Breast Mucin Tumor-Specific Epitopes for Cancer Immunotherapy.
Abstract
The objectives of the research program are to study the structure-immunogenicity relationships of a hypoglycosylated human tumor-specific mucin common to breast and other adenocarcinomas, and the regulation of tumor-specific lymphoid cells that respond to the tumor-specific immunogen. Hypoglycosylation of breast mucin leads to exposure of a tumor-specific epitope (TSE). The structural and immunogenic properties of the TSE are being examined using synthetic mucin peptides and recombinant mucin proteins that contain the TSE and/or mutations in potential glycosylation sites surrounding the TSE. Protein structure and glycosylation patterns of these proteins are being examined by biochemical and physical spectroscopic techniques (i.e., 1H-NMR, mass spectrometry, and surface analytical spectroscopies). Immunogenicity is being examined by the ability of by tumor- specific antibodies and tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes to reorganize the TSE. Understanding of the structure-immunogenicity relationships of tumor-specific immunogens, as well as the regulation of the lymphoid cells responding to the immunogen, is essential for maximizing the use of synthetic peptide immunogens and tumor-specific cells as a potential adoptive immunotherapy for patients with cancer, and the development of a potential vaccine against this disease.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 21, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA300398
Entities
People
- Kenneth E. Dombrowski
Organizations
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center