Interleukin-6 fused to an anti-idiotype antibody in a vaccine increases the specific humoral immune response against CA125+ (MUC-16) ovarian cancer

Cancer Res. 2003 Jun 15;63(12):3234-40.

Abstract

Anti-idiotypic (Id) monoclonal antibodies can serve as surrogate for tumor-associated antigens in vaccination strategies. The murine anti-Id monoclonal antibody ACA125 that mimics the CA125 carbohydrate antigen expressed on ovarian cancer cells induces an anti-anti-Id antibody (Ab3) response that is associated with prolonged survival of ovarian cancer patients. To increase the Ab3 antibody response, we evaluated two strategies in a mouse model: (a) coinjection of human interleukin (IL)-6 together with the fusion protein chACA125, which consists of the anti-Id ACA125 single-chain Fv antibody joined to the human IgG1 CH2/CH3 domain; and (b) injection of the fusion protein chACA125-IL-6, which consists of the ACA125 single-chain Fv fused to human IL-6 via the IgG1 CH2/CH3 domain. Vaccination of mice with the chACA125-IL-6 fusion protein resulted in higher titers of anti-CA125 (Ab3) antibodies compared with application of the chACA125 antibody with or without systemic coadministration of IL-6. Application of the chACA125-IL-6 fusion protein did not elicit detectable antihuman IL-6 antibody titers, whereas coinjection of human IL-6 did. Taken together, these data suggest that the chACA125-IL-6 fusion protein directly stimulates ACA125-specific B cells via the IL-6 domain, whereas coinjection of IL-6 leads to an overall immune stimulation. Antigen-IL-6 fusion proteins will improve vaccination regimens and anticancer immunotherapeutic strategies by increasing the antigen-specific humoral immune response.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CA-125 Antigen / immunology*
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology
  • Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Secondary
  • Immunoconjugates / administration & dosage
  • Immunoconjugates / immunology
  • Immunoconjugates / therapeutic use*
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / administration & dosage
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / therapeutic use
  • Immunotherapy, Active*
  • Interleukin-6 / administration & dosage
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology
  • Interleukin-6 / therapeutic use*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / immunology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • CA-125 Antigen
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Immunoconjugates
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Interleukin-6
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins