Tumour immunogenicity

In medical applications some important biological properties - immunogenic, anti-tumour and anti-viral - can be exploited, as well as the established functional properties based on rheology and gel formation. 

Modifying lymphocytes in order to enhance their anti-tumour activity Modifying tumour cells to enhance their immunogenicity Inserting tumour suppressor genes into tumour cells... 

Neuraminidase Vibrio cholerae Possible increase immunogenicity of tumour cells 2.4.3... 

The o -(2—>8) polysialic acid 12.27 is found at the surface of the bacteria from Group B. It is not very immunogenic and there is no known vaccine for this form of the disease. This has been attributed to the presence of a polysialic acid in the human brain so similar that this structure is not recognized as foreign by the immune system (see Section 12.5.3). In fact a monoclonal antibody common to these two polysialic acids (cross reaction) is known. The bacterium Escherichia coli KI, also the cause of meningitis, produces an a-ifL—>8) polysialic acid, possibly acetylated. Finally, this same polymer is observed on the surface of certain tumour cells. 

Musiani P, Modesti A, Giovarelli M, Cavallo F, Colombo MP, Lollini PL, Forni G Cytokines, tumour-cell death and immunogenicity A question of choice. Immunol Today 1997 18 32-36. 

Resistance against ascites tumour development and interferon-inducing activity has been demonstrated in the lipopolysaccharide derived from the protein-lipopolysaccharide complex of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Both the lipid A portion and the covalently linked polysaccharide-protein complex appear to be necessary for inhibition of tumour development, whereas the lipid A with amide-linked fatty acid is suficient to induce the in vitro formation of interferon. The lipopolysaccharide of P. aeruginosa has a more pronounced effect as immunogen, mitogen, and interferon inducer than the lipopolysaccharide of Brucella melitensis, although they have similar toxicity levels. Since lipid A is responsible for most of these activities, the variations may be partially explained by structural differences in the lipopolysaccharides. 

KLH usually is more immunogenic than BSA. It was used, for example, in the synthesis of a complex vaccine 58 containing five tumour-associated carbohydrate antigens (globo H, GM2, Sialyl-Tn, T and Tn) linked to unnatural amino acids (Scheme 17). ... 

The safety and immunogenicity of influenza vaccines in cancer patients have been evaluated. The safety of two doses of an adjuvanted HlNl vaccine in cancer patienfs had nof been thoroughly reviewed. An observational study of 20 children with solid tumours receiving two doses of either the AS03-adjuvanted or nonadjuvanted HlNl influenza vaccine concluded that seroprotective levels were achieved in 90% of all the children. They demonstrated that two doses of the vaccines, including the adjuvanted option, were safe and well tolerated [57 J. 

The safety and immunogenicity of the heat-treated zoster vaccine was assessed in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study in a diverse population of immunocompromised adults (with solid tumour malignancy (STM), haematological malignancy (HM), HIV, or recipients of autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplant (HCT) or allogeneic HCT). Importantly, this study showed that in all groups the heat-treated zoster vaccine... 

---