Anti Tumour Immunity And Immunotherapy For Cancer Flashcards
How are cancer cells different from normal cells?
Rapid uncontrolled growth
Increase mobility
Invade tissue
Evade immune system
Metastasize
How does the immune system play a integral role in cancer?
Immunodeficiency lead to tumour formation
Inflammatory conditions lead to cancers too
Tumours infiltrated with lymphocytes have better prognosis
Can the body defend against cancer?
Antibody responses can kill the tumour cells
Production of immune memory cells
Describe the experiment using mice to demonstrate the immune response t tumour cells
Mice were induced with sarcoma and methylholanthrene
The tumour cells were then surgically removed and cultured
They were then transplanted Into three different mice
Syngeneic (genetically similar mouse) - tumour growth
Tumour bearing mouse - no tumour growth
Syngeneic + CD8 cells from original mouse - no tumour growth
What is meant by tumour immunosurveilance?
A process where the immune system continually recognise cancerous and pre-cancerous cells leading to their elimination before they can cause damage
What are the 3 E’s of immunoediting?
Elimination
Equilibrium
Escape
What is tumouigenesis?
Normal cells that develop abnormal tumour antigens
Danger signals such as extra-cellular matrix products
- inflammation
- radiation
- viral infection
Start to become cancer
What occurs during ELIMINATION?
NKs NKTs, MCs and DCs - innate immunity takes place to destroy tumour cells
INFy and chemokine lead to tumour death
Tumour specific DCs activate adaptive immunity in draining lymph nodes
Tumour specific CD4 and CD8 T cells join response to tumour cells.
What occurs during EQUILIBRIUM?
Elimination phase incomplete
Tumour cells lie dormant and may modulate tumour antigen expression and stress signals
Immune syste eliminated susceptible tumour clones when possible, preventing tumour expansion
Tumour heterogeneity resulting in “Darwinian” selection
What occurs during ESCAPE?
The immune system is unable to suppress the tumour cell growth, easing to tumour progression
How can cytokines (INTERFERON) be used as a immunotherapy for cancer?
Interferon type 1 (A and B)
Produced by virally infected cells
Most cells have a a viral detection pathways - upregulation of MHC 1, tumour antigen expression and adhesion molecules
Activated T cells, B cells and DC.
Used successful in metastatic melanoma
Nasty side effects (flu like symptoms)
How can cytokines (INTERLEUKIN-2) be used as a immunotherapy for cancer?
T cell growth factor
Success in RCC and melanoma
Toxicity
LAK cells treated with IL-2 and re infused into patients reduces toxicity
How can cytokines (GM-CSF) be used as a immunotherapy for cancer?
GM-CSF stimulates APC
Trilled in melanoma, evidence of some success
May be of benefit if used with IL-2
What are 3 ways antibodies can prevent tumour growth?
- Direct tumour cell killing - antibodies can block receptors ,or can be conjugated to toxins, or act as a cell agonist to lead to apoptosis
- Immune educated tumour cell killing
- antibodies binding will expose the macrophage Fc receptors allowing macrophages to destroy the cell
- antibody binding allows T cell to recognise tumour cell without MHC restriction
- antibody binding to CTLA4 prevents T cell from switching off
- antibodies bind to tumour material, and tumour material is taken up and presented by dendritic cells - Vascular and stromal cell abiation — antibodies binds attract T cell, ultimately destroying the blood vessel supply tumours need to grow
Give two examples of drugs used to block growth factors on tumour cells
Tastuzumab targets ERBB2 on breast cancer cells
Bevacizymab targets VEGF and blocks signalling, used on colon cancer and kidney cancer