Recombinant Vaccine Strategies for Breast Cancer Prevention.
Abstract
Exciting new findings in autoimmune disease and cancer have led to the realization that a large set of antigenic determinants of the self have not induced self tolerance. These peptide determinants could provide target structures for autoimmune attack as well as antitumor immune responses. We hypothesized that vaccine strategies can be devised that specifically generate an immune response against breast ductal epithelial cells. Since the overwhelming majority of breast tumors arise in these cells, destroying these cells prior to the development of neoplasia will effectively prevent cancer. We are attempting to augment the immune response to the breast-specific antigen, HER-2/neu, which is expressed by mammary tissue in HER-2/neu transgenic mice prior to mammary tumor development, by enhancing the T cell response using selected vectors that may alter antigen processing, thereby influencing antigen-specific immunity. We have evaluated DNA vectors that express antigen alone or altogether with the cytokine, cM-CSF, to determine if this immunity can be further enhanced. An intramuscular approach was compared wi%gene gun delivery. We have found that gene gun delivery is superior for enhancing antiturnor immunity. We will next compare this vaccine approach with vaccinia vectors carrying the HER-2/neu gene with and without the lysosomal targeting molecule, LAMP-l. This study will provide a paradigm for novel vaccine approaches to breast cancer prevention.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA338773
Entities
People
- Elizabeth M. Jaffee
Organizations
- Johns Hopkins University