Tumor immunology Flashcards

1
Q

What are carcinomas?

A

Turmors that arise from epithelial cells and are the most common of cancers

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2
Q

What are sarcomas?

A

Tumors that originate in muscle cells, fat cells or fibroblasts

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3
Q

What are lymphomas?

A

solid tumors of lymphoid tissues

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4
Q

What are leukemias?

A

Tumors derived from lymphocytes and other hematopoietic cells

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5
Q

What are the characteristics of benign tumors?

A

relatively slow growth rate, consist of somewhat differentiated cells and usually become encapsulated by connective tissue, therefore they don’t spread to other body sites

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6
Q

When are benign tumors fatal?

A

They are not usually fatal unless they occur at critical sites such as the brain or heart.

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7
Q

What are the characteristics of malignant tumors?

A

consist of undifferentiated cells and readily metastasize. Cancer is usually fatal if untreated

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8
Q

What are tumor specific antigens? How do they arise?

A

antigens that are unique to a particular tumor and are not present on normal cell types. They arise as a result of point mutations or gene rearrangements that occur during oncogenesis.

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9
Q

Why aren’t TSAs used for drug therapy?

A

not commonly seen in human tumors

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10
Q

What are Tumor-associated antigens (TAA’s)?

A

antigens shared by different tumors and can also be found on normal tissues.

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11
Q

What is the immunosurveillance theory?

A

Immune system detects and destroys CA (daily?)

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12
Q

What are oncofetal antigens?

A

Antigens expressed on fetal, but not adult tissues

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13
Q

What are alpha fetal proteins?

A

Proteins produced by certain liver CAs, replaced by albumin in adult.

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14
Q

What are carcinoembryonic antigens?

A

Antigens that are increased in colon CA and smoking

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15
Q

What are tumor associated antigens useful for, if you cannot use them to target therapy?

A

Diagnostic and monitoring

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16
Q

What are the three DNA viruses discussed in class that have been shown to induce tumors and express viral antigens on class I MHC proteins?

A

Epstein-barr causes B cell lymphoma

HPV-cervical carcinoma

Hep B-hepatocellular carcinoma

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17
Q

What is the RNA virus discussed in class that can produce tumors?

A

The RNA virus human T lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) causes an adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma of CD4+ T cells.

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18
Q

Why are tumors derived from viruses particularly immunogenic?

A

Seen as foreign

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19
Q

What are differentiation antigens?

A

Tissue specific, or differentiation, antigens that are present on normal cells types of adults can be expressed by some tumor types that develop from a particular tissue

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20
Q

When are differentiation antigens used?

A

diagnosing certain tumors by revealing their origin

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21
Q

Why are tumors difficult for the immune system to respond to? (2)

A

Rarely cause inflammation

Don’t express unique antigens

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22
Q

How can antibodies contribute to tumor cell proliferation?

A

Block receptor sites for CTLs

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23
Q

True or false: antiboddy production has been demonstrated to inhibit tumor developement

A

False

24
Q

CTLs are produced against what types of CA? (3)

A

carcinomas and sarcomas as well as virus-induced tumors.

25
Q

What are tumor-infiltrating lymphoctytes largely composed of?

A

CTLs

26
Q

NK cells are better at lysing CA cells with what origin?

A

Of hematopoeitic or virus induced

27
Q

What is the mechaism that allows NK cells to attack tumor cells?

A

Downregulation of class I MHC

28
Q

What are the three chemicals that cause NK cells to become LAK cells?

A

Interferons, TNF-alpha, and IL-2

29
Q

How do macrophages attack tumor cells?

A

Release TNF-alpha which kills tumors, or attacks blood supply

ADCC

30
Q

What are the tumor evasion strategies?

A

Down regulate MHC

Induce tolerance of specific T cells d/t lack of inflammation

31
Q

How does the destruction of highly immunogenic tumor cells by the immune system lead to CA?

A

May just select out the easy ones and leave the less immunogenic CA

32
Q

Can CA cells outgrow the immune system?

A

Yes

33
Q

What can some antigens that are shed by tumor cells do?

A

bind to cell surface receptors of immune system cells and prevent proper function.

34
Q

What is the effect of mucoploysaccharides on tumor cells?

A

Tumor antigens may be masked by tumor cell mucopolysaccharides which prevent recognition by the immune system.

35
Q

What happens when TGF-beta is released by tumor cells?

A

Suppress immune system

36
Q

How can tumor cells become immunoprivielged sites?

A

Encase themselves in collagen and fibrin

37
Q

How does hyperthermia work to destroy tumors?

A

Superheat them

38
Q

How does radiotherapy work?

A

X-rays or colbalt 60 induces ionizing radiation to destroy rapidly dividing cells

39
Q

How does chemotherapy work?

A

Inhibits DNA replication, RNA transcription or protein syntehsis

40
Q

What are the three advantages of tumor immunotherapy?

A
  1. Specificity to tumor cells
  2. Fewer side effects
  3. More effective
41
Q

How can one vaccinate against a tumor?

A

Increase immunogenicity of tumor antigens to get an immune response

42
Q

What are the MAGE antigens in melanoma prevention do?

A

Induce CTLs for melanoma

43
Q

Why is the hep B vaccine considered tumor prevention?

A

It decrease the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

44
Q

What does Herceptin target?

A

HER-2/neu receptors of breast CA, to block ligand interaction

45
Q

What are immunoconjugates?

A

Antibodies coupled to a toxic substance

46
Q

What is the main issue with immunoconjugaes?

A

Cross reactivity

47
Q

What fragments of antibodies are used in immunoconjugates to avoid non-specific binding?

A

F(ab’)2 (so no Fc binding)

48
Q

How are bi-specific antibodies used in immunoconjugate therapy?

A

binds tumor antigens to CTLs

49
Q

What is in vitro purging of bone marrow?

A

Freeing bone marrow from CA tumors via antibodies and complement to provide for bone marrow transplants

50
Q

What is LAK therapy?

A

Peripheral NK cells cultured in high dose IL-2 to stimulate LAK cells. Lak cells are tumoricidal

51
Q

What are the two CA types that LAK therapy has been effective in?

A

Renal cell carcinoma

Malignant melanoma

52
Q

What is tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy?

A

Leukocytes from solid tumors cultured with IL-2 and given to pt, thus giving pt LAK cells and tumor specific CTLs

53
Q

What is cytokine therapy? Why is it not used more often?

A

IL-2 of INF-alpha is infused into patients to generate LAK cells and activate CTL’s in vivo.

Lots of side effects

54
Q

What is the effect of administering IFN-alpha to pts? (3)

A

antiproliferative effects on tumor cells, increases NK cell activity, and induces class I MHC expression on tumor cells to make the tumors more immunogenic.

55
Q

What is transfection of cyotokines genes into tumor cells?

A

Administering IL-2 or TNF directly to tumor cells via antibody targeting