Gene Therapy of Human Breast Cancer.
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to conduct a clinical trial of gene therapy for metastatic breast cancer patients. Surgically removed tumor cells would be maintained in short term culture and then transduced in the laboratory with an adenoviral vector containing the CD8O gene that encodes for the co-stimulatory CD8O molecule (or B7-1 molecule). This molecule is missing from tumor cells but is necessary to initiate an immune response in conjunction with an antigen. The patients then would receive a vaccination into the thigh of their own gene-modified tumor cells that had been irradiated. Demonstrating safety of the vaccine and an immune response to the breast cancer cells were the primary goals of this project. The major findings to date are that breast cancer cells can be successfully maintained in culture. The adenoviral vector transduces all the breast cancer cells and results in strong, long lived expression of the CD8O molecule on the cell's surface. The clinical trial testing the safety and the immune effects of this gene therapy did not begin during the years of this report because the subcontractor did not supply the vector. However, it is now available and the clinical study will begin and be completed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA372212
Entities
People
- Laurence H. Baker
Organizations
- University of Michigan