Can Reproductive Hormones Modulate Host Immunity to Breast Cancer Antigens
Abstract
HER-2/neu (neu) transgenic mouse model (neu-N mice) overexpress neu in a mammary-specific fashion and develop spontaneous focal neu-expressing tumors. The neu-N mouse model is among the most informative pre-clinical models available for the development of immunotherapeutic strategies for breast cancer treatment and prevention, and insights gained through the use of neu-N mice can be readily applied to clinical trial development. The goal of the present work is to test the hypothesis that reproductive hormones can modulate immunity to breast cancer antigens in neu-N mice. We will explore this hypothesis by assessing vaccine-induced immunity a specific stages of the mouse estrous cycle, as well as during mammary gland involution. Results from these studies will lay the foundation for more detailed investigation of the mechanisms by which hormonal changes during the reproductive cycle modulate our ability to induce immunity to breast cancer antigens, and to identify the optimal stage of the reproductive cycle for vaccination. Due to a serious problem that we detected in our neu-N mouse breeding colony, we were forced to invalidate all of our early data in these studies and seek a no-cost extension of this project, which was approved. We have now re-established the neu-N mouse colony and will begin these studies anew when the first shipment of mice arrives.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA443003
Entities
People
- Richard T. Reilly
Organizations
- Johns Hopkins University