Antibody association with HER-2/neu-targeted vaccine enhances CD8 T cell responses in mice through Fc-mediated activation of DCs

The pathogenic nature of cancer is attributed, at least in part, to the ability of tumors cells to induce systemic and local mechanisms of immune tolerance. However, we previously reported that tumor-free survival in up to 100% of tolerized HER-2/neu transgenic mice can be achieved by administration of neu-specific mAb concurrently with a HER-2/neu-expressing, GM-CSF-secreting whole cell vaccine. In this report, we show that one mechanism of improved antitumor activity induced by the combination of these 2 neu-targeted interventions was enhanced Fc-mediated activation of APCs. Specifically, in vivo studies demonstrated localization of radiolabeled neu-specific mAb at the vaccine site. Subsequently, increased accumulation of neu-specific mAb at the vaccine-draining lymph node correlated with increased vaccine cell uptake by DCs in vivo. This led to enhancement of CD8(+) neu-specific T cell function in terms of proliferation, cytokine production, and central memory development. Thus, the administration of a neu-specific mAb with a neu-targeted GM-CSF-secreting tumor vaccine enhanced induction of neu-specific CD8(+) T cells through Fc-mediated activation of DCs. This multimodality attack on the same tumor antigen may have the potential to overcome tolerance to self antigens and weaken the immunosuppressive networks within the tumor microenvironment.     

Level of HER-2/neu protein expression in breast cancer may affect the development of endogenous HER-2/neu-specific immunity

We questioned whether the incidence or magnitude of the humoral or cellular immune response to the self-tumor antigen HER-2/neu is influenced by the level of HER-2/neu protein overexpression as defined by immunohistochemical staining of tumors in breast cancer patients. We obtained peripheral blood from 104 women with stage II, III, and IV pathologically confirmed HER-2/neu-overexpressing breast cancer. Patients were categorized with +1 (n = 14), +2 (n = 20), or +3 (n = 70) HER-2/neu overexpression by institutional pathologic report. Circulating antibodies to HER-2/neu were evaluated using ELISA. T-cell responses to HER-2/neu were measured using an antigen-specific tritiated thymidine incorporation assay. Eighty-two percent of subjects with HER-2/neu antibodies were +3 overexpressors compared with 18% +2 overexpressors and 0% +1 overexpressors, a highly significant difference (P < 0.001), and there were significant differences in the magnitude of the HER-2/neu-specific antibodies between groups with varying HER-2/neu protein expression (P = 0.022). In addition, 65% of subjects with HER-2/neu-specific T cells were +3 overexpressors compared with 16% +2 overexpressors and 19% +1 overexpressors (P = 0.001). Data presented here indicate that endogenous HER-2/neu-specific humoral and T-cell immunity is greater in patients with +3 protein overexpression in their tumors than in patients with lower levels of HER-2/neu expression. Overexpression of a self-tumor-associated protein is a potential mechanism by which immunogenicity is enhanced and may aid in the identification of biologically relevant proteins to target for immune-based molecular cancer therapies.     

三羟异黄酮对HER-2/neu过度表达乳腺癌裸鼠移植瘤血管生成的抑制作用

背景血管生成是判断肿瘤预后的一个重要标志.原癌基因HER-2/neu高表达乳腺癌患者预后不良,大量研究资料表明三羟异黄酮对乳腺癌有抗癌作用.目的探讨乳腺癌HER-2/neu表达状态与血管生成的关系,以及三羟异黄酮对HER-2/neu过度表达乳腺癌血管生成的影响.设计以实验动物为研究对象,随机对照观察研究.单位一所军医大学营养与食品卫生学教研室.材料20只健康雌性BALB/c裸小鼠,SPF级,体质量(10±2)g,鼠龄3～4周,购自第三军医大学实验动物中心.方法实验于2001-06/2002-03在第三军医大学营养与食品卫生学教研室完成.HER-2/neu表达阴性的乳腺癌MCF-7细胞通过转染HER-2/neu基因建立HER-2/neu过度表达的MCF-7细胞(命名为MCF-7/HER-2细胞),建立MCF-7和MCF-7/HER-2细胞BALB/c裸鼠移植瘤模型.4周后,MCF-7/HER-2细胞移植瘤裸鼠随机分为3组对照组,三羟异黄酮处理组和抗HER-2/neu抗体处理组.3周后处死动物,切下移植瘤,检测肿瘤体积、微血管密度和血管内皮生长因子表达.主要观察指标主要结局裸鼠移植瘤微血管密度(microvessel density,MVD)及血管内皮生长因子(vasular endothelial growthfactor,VEGF).次要结局①MCF-7细胞转染HER-2/neu的鉴定.②裸鼠移植瘤体积.结果MCF-7细胞移植瘤组、MCF-7/HER-2细胞移植瘤对照组、三羟异黄酮处理组、HER-2/neu抗体处理组微血管密度分别为(16±6),(98±21),(56±18),(52±19)个/视野.MCF-7/HER-2细胞移植瘤的微血管密度和血管内皮生长因子水平显著高于MCF-7细胞移植瘤,而三羟异黄酮和抗HER-2/neu抗体处理明显降低MCF-7/HER-2细胞移植瘤的微血管密度和血管内皮生长因子水平,移植瘤体积变化特点与微血管密度和血管内皮生长因子水平变化类似.结论乳腺癌过度表达HER-2/neu促进血管生成,而三羟异黄酮能抑制HER-2/neu过度表达乳腺癌的血管生成,这有助于改善乳腺癌的预后.     

HER-2/neu胞外配体第2结构域致敏的DC与CIK共培养对高表达HER-2/neu乳腺癌细胞杀伤作用的研究

目的探讨HER-2/neu胞外配体第2结构域(RLD2)作为肿瘤疫苗在抗乳腺癌免疫中的作用。方法纯化出目的蛋白HER-2/neu胞外配体第2结构域,同时选取10例经免疫组化证实为HER-2/neu阳性的乳腺癌,用RLD2分别负荷这10名患者外周血来源的树突状细胞(DC),再诱导抗原特异的细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞(CIK),将DC与C IK共培养,研究其对HER-2/neu阳性、阴性肿瘤细胞株和自体乳腺癌细胞杀伤活性的作用。结果RLD2诱导的特异性CIK对HER-2/neu阳性肿瘤细胞SKBR-3以及自体乳腺癌细胞的杀伤活性,较之单独CIK组更高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);RLD2诱导的特异性C IK对HER-2/neu阴性细胞MDA-435的杀伤活性与单独C IK组之间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论负载RLD2的DCs诱导的C IK对HER-2/neu阳性肿瘤细胞以及自体乳腺癌肿瘤有特异性杀伤能力,RLD2可能成为新型肿瘤疫苗应用于临床乳腺癌免疫治疗。     

Adenovirus-mediated ribozyme targeting of HER-2/neu inhibits in vivo growth of breast cancer cells

HER-2/neu is overexpressed in 25-30% of human breast cancers. We prepared an anti-HER-2/neu hammerhead ribozyme expressed by a recombinant adenovirus (rAdHER-Rz). Human breast cancer cell lines were transduced with high efficiency, resulting in decreased HER-2/neu expression. In vivo injections of rAdHER-Rz into BT-474 tumors established in nude mice inhibited tumor growth to 20% of mock-treated controls. Similar in vivo effects were shown in MCF-7 cells, which do not overexpress HER-2/neu. The growth inhibitory effects of rAdHER-Rz were greater than those of an antisense-expressing vector. These results suggest the utility of anti-HER-2/neu ribozymes as a rational strategy for gene therapy of breast cancer. Gene Therapy (2000) 7, 241-248.     

Combined allogeneic tumor cell vaccination and systemic interleukin 12 prevents mammary carcinogenesis in HER-2/neu transgenic mice.

Transgenic Balb/c mice expressing the transforming rat HER-2/neu oncogene develop early and multifocal mammary carcinomas. Within the first 5 months of life the tissue-specific expression of HER-2/neu causes a progression in all their 10 mammary glands from atypical hyperplasia to invasive carcinoma. It was previously observed that chronic administration of interleukin (IL)-12 increased tumor latency, but every mouse eventually succumbed to multiple carcinomas. A significant improvement in tumor prevention was sought by administering allogeneic mammary carcinoma cells expressing HER-2/neu combined with systemic IL-12. This treatment reduced tumor incidence by 90% and more than doubled mouse lifetime. For the maximum prevention p185(neu) antigen must be expressed by allogeneic cells. IL-12 treatment strongly increased the cell vaccine efficacy. The mammary glands of mice receiving the combined treatment displayed a markedly reduced epithelial cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and HER-2/neu expression, while the few hyperplastic foci were heavily infiltrated by granulocytes, macrophages, and CD8(+) lymphocytes. Specific anti-HER-2/neu antibodies were produced and a nonpolarized activation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells secreting IL-4 and interferon (IFN)-gamma were evident. A central role for IFN-gamma in the preventive effect was proven by the lack of efficacy of vaccination in IFN-gamma gene knockout HER-2/neu transgenic Balb/c mice. A possible requirement for IFN-gamma is related to its effect on antibody production, in particular on IgG2a and IgG2b subclasses, that were not induced in IFN-gamma knockout HER-2/neu mice. In conclusion, our data show that an allogeneic HER-2/neu-expressing cell vaccine combined with IL-12 systemic treatment can prevent the onset of genetically determined tumors.     

Antitumor efficacy of trastuzumab in nude mice orthotopically xenografted with human pancreatic tumor cells expressing low levels of HER-2/neu

The monoclonal antibody trastuzumab binds to the extracellular domain of HER-2/neu and induces clinical responses in breast tumors with HER-2 gene amplification and/or protein overexpression. Its role in other tumor types remains to be investigated. We evaluated the antitumor efficacy of trastuzumab in vitro and in nude mice implanted orthotopically with cells of 3 human pancreatic tumor lines expressing only low levels of HER-2/neu, as determined by flow cytometry. Although none of the 3 cell lines showed growth inhibition when cultured directly with trastuzumab, 2 of them, GER and PaCa3, were sensitive to lysis in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity assay. This pattern of response was recapitulated in tumor-bearing mice repeatedly treated with trastuzumab, in which survival was significantly prolonged as compared with controls (P=0.03 for GER and 0.0008 for PaCa3). Incidence of metastases was also reduced, especially in liver. These preclinical results indicate that trastuzumab can exert an antitumor effect against orthotopic human pancreatic cancer xenografts with low-level HER-2/neu expression and that this effect correlates with the in vitro antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity susceptibility, suggesting a different role for HER-2/neu in the therapy of tumor types other than breast cancer.     

Induction of ErbB-2/neu-specific protective and therapeutic antitumor immunity using genetically modified dendritic cells: enhanced efficacy by cotransduction of gene encoding IL-12

Overexpression of ErbB-2/neu occurs in 20-30% of patients with breast cancer and indicates a poor prognosis. The presence of a detectable immune response to ErbB-2/neu in some patients suggests that this oncogene may be a useful target for vaccine therapy. We evaluated whether genetic immunization using dendritic cells (DC) transduced ex vivo with an adenovirus expressing the ErbB-2/neu gene (AdNeuTK) could induce protective and therapeutic immunity against a breast tumor cell line overexpressing ErbB-2/neu. Subcutaneous (s.c.) immunization with the DC vaccine elicited protective immunity in an average of 60% of animals. CTL analysis demonstrated specific cytotoxic activity against breast tumor cells, as well as syngeneic fibroblasts transduced with AdNeuTK. In vivo depletion studies demonstrated both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were required. In a therapeutic setting, immunization with the DC vaccines could cure mice with pre-established tumors and efficacy was further enhanced by cotransducing DCs with a vector expressing murine IL-12 (AdmIL-12). These studies support DC vaccines as a therapeutic strategy for human breast cancer, while emphasizing the importance of optimizing an immune response by combining tumor antigen presentation with immunostimulatory cytokines.     

Circulating levels of HER-2/neu oncoprotein in breast cancer

HER-2/neu, also known as c-erbB-2/neu, is an oncogene located in chromosome 17 which encodes HER-2/neu, a transmembrane protein belonging to the EGFR family. The external domain of this protein is released by the cell and can be studied in serum by immunoassay. HER-2/neu in serum is a specific tumor marker and only slight elevations may be found in the absence of malignancy, mainly in association with liver diseases. Likewise, the highest concentrations of this oncoprotein are found in patients with breast cancer, but lower concentrations may be found in other malignancies, particularly ovarian, prostate and lung cancer (mainly adenocarcinomas). HER-2/neu assay sensitivity in patients with untreated primary loco-regional breast cancer is <10% and seems to be related to overexpression in tissue as well as to the most important prognostic factors: tumor size and nodal involvement. Serial HER-2/neu determinations after surgery seem to be useful in the early diagnosis of recurrence, mainly in patients with HER-2/neu overexpression in tissue, but additional studies are necessary to confirm these results. HER-2/neu sensitivity (proportion of patients with abnormal values) in patients with metastasis is around 40%-45%, with a clear relationship to tissue overexpression and to site (higher in visceral metastases) and number of metastases. The clinical utility of HER-2/neu in patients with advanced disease is mainly for therapeutic monitoring. Likewise, in most of the studies published, a relationship has been found between serum HER-2/neu levels (either pretreatment or at follow-up) with tumor response.     

A novel dendritic cell-based immunization approach for the induction of durable Th1-polarized anti-HER-2/neu responses in women with early breast cancer

Twenty-seven patients with HER-2/neu overexpressing ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast were enrolled in a neoadjuvant immunization trial for safety and immunogenicity of DC1-polarized dendritic cells (DC1) pulsed with 6 HER-2/neu promiscuous major histocompatibility complex class II-binding peptides and 2 additional human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2.1 class I-binding peptides. DC1 were generated with interferon-γ and a special clinical-grade bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) and administered directly into groin lymph nodes 4 times at weekly intervals before scheduled surgical resection of ductal carcinoma in situ. Patients were monitored for the induction of new or enhanced antipeptide reactivity by interferon-γ ELISPOT and enzyme-linked immunosorbentassays performed on Th cells obtained from peripheral blood or excised sentinel lymph nodes. Responses by cytotoxic T lymphocyte against HLA-A2.1-binding peptides were measured using peptide-pulsed T2 target cells or HER-2/neu-expressing or nonexpressing tumor cell lines. DC1 showed surface phenotype indistinct from "gold standard" inflammatory cocktail-activated DC, but displayed a number of distinguishing functional characteristics including the secretion of soluble factors and enhanced "killer DC" capacity against tumor cells in vitro. Postimmunization, we observed sensitization of Th cells to at least 1 class II peptide in 22 of 25 (88%; 95% exact confidence interval, 68.8%-97.5%) evaluable patients, whereas 11 of 13 (84.6%; 95% exact confidence interval, 64%-99.8%) HLA-A2.1 patients were successfully sensitized to class I peptides. Perhaps most importantly, anti-HER-2/neu peptide responses were observed up to 52-month postimmunization. These data show that even in the presence of early breast cancer such DC1 are potent inducers of durable type I-polarized immunity, suggesting potential clinical value for development of cancer immunotherapy.     

The clinical significance between activation of nuclear factor kappa B transcription factor and overexpression of HER-2/neu oncoprotein in Taiwanese patients with breast cancer

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the role of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity in human breast cancer with overexpression of HER-2/neu oncoprotein, as well as its role on expression of different histological grades of cancer cells taken from Taiwanese breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specimens were collected from 82 female breast cancer patients. The HER-2/neu oncoprotein was measured by immunohistochemistry. NF-kappaB activity expression was assessed by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and confirmed by the supershift technique using anti-P65 antibody in both breast cancer tissue and the adjacent normal tissue. The histological grades were measured by Modified Bloom-Richardson Grading Scheme. RESULTS: Of the 82 cancer specimens, 81 (98.7%) showed higher or equal expressions of NF-kappaB activity when compared to the adjacent normal tissue. Fifty-five cases (67.1%) had higher levels of NF-kappaB activity in the cancerous tissue than in the adjacent normal tissue (p<0.005). With regard to tumor size, steroid receptors, stages, histological types, and node status, there were no statistically significant differences in NF-kappaB activity between cancerous tissues and adjacent normal tissues. However, significantly higher expressions of NF-kappaB activity were seen in those cases with positive HER2/neu oncoprotein, poorly differentiated histological grades, high nuclear pleomorphisms, and high mitotic counts (p<0.05). Positive HER-2/neu overexpression of oncoprotein had higher NF-kappaB activity (86%) than negative overexpression (60%) (p<0.05). It has been shown that the NF-kappaB activity increases in the HER-2/neu oncoprotein overexpression in human breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of HER-2/neu gene could induce NF-kappaB activity in human breast cancer cells, as has been confirmed in other research on cell lines.     

Immunization with a HER-2/neu helper peptide vaccine generates HER-2/neu CD8 T-cell immunity in cancer patients

CD4 T-cell help is required during the generation and maintenance of effective antitumor CD8 T cell-mediated immunity. The goal of this study was to determine whether HER-2/neu-specific CD8 T-cell immunity could be elicited using HER-2/neu-derived MHC class II "helper" peptides, which contain encompassed HLA-A2-binding motifs. Nineteen HLA-A2 patients with HER-2/neu-overexpressing cancers received a vaccine preparation consisting of putative HER-2/neu helper peptides p369-384, p688-703, and p971-984. Contained within these sequences are the HLA-A2-binding motifs p369-377, p689-697, and p971-979. After vaccination, the mean peptide-specific T-cell precursor frequency to the HLA-A2 peptides increased in the majority of patients. In addition, the peptide-specific T cells were able to lyse tumors. The responses were long-lived and detectable for more than 1 year after the final vaccination in select patients. These results demonstrate that HER-2/neu MHC class II epitopes containing encompassed MHC class I epitopes are able to induce long-lasting HER-2-specific IFN-gamma-producing CD8 T cells.     

Serum HER-2/neu in the management of breast cancer patients

The clinical role of HER-2/neu, a 185 kD epithelial transmembranous protein, has evolved after the approval of the anti-HER-2/neu targeted monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) for the therapy of metastatic breast cancer. The extracellular domain of HER-2/neu undergoes proteolytic cleavage from the full-length protein by metalloproteases, and is shed into the blood as a circulating antigen. While HER-2/neu gene amplification and/or protein overexpression are detected in approximately 25% of primary breast cancers, serum HER-2/neu levels are elevated beyond the upper limit of normal in 50 to 60% of stage IV breast cancer patients. HER-2/neu in serum can be detected by enzyme immunoassays (manual and automated versions). It has been shown to have prognostic and predictive information in breast cancer patients. Monitoring for recurrence by serum HER-2/neu reaches a high sensitivity for HER-2/neu positive tumors. Longitudinal follow-up of patients during any kind of systemic therapy allows for monitoring of the therapeutic success. When utilized in these applications, serum HER-2/neu testing is complementary to HER-2/neu tissue results and to the determination of classical tumor markers such as CA 15-3, CA 27.29 and CEA, which are not targeted by specific forms of systemic therapy.     

HER-2/neu在上皮性卵巢癌中的表达及其临床意义

目的：研究HER-2／neu在上皮性卵巢癌患者中的表达情况及其临床意义。方法：应用免疫组织化学SP法检测52例上皮性卵巢癌、10例卵巢交界性肿瘤、10例卵巢良性上皮性肿瘤中HER-2蛋白的表达情况。结果：上皮性卵巢癌中的HER-2阳性表达率显著高于卵巢良性上皮性肿瘤及卵巢交界性肿瘤，差异有显著性（P=0．045）。HER-2／neu蛋白在不同组织学类型、病理分级及临床分期上皮性卵巢癌中的表达差异无显著性（P〉0．05）。HER-2／neu蛋白阳性组平均生存时间短于阴性组（16．9个月vs40．7个月），经Log Rank检验，差异有显著性（P=0．005）。结论：HER-2／neu蛋白的过表达可能在上皮性卵巢癌的发生和发展中起一定作用，且与上皮性卵巢癌患者的不良预后相关．显著缩短患者术后生存时间。是上皮性卵巢癌患者的不良预后因素。[     

Differential immune responses mediated by adenovirus- and lentivirus-transduced DCs in a HER-2/neu overexpressing tumor model

Recent investigations have demonstrated that adenoviral and lentiviral vectors encoding HER-2 can be utilized in cancer immunotherapy. However, it is not known whether both viral systems elicit a similar immune response. Here, we compare the immune response in mice induced by dendritic cells (DCs) infected with either recombinant adenovirus or lentivirus encoding rat HER-2 (rHER-2). Both vaccine types yielded similar control of tumor growth, but we found clear differences in their immune responses 10 days after DC immunization. Adenovirus rHER-2-transduced DCs elicited locally and systemically high frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, while lentivirus rHER-2-transduced DCs predominantly led to CD4+ T-cell infiltration at the tumor site. Splenocytes from mice immunized with lentivirus rHER-2-transduced DCs secreted higher levels of interferon (IFN)-γ, mainly by CD4+ T cells, following stimulation by RM-1-mHER-2 tumors. In contrast, the adenovirus vaccinated group exhibited CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that both contributed to IFN-γ production. Besides an established cellular immune response, the rHER-2/DC vaccine elicited a significant humoral response that was highest in the adenovirus group. DC subsets and regulatory T cells in the spleen were also differentially modulated in the two vaccine systems. Finally, adoptive transfer of splenocytes from both groups of immunized mice strongly inhibited in vivo tumor growth. Our results suggest that not only the target antigen but also the virus system may determine the nature and magnitude of antitumor immunity by DC vaccination.     

The immunocytokine scFv23/TNF sensitizes HER-2/neu-overexpressing SKBR-3 cells to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) via up-regulation of TNF receptor-1

Overexpression of HER-2/neu confers cellular resistance to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated cytotoxicity to SKBR-3 breast cancer cell lines. To understand the correlation between HER-2/neu expression and TNF resistance, we examined the unique signaling pathways associated with the cytotoxic effects of the immunocytokine scFv23/TNF, recombinant single-chain antibody fusion constructs containing TNF and targeting HER-2/neu, in TNF-resistant SKBR-3-LP cells. We found that treatment of HER-2/neu-overexpressing SKBR-3-LP cells with scFv23/TNF resulted in a 5- to 7-fold higher level of TNF receptor-1 expression 48 hours after exposure. In addition, treatment of SKBR-3-LP cells with scFv23/TNF resulted in down-regulation of Akt phosphorylation and induced apoptosis through cleavage of caspase-8, caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. ScFv23/TNF-induced cytotoxicity was inhibited by blocking of the binding of the TNF component of scFv23/TNF to TNF receptor-1 and was dependent on activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3. These results indicate that the immunocytokine scFv23/TNF sensitizes TNF-resistant HER-2/neu-overexpressing SKBR-3-LP cells to TNF-induced apoptosis via the overexpression of TNF receptor-1 and suggest that the overexpression of TNF receptor-1 plays a crucial role in TNF sensitivity in HER-2/neu-overexpressing cancer cells. ScFv23/TNF targeting the HER-2/neu may be an effective cytotoxic agent against HER-2/neu-overexpressing cancer cells, which are inherently resistant to TNF.     

Imiquimod and S-27609 as adjuvants of DNA vaccination in a transgenic murine model of HER2/neu-positive mammary carcinoma

DNA vaccination against HER-2/neu is an effective way to induce an immune response able to oppose the spontaneous development of mammary tumours occurring in HER-2/neu transgenic mice. In this study, we have evaluated the potential of Imiquimod and the analogue S-27609 as adjuvants of DNA vaccination against HER-2/neu in transgenic mice. The association of a DNA vaccine encoding a portion of rat HER2/neu with either Imiquimod or S-27609 was found to delay the development of spontaneous mammary tumours and to reduce their incidence, in comparison with DNA vaccination alone. Almost 80 or 40% of tumour-free mice were found at the end of measurement time in mice vaccinated and supplemented with Imiquimod or S-27609, respectively. The antitumour preventive effect was associated with increased antibody and cell-mediated immune responsiveness against HER-2/neu. In mice vaccinated and supplemented with Imiquimod, a small but significant increase of rat p185neu-specific cytotoxicity and of IFN-gamma and IL-2-producing CD8T cells, together with a reduction of IL-4-producing CD4T cells, and a switch from an IgG1 towards a IgG2a phenotype of anti-p185neu antibodies, suggested a TH1 polarization of the immune response. The immunoregulatory efficacy of S-27609 was lower than that observed for Imiquimod. These data highlight the potential of Imiquimod, and, to a lower extent, of S-27609, as immunological adjuvants of therapeutic DNA vaccines.     

COX-2、HER-2和VEGF在乳腺癌中的表达及其临床意义

【目的】研究环氧化酶-2（cOx-2）在乳腺癌组织中的表达情况与,临床病理指标及预后之间的相关性及与VEGF和HER-2表达的关系。【方法】检测120例乳腺癌石蜡包埋组织中COX-2、HER-2和VEGF的表达。【结果】120例中cox-2的高表达率为38．3％（46／120）。淋巴结转移阳性组和阴性组以及不同临床分期的病人之间COX-2的表达差异有显著意义（P〈0．05）,而与病人年龄、肿瘤大小、病理类型、ER、PR等差异无显著意义（P〉0．05）。COX-2在乳腺癌组织中的表达与HER-2／neu、VEGF的表达密切相关（P〈0．01）。COX-2和HER-2共同表达的患者与两者单独表达的患者相比,前者的TNM分期较晚,有显著差异（P=0．027）。COx_2和VEGF共同表达与单独表达的TNM分期无显著差异（P=0．479）。COX-2低表达的患者总生存期较长,与高表达患者的总生存期有显著差异（P〈0．005）。【结论】乳腺癌组织中COX-2的高表达可提示恶性程度高和预后不良。乳腺癌组织中COX-2与HER-2、VEGF的表达相关,且COX-2和HER-2／neu同时高表达时预后更差。     

HER-2/neu在乳腺癌血清中的表达及意义

目的 分析乳腺癌HER-2／neu表达水平并探讨其临床意义。方法 用ELISA方法分析127例乳腺癌患者，30例良性疾病及40名健康体检者血清可溶性HER-2／neu水平并用免疫组化（mc）方法分析乳腺癌组织切片中癌细胞的HER-2／neu染色。结果乳腺癌患者血清中可溶性HER-2／neu水平与正常对照和良性乳腺疾病相比，有显著性差异（P〈0．05）。随TNM分期进展，乳腺癌患者可溶性HER-2／neu阳性率逐步升高。结论 乳腺癌患者血清中可溶性HER-2／neu水平呈过度表达，而且与免疫组化结果呈正相关。