DNA vaccination against rat her-2/Neu p185 more effectively inhibits carcinogenesis than transplantable carcinomas in transgenic BALB/c mice

J Immunol. 2000 Nov 1;165(9):5133-42. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.165.9.5133.

Abstract

The ability of vaccination with plasmids coding for the extracellular and the transmembrane domain of the product of transforming rat Her-2/neu oncogene (r-p185) to protect against r-p185(+) transplantable carcinoma (TUBO) cells and mammary carcinogenesis was evaluated. In normal BALB/c mice, DNA vaccination elicits anti-r-p185 Ab, but only a marginal CTL reactivity, and protects against a TUBO cell challenge. Massive reactive infiltration is associated with TUBO cell rejection. In BALB/c mice transgenic for the rat Her-2/neu gene (BALB-neuT), DNA vaccination elicits a lower anti-r-p185 Ab response, no CTL activity and only incompletely protects against TUBO cells, but markedly hampers the progression of carcinogenesis. At 33 wk of age, when control BALB-neuT mice display palpable tumors in all mammary glands, about 60% of immunized mice are tumor free, and tumor multiplicity is markedly reduced. Tumor-free mammary glands still display the atypical hyperplasia of the early stages of carcinogenesis, and a marked down-modulation of r-p185, along with a massive reactive infiltrate. However, BALB-neuT mice protected against mammary carcinogenesis fail to efficiently reject a TUBO cell challenge. This suggests that the mechanisms required for the rejection of transplantable tumors may not coincide with those that inhibit the slow progression of carcinogenesis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / immunology
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma / prevention & control
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / immunology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / immunology
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / prevention & control*
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / immunology*
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / prevention & control*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasm Transplantation / immunology*
  • Neoplasm Transplantation / pathology
  • Rats
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / immunology*
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / transplantation
  • Vaccines, DNA / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology
  • Vaccines, DNA / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • Receptor, ErbB-2