Cancer Immunotherapy (8.3) Flashcards
State from what cancer results from
Single abnormal cell that multiplies uncontrollably and spread throughout the body
State what the uncontrolled growth of cancer is a result of
Changes to genes that control how cells grow and divide
State what substances that can damage cellular DNA are referred to as
Carcinogens
Describe carcinogen
A substance that damages cell DNA
State the 3 classifications of carcinogens
- physical
- chemical
- biological
Describe a tumour
An abnormal growth of cells resulting from uncontrolled cell division or failure of programmed cell death
State what tumours may block or damage
Normal function of organs and tissues
State whether or not all tumours are cancerous
No
Describe benign tumours
A mass of abnormal cells (which are not cancerous)
State why benign tumours are not classified as cancerous
These tumours do not invade nearby tissue or spread throughout the body
Describe metastasis
The process by which cancer cells break away from the original tumour and travel through the blood and lymph vessels - forming a secondary tumour at alternative location
State what cancerous tumours are referred to as
Malignant tumours
Describe malignant tumours
Mass of cancer cells that can invade nearby tissue and spread throughout the body via metastasis
State 3 ways tumour cells evade the immune response in a number of ways
- express defective MHC-I molecules
- protecting immunosuppressive cytokines
- releasing enzymes that suppress T lymphocyte responses
Describe immunotherapy
Any treatment that harnesses the immune system of the patient to fight diseases such as cancer
State the 2 classifications of immunotherapy
- non-specific
2. specific
Describe non-specific immunotherapy
Stimulate the immune system in general
Describe specific immunotherapy
Act on cancer cells by directly stimulating the adaptive immune response against them
State 1 example of non-specific immunotherapy
- injection of cytokines
State 1 example of specific immunotherapy
- cancer vaccines
- monoclonal antibody therapy
Describe cancer vaccines
Stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells
State to what preventative cancer vaccines are directed against
Viruses that cause cancer
Provide 2 examples of preventative cancer vaccines
- HPV vaccine
2. HBV vaccine
State what preventative cancer vaccines introduce to the body
Specific viral antigens into the body
State to whom therapeutic cancer vaccines are given to
Pre-existing cancer patients
State the 3 cancer vaccines
- preventative cancer vaccines
- therapeutic cancer vaccines
- personalised cancer vaccines
State from what therapeutic cancer vaccines are composed from
Antigens specific to specific cancer cells and adjuvants
State the purpose of adjuvants in therapeutic cancer vaccines
Boost immune response
Describe what personalised cancer vaccines are
Therapeutic vaccines that are developed for individual patients
Describe monoclonal antibodies
Antibodies produced by a single clone of a B lymphocyte that are grown in cultures to produce a large volume of the same clone
State an alternative representative for monoclonal antibodies
mAbs
State what produces mAbs
B lymphocyte clones
State in what mAbs are grown
Culture
State to what all produced mAbs are specific to
Same antigen
State how mAbs are used to treat cancer
Targeting specific antigens present on tumour cells
State what mAbs can target
Cells of the immune system
State 5 steps outlining mAbs production
- mice injected with antigen (from cancer cell - if used for cancer therapy)
- B lymphocytes produce antigen-specific antibodies
- B lymphocytes isolated and fused to myeloma cell
- formation of hydridoma
- cell secretes mAbs
Describe myeloma cell
B lymphocytes which proliferate uncontrollably
State what cell line myeloma cells are a part of
Immortal cell line
State what immortal cell lines can undergo and in the absence of what
Continual cell division without mutation
State what immortal cell lines allow
Cells to be cultured for long periods of time
Describe hybridoma
Product of fusion of an immortal cell line with a B lymphocyte
State what is launched when mice mAbs are introduced to the human body
Immune response is mounted once the antibodies are recognised as foreign
State what immune response is responsible for the destruction of mouse mAbs
Adaptive immune response
State what mouse mAbs have been replaced with to reduce the immune response
Replace mouse antibodies with human component
State what process has been used to replace mouse mAbs with human components
Recombinant DNA techniques
State what antibodies with a mixture of mouse and human components are termed
Chimeric mAbs
Describe chimeric mAbs
Antibody made of mouse and human molecular components
State what kind of mouse can produce fully human antibodies
Transgenic mice
Describe transgenic mice
Genetically modified organisms that contain genes from other species
State what mAbs are termed when they contain a greater quantity of human components when compared to chimeric mAbs
Humanised antibodies
Describe conjugated mAbs
mAbs attached to chemotherapy drug, toxin or radioactive particle
State what conjugated mAbs are used for
Delivery of treatments to the specific cancer cells
Describe bispecific mAbs
Artificially produced mAbs used to target cancer cells and activate the immune system simultaneously
State what process is used to produce bispecific mAbs
Recombinant DNA technology
State what bispecific mAbs are used to indirectly activate
Adaptive immune response
State what bispecific mAbs can attach to at the same time
Two different antigens
State how bispecific mAbs can attach to two different antigens at the same time
Composed of parts from two unique mAbs and have two antigen-binding sites
State what treatment involving conjugated mAbs involves
Treatment limiting the toxic effects on healthy cells to those located near cancerous cells
