Targeting lymphotoxin-mediated negative selection to prevent prostate cancer in mice with genetic predisposition

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Oct 6;106(40):17134-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0905707106. Epub 2009 Sep 23.

Abstract

The identification of individuals genetically susceptible to cancer calls for preventive measures to minimize the cancer risk in these high-risk populations. Immune prevention is made necessary by the anticipated health threat, but lack of enough high-affinity T cells against tumor-associated antigens and the unpredictability of tumor antigens make antigen-based immune prevention untenable for cancer. To address this issue, we explored a non-antigen-based cancer immune prevention strategy using the transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate model that spontaneously develops prostate cancer with 100% penetrance. We show that targeted mutation of the lymphotoxin alpha (LTalpha) gene efficiently rescued tumor-reactive T cells, drastically reduced cancer incidence, and almost completely ablated metastasis. Remarkably, short-term treatments with the fusion protein consisting of constant region of IgG and extracellular domain of lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTbetaRIg) interrupted clonal deletion, reduced the size of the primary cancer, and completely prevented metastasis later in life. Our data demonstrated the value of non-antigen-based immune prevention for those with a genetic predisposition to cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / immunology
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cell Lineage / immunology
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / immunology
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / genetics
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / immunology
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha / genetics
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha / immunology*
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 25 / genetics
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 25 / immunology
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 25 / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology*
  • Spleen / cytology
  • Spleen / immunology
  • Spleen / metabolism
  • Thymus Gland / cytology
  • Thymus Gland / immunology*
  • Thymus Gland / metabolism

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 25
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Tnfrsf25 protein, mouse