A bispecific, single-chain antibody Fv fragment (Bs-scFv) was constructed from a single-chain Fv fragment of mAb 3E10 that penetrates living cells and localizes in the nucleus, and a single-chain Fv fragment of a non-penetrating antibody, mAb PAb421 that binds the C-terminal of p53. PAb421 binding restores wild-type functions of some p53 mutants, including those of SW480 human colon cancer cells. The Bs-scFv penetrated SW480 cells and was cytotoxic, suggesting an ability to restore activity to mutant p53. COS-7 cells (monkey kidney cells with wild-type p53) served as a control since they are unresponsive to PAb421 due to the presence of SV40 large T antigen that inhibits binding of PAb421 to p53. Bs-scFv penetrated COS-7 cells but was not cytotoxic, thereby eliminating non-specific toxicity of Bs-scFv unrelated to binding p53. A single mutation in CDR1 of PAb421 VH eliminated binding of the Bs-scFv to p53 and abrogated cytotoxicity for SW480 cells without altering cellular penetration, further supporting the requirement of PAb421 binding to p53 for cytotoxicity. Our study demonstrates the use of an antibody that penetrates living cells in the design of a bispecific single chain antibody to target and restore the function of an intracellular protein.

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