Induction of leukemia-specific antibodies by immunotherapy with leukemia-cell-derived heat shock protein 70

Cancer Sci. 2008 Jul;99(7):1427-34. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2008.00829.x. Epub 2008 Apr 29.

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy using heat shock protein (HSP) derived from autologous tumor requires cluster of differentiation (CD)4(+) as well as CD8(+) T-cells for the prolongation of patient survival, suggesting that a humoral immune response through CD4(+) T-cells is important in addition to cellular immunity. However, the role of humoral responses in HSP-based autologous tumor immunotherapy remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated whether leukemia-specific antibodies and antibody-mediated cytotoxicity against autologous leukemia cells have a crucial role in a mouse A20 leukemia model by immunizing A20-derived HSP70. Immunization with A20-derived HSP70 induced the production of anti-A20-antibodies and the antibodies recognized HSP70-binding peptides derived from A20. One of those was a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class-I binding peptide, which has been clarified as the target peptide of CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells (CTL) against A20. The anti-A20-antibodies produced by immunization with A20-derived HSP70 induced complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) against A20 in vitro. In addition, immunization with A20-derived HSP70 increased intracellular interleukin-4 (IL4)-production of CD4(+) T-cells, confirming the activation of type-2 helper T-cells. Taken together, immunization with leukemia-cell-derived HSP70 induces antibodies against leukemia-cell-specific peptides and might play a crucial role in the eradication of leukemia cells by CDC in mice. These findings will enable future establishment of a novel therapeutic strategy using antileukemia antibodies in HSP-based autologous tumor immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / blood*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology*
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / immunology*
  • Immunization
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Interleukin-4 / biosynthesis
  • Leukemia / immunology
  • Leukemia / therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neoplasm
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Interleukin-4