthermore, C7Mab-2 detected mCCR7 in immunohistochemistry. This strategy could accelerate the development of novel chemokine receptor mAbs with high affinity and specificity.
- Griffith JW, Sokol CL, Luster AD. Chemokines and chemokine receptors: Positioning cells for host defense and immunity. Annu Rev Immunol. 2014;32:659-702. doi: 10.1146/annurev-immunol-032713-120145
- Schulz O, Hammerschmidt SI, Moschovakis GL, Förster R. Chemokines and chemokine receptors in lymphoid tissue dynamics. Annu Rev Immunol. 2016;34:203-242. doi: 10.1146/annurev-immunol-041015-055649
- Allen SJ, Crown SE, Handel TM. Chemokine: Receptor structure, interactions, and antagonism. Annu Rev Immunol. 2007;25:787-820. doi: 10.1146/annurev.immunol.24.021605.090529
- Arimont M, Sun SL, Leurs R, Smit M, De Esch IJP, De Graaf C. Structural analysis of chemokine receptor-ligand interactions. J Med Chem. 2017;60(12):4735-4779. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b01309
- Kohli K, Pillarisetty VG, Kim TS. Key chemokines direct migration of immune cells in solid tumors. Cancer Gene Ther. 2022;29(1):10-21. doi: 10.1038/s41417-021-00303-x
- Hughes CE, Nibbs RJB. A guide to chemokines and their receptors. FEBS J. 2018;285(16):2944-2971. doi: 10.1111/febs.14466
- Han L, Zhang L. CCL21/CCR7 axis as a therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases. Int Immunopharmacol. 2023;121:110431. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110431
- Forster R, Davalos-Misslitz AC, Rot A. CCR7 and its ligands: Balancing immunity and tolerance. Nat Rev Immunol. 2008;8(5):362-371. doi: 10.1038/nri2297
- Cuesta-Mateos C, Terron F, Herling M. CCR7 in blood cancers - review of its pathophysiological roles and the potential as a therapeutic target. Front Oncol. 2021;11:736758. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.736758
- Brandum EP, Jorgensen AS, Rosenkilde MM, Hjorto GM. Dendritic cells and CCR7 expression: An important factor for autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, and cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(15):8340. doi: 10.3390/ijms22158340
- Bill CA, Allen CM, Vines CM. C-C chemokine receptor 7 in cancer. Cells. 2022;11(4):656. doi: 10.3390/cells11040656
- Alrumaihi F. The multi-functional roles of CCR7 in human immunology and as a promising therapeutic target for cancer therapeutics. Front Mol Biosci. 2022;9:834149. doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.834149
- Ji H, Hu C, Yang X, et al. Lymph node metastasis in cancer progression: Molecular mechanisms, clinical significance and therapeutic interventions. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2023;8(1):367. doi: 10.1038/s41392-023-01576-4
- Irino T, Takeuchi H, Matsuda S, et al. CC-chemokine receptor CCR7: A key molecule for lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. BMC Cancer. 2014;14:291. doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-291
- Mashino K, Sadanaga N, Yamaguchi H, et al. Expression of chemokine receptor CCR7 is associated with lymph node metastasis of gastric carcinoma. Cancer Res. 2002;62(10):2937-2941.
- Shi W, Zou R, Yang M, et al. Analysis of genes involved in ulcerative colitis activity and tumorigenesis through systematic mining of gene co-expression networks. Front Physiol. 2019;10:662. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00662
- Li K, Xu B, Xu G, Liu R. CCR7 regulates twist to induce the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Tumour Biol. 2016;37(1):419-424. doi: 10.1007/s13277-015-3819-y
- Wagner PL, Moo TA, Arora N, et al. The chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR7 are associated with tumor size and pathologic indicators of tumor aggressiveness in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2008;15(10):2833-2841. doi: 10.1245/s10434-008-0064-2
- Tsuzuki H, Takahashi N, Kojima A, et al. Oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas expressing CCR7 have poor prognoses. Auris Nasus Larynx. 2006;33(1):37-42. doi: 10.1016/j.anl.2005.07.019
- Basile J, Thiers B, Maize J Sr., Lathers DM. Chemokine receptor expression in non-melanoma skin cancer. J Cutan Pathol. 2008;35(7):623-629. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0560.2007.00879.x
- Muller A, Homey B, Soto H, et al. Involvement of chemokine receptors in breast cancer metastasis. Nature. 2001;410(6824):50-56. doi: 10.1038/35065016
- Li G, Tanaka T, Ouchida T, Kaneko MK, Suzuki H, Kato Y. Cx1Mab-1: A novel anti-mouse CXCR1 monoclonal antibody for flow cytometry. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2024;43:59-66. doi: 10.1089/mab.2023.0031
- Ouchida T, Isoda Y, Tanaka T, Kaneko MK, Suzuki H, Kato Y. Cx3Mab-4: A novel anti-mouse CXCR3 monoclonal antibody for flow cytometry. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2024;43:90-95. doi: 10.1089/mab.2023.0024
- Ouchida T, Suzuki H, Tanaka T, Kaneko MK, Kato Y. Cx4Mab-1: A novel anti-mouse CXCR4 monoclonal antibody for flow cytometry. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2023;43:10-16. doi: 10.1089/mab.2023.0023
- Ouchida T, Isoda Y, Nakamura T, et al. Establishment of a novel anti-mouse CCR1 monoclonal antibody C1Mab-6. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2024;43:67-74. doi: 10.1089/mab.2023.0032
- Asano T, Suzuki H, Tanaka T, et al. C3Mab-3: A monoclonal antibody for mouse CC chemokine receptor 3 for flow cytometry. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2022;41(2):74-79. doi: 10.1089/mab.2021.0062
- Suzuki H, Tanaka T, Li G, Ouchida T, Kaneko MK, Kato Y. Development of a sensitive anti-mouse CCR5 monoclonal antibody for flow cytometry. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2024;43(4):96-100. doi: 10.1089/mab.2024.0004
- Satofuka H, Suzuki H, Tanaka T, et al. A novel anti-mouse CCR7 monoclonal antibody, C7Mab-7, demonstrates high sensitivity in flow cytometry, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Biochem Biophys Rep. 2025;41:101948. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2025.101948
- Tanaka T, Nanamiya R, Takei J, et al. Development of anti-mouse CC chemokine receptor 8 monoclonal antibodies for flow cytometry. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2021;40(2):65-70. doi: 10.1089/mab.2021.0005
- Tanaka T, Li G, Asano T, et al. Development of a novel anti-mouse CCR2 monoclonal antibody (C2Mab-6) by n-terminal peptide immunization. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2022;41(2):80-86. doi: 10.1089/mab.2021.0063
- Asano T, Suzuki H, Goto N, Tanaka T, Kaneko MK, Kato Y. Establishment of Novel anti-mouse CCR3 monoclonal antibodies (C3Mab-6 and C3Mab-7) by n-terminal peptide immunization. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2022;41(2):94-100. doi: 10.1089/mab.2021.0065
- Takei J, Suzuki H, Asano T, Tanaka T, Kaneko MK, Kato Y. Development of a novel anti-mouse CCR4 monoclonal antibody (C4Mab-1) by n-terminal peptide immunization. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2022;41(2):87-93. doi: 10.1089/mab.2021.0064
- Asano T, Tanaka T, Suzuki H, et al. Development of a novel anti-mouse CCR6 monoclonal antibody (C6Mab-13) by n-terminal peptide immunization. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2022;41(6):343-349. doi: 10.1089/mab.2022.0021
- Kobayashi H, Asano T, Suzuki H, et al. Establishment of a sensitive monoclonal antibody against mouse CCR9 (C9Mab-24) for flow cytometry. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2023;42(1):15-21. doi: 10.1089/mab.2022.0032
- Ishikawa K, Suzuki H, Tanaka T, Kaneko MK, Kato Y. Establishment of a high-affinity anti-mouse CXCR5 monoclonal antibody for flow cytometry. MI. 2024;2(1):101-113. doi: 10.36922/mi.5664
- Kitamura K, Suzuki H, Kaneko MK, Kato Y. Cx6Mab-1: A novel anti-mouse CXCR6 monoclonal antibody established by n-terminal peptide immunization. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2022;41(3):133-141. doi: 10.1089/mab.2022.0010
- Hauser MA, Kindinger I, Laufer JM, et al. Distinct CCR7 glycosylation pattern shapes receptor signaling and endocytosis to modulate chemotactic responses. J Leukoc Biol. 2016;99(6):993-1007. doi: 10.1189/jlb.2VMA0915-432RR
- Isoda Y, Tanaka T, Suzuki H, et al. Epitope Mapping of an anti-mouse CXCR6 monoclonal antibody (Cx6Mab-1) using the 2 × alanine scanning method. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother. 2022;41(5):275-278. doi: 10.1089/mab.2022.0019
- Zheng Y, Qin L, Zacarías NV, et al. Structure of CC chemokine receptor 2 with orthosteric and allosteric antagonists. Nature. 2016;540(7633):458-461. doi: 10.1038/nature20605
- Oswald C, Rappas M, Kean J, et al. Intracellular allosteric antagonism of the CCR9 receptor. Nature. 2016;540(7633):462-465. doi: 10.1038/nature20606
- Tan Q, Zhu Y, Li J, et al. Structure of the CCR5 chemokine receptor-HIV entry inhibitor maraviroc complex. Science. 2013;341(6152):1387-1390. doi: 10.1126/science.1241475
- Qin L, Kufareva I, Holden LG, et al. Structural biology. Crystal structure of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in complex with a viral chemokine. Science. 2015;347(6226):1117-1122. doi: 10.1126/science.1261064
- Burg JS, Ingram JR, Venkatakrishnan AJ, et al. Structural biology. Structural basis for chemokine recognition and activation of a viral G protein-coupled receptor. Science. 2015;347(6226):1113-1117. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa5026
- Saha S, Sano FK, Sharma S, et al. Molecular basis of promiscuous chemokine binding and structural mimicry at the C-X-C chemokine receptor, CXCR2. Mol Cell. 2025;85:976-988.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.01.024
- Peng Q, Jiang H, Cheng X, et al. Cryo-EM structure and biochemical analysis of the human chemokine receptor CCR8. Biochemistry. 2024;63(15):1892-1900. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.4c00121
- Wang J, Chen G, Liao Q, et al. Cryo-EM structure of the human chemerin receptor 1-Gi protein complex bound to the C-terminal nonapeptide of chemerin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023;120(11):e2214324120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2214324120
- Ishimoto N, Park JH, Kawakami K, et al. Structural basis of CXC chemokine receptor 1 ligand binding and activation. Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):4107. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-39799-2
- Jaeger K, Bruenle S, Weinert T, et al. Structural basis for allosteric ligand recognition in the human CC chemokine receptor 7. Cell. 2019;178(5):1222-1230.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.07.028
- Sun D, Sun Y, Janezic E, et al. Structural basis of antibody inhibition and chemokine activation of the human CC chemokine receptor 8. Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):7940. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43601-8
- Salem A, Alotaibi M, Mroueh R, Basheer HA, Afarinkia K. CCR7 as a therapeutic target in Cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2021;1875(1):188499. doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188499
- Cunningham HD, Shannon LA, Calloway PA, et al. Expression of the C-C chemokine receptor 7 mediates metastasis of breast cancer to the lymph nodes in mice. Transl Oncol. 2010;3(6):354-361. doi: 10.1593/tlo.10178
- Takekoshi T, Fang L, Paragh G, Hwang ST. CCR7-expressing B16 melanoma cells downregulate interferon-γ-mediated inflammation and increase lymphangiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment. Oncogenesis. 2012;1(5):e9. doi: 10.1038/oncsis.2012.9
- Wang Z, Kirkwood KL, Wang Y, et al. Analysis of the effect of CCR7 on the microenvironment of mouse oral squamous cell carcinoma by single-cell RNA sequencing technology. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2024;43(1):94. doi: 10.1186/s13046-024-03013-y