Characterization of immune complexes from the pleural effusion of a breast cancer patient

The bacterial instrument as a promising therapy for colon cancer

OBJECTIVE

Colon cancer is a great health concern worldwide, as it is the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Conventional treatment of cancer such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are faced with limitations and side effects. Therefore, strategies for the treatment of cancer need to be modified or new strategies replacing the old one.

AIMS

The aim of this study is to review the role of bacteria or their products (such as peptides, bacteriocins, and toxins) as a therapeutic agent for colon cancer.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Recently, the therapeutic role of bacteria and their products in colon cancer treatment holds promise as emerging novel anti-cancer agents. Unlike the conventional treatments, targeted therapy based on the use of bacteria that are able to directly target tumor cells without affecting normal cells is evolving as an alternative strategy. Moreover, several bacterial species were used in live, attenuated or genetically modified that are able to multiply selectively in tumors and inhibiting their growth.

Phenotypes and lymphokine-activated killer activity of pleural cavity lymphocytes of lung cancer patients without malignant effusion

We examined the phenotypes of lymphocytes in the pleural cavity of 23 lung cancer patients without malignant effusion. The ability of those lymphocytes to develop lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity and the regulation of LAK by pleural cavity macrophages were also compared with their counterparts in the peripheral blood. Mononuclear cells (MNC) were obtained simultaneously from the blood and by lavage of the pleural cavity of patients with lung cancer. The proportion of the T-cell subset of HLA-DR+ cells was significantly higher in the pleural cavity than in the peripheral blood, but the proportions of CD3+ and CD8+ cells in the pleural cavity were similar to the corresponding proportions in the blood. The proportions of CD4+ and CD16+ cells were lower in the pleural cavity than in the blood. The LAK activity could be developed by MNC from the pleural cavity following incubation with interleukin 2 (IL-2), but the LAK activity of pleural cavity MNC was significantly less than that of peripheral MNC. Pleural cavity lymphocytes alone also developed LAK activity following incubation with IL-2. Pleural macrophages from the patients were regulated to augment in vitro induction of LAK activity by IL-2 from autologous blood lymphocytes and pleural cavity lymphocytes. Lymphocytes in the pleural cavity without malignant pleural effusion could be developed by LAK activity and this activity was augmented by pleural cavity macrophages. The LAK activity developed by pleural cavity lymphocytes was significantly lower than that developed by peripheral blood lymphocytes. However, they can change their population to include cells with higher activities on exposure to IL-2 against the invasion of lung cancer cells into the pleural cavity. Thus, the population of lymphocytes in the pleural cavity of patients with lung cancer without malignant pleural effusion was different from that in malignant pleural effusion.

Prostate-specific antigenic domain of human prostate specific antigen identified with monoclonal antibodies

With the use of five murine monoclonal antibodies (1A5, 2A4, 3F1, F5 and 3A12) and an antigen-affinity purified goat polyclonal IgG antibody, the presence of a prostate-specific antigenic domain in human prostate-specific antigen molecule was identified. The results were based upon a series of quantitative competitive inhibition assays of each 125I-labeled monoclonal antibody and polyclonal antibody binding to prostate-specific antigen by unlabeled monoclonal antibodies as inhibitors, and immunohistochemical examination of an extensive panel of human tissue specimens. A cluster of two epitopes that are spatially related or in close topographical proximity and represent a prostate-specific antigenic domain are defined by the monoclonal antibodies 1A5, 2A4, 3F1, and F5, 3A12, respectively.

Predilution hemofiltration for the removal of protein bound antigens

In cancer, tumor antigen (Ag) and the antigen-antibody immune complexes (IC) have been implicated with the inhibition of macrophage or lymphocyte function, interleukin generation and induction of suppressor cells and immunosuppressants. Plasma exchange depletes both Ag and antibodies (Ab) from the circulation. However, the Abs might be cytotoxic to cancer cells. Hence, a better treatment would be to remove the Ag without depleting the Abs. Such a procedure involves dissociation of Ag from Ab either by a change in pH of the plasma or by a hemodilution of the blood followed by removal of both the free and the dissociated Ag by ultrafiltration. The present work presents a theoretical analysis of the predilution hemofiltration system designed to remove the antigens which are weakly bound to proteins. A single pool model for the patient was assumed. The variables which effect the clearance of Ag are the protein binding constant (K), the extent of dilution of blood, the initial ratio between Ag and Ab concentrations. A computer simulation of the derived mass balance equations shows that the clearance of total Ag from the plasma pool decreases with (i) increase in the value of K, but it can be off set by increasing the extent of hemodilution, and (ii) decrease in initial Ag/Ab ratio, but this effect can be minimized by increasing the hemodilution fluid flow rate.

Isolation and dissociation of immune complexes from pleural effusions of lymphoma patients

Immune complexes (IC) isolated from pleural effusions of lymphomas with favorable and unfavorable prognoses were of IgG type. These IC were further dissociated by ion exchange chromatography using 8 M urea. The antibody was found to be a high molecular weight protein (1.5 X 10(5) daltons) and reacted with antihuman IgG immunologically while a second peak obtained on ion exchange chromatography may be an antigen moiety with a molecular weight of 3.2 X 10(4) daltons as it reacted immunologically with the antibody. Strong cytoplasmic fluorescence was observed with various cell suspensions of lymphomas when reacted with the antibody preparations. The antisera raised against two different antigen fractions prepared from two lymphomas--nHL and LL showed positive fluorescence with both nHL and LL suspensions. The absorption of these rabbit antibodies with individual cell extracts or with antigen preparations also entirely blocked the cytoplasmic staining. The antigen moiety (PK-II) may have a common origin in the disease process. Pleural effusions from patients with unfavorable and favorable prognoses showed identical patterns of separation of IC components.

Chromatofocusing combined with the ELISA technique. A sensitive method for the analysis of immune complexes

A sensitive method which permits analysis of IgG containing circulating immune complexes without detailed knowledge of the nature of the antigens and the specificity of the antibodies involved is described. Soluble BSA: anti-BSA were used as model immune complexes and isolated from serum. The procedure involves the use of gel chromatography for the separation of the high molecular weight fraction containing the immune complexes as measured by binding to 125I-labeled Clq, followed by absorption of the immune complex fraction to immobilized protein A-Sepharose CL-4B. After desorption from protein A-Sepharose the complexes were dissociated and separated into free antigen and antibody by chromatofocusing in the presence of urea. The isolated free antigen and antibody retained their immunological activity as shown by immunodiffusion, binding after their recombination to 125I-labeled Clq, and by recombining antigen and antibody with much enhanced sensitivity using a microplate ELISA system. By means of the ELISA recombination technique it is possible to analyze less than 1 microgram of BSA:anti-BSA model complexes. Application of this technique may provide more information about the nature of immune complex like material associated with diseases.

Affinity chromatography separation of tumor associated antigens from ascitic fluid of ovarian cancer patients

Tumor associated immunoglobulins previously isolated from ovarian cancer ascitic fluid have been used in an affinity chromatography step to purify putative tumor associated antigens from a perchloric acid extract of ascitic fluid. Examination of the affinity chromatography purified proteins revealed 4 bands on electrophoresis. Antisera raised to the affinity chromatography products have been examined by Ouchterlony diffusion as well as a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Two of thirteen ovarian tumor extracts investigated reacted in Ouchterlony diffusion analysis, whereas all thirteen extracts gave positive results in the more sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay.

The role of circulating immune complexes in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus

We have studied soluble immune complexes (IC) in the sera of both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetics by a variety of non-specific techniques and also by a method that detects specifically insulin-anti-insulin IC. Our screening studies, detailed in the first section of this work, showed that insulin-anti-insulin IC appear not to be the only type of IC present in diabetics. Non-specific screening tests gave practically identical percentages of positive results in insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetics. However, the agreement between different screening tests was poor. We propose the use of 'IC scores' (numerical expressions of the general trend of several screening tests performed with one given serum sample) for the statistical analysis of correlations between the presence of soluble IC and clinical evidence of diabetic microangiopathy. As expected, the use of 'scores' minimized false positive or negatives and considerably enhanced statistical correlations between levels of IC and proteinuria, nephropathy, retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and peripheral vasculopathy. The second section of this report describes our isolation studies, which provided definitive proof for the existence of soluble insulin-anti-insulin IC and allowed us to carry out the first successful studies of the biological properties of soluble IC purified from the sera of diabetic patients, as detailed in the third section of this report. Such IC-induced platelet aggregation and activation which in vivo could lead to the development of microvascular lesions could explain, at least in part, the abnormalities in platelet function seen in diabetics. Although the precise mechanisms by which soluble IC could induce pathological damage in diabetics have not been totally clarified, we have obtained sufficient evidence to prove that antigen-antibody complexes exist in diabetics, are associated with higher frequencies of complications, and have the capacity to interact with cells in a potentially pathogenic fashion.

Hybridoma antibody to breast cancer immune complexes

Hybridoma clones were established by fusing spleen cells from mice immunized with purified breast cancer-related immune complexes to drug-resistant nonproducing myelomas. Hybridoma cultures were evaluated for antibody production using immunofluorescence, radioimmunoassay and immunoperoxidase techniques. One antibody demonstrated strong reactivity against breast tumor cells (BT-20) in culture and also was found to bind ductal epithelial cells within sections of human mammary tissue. Antigen was detected within the soluble fraction of breast tumors with molecular weight greater than 500 K. The possible relationship between antigen detected in breast tumor cells and in immune-complexed form is discussed.

Isoelectric focusing--a new approach to the study of immune complexes

Isoelectric focusing was used to examine antigen-antibody complexes. BSA : anti-BSA complexes were dissociated and antigen was separated from antibody based upon differences in pI value by isoelectric focusing (pH gradient 3--10). The recovered proteins were homogeneous as determined by immunodiffusion and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses. The technique was capable of resolving 6.4 microgram of BSA : anti-BSA complexes. More than 90% of the complexes applied to isoelectric focusing gels were dissociated and entered the gels. It was further demonstrated, by the use of complexes containing enzymes (acid phosphatase or alkaline phosphatase), that the dissociated enzymes retained their native pI as well as enzymatic activities. The isoelectric focusing technique, therefore, represents a new and effective approach to the dissociation of antigen-antibody complexes.

Circulating immune complexes in patients with bone tumours

Sera from 62 patients with osteogenic sarcoma and 12 with malignant giant-cell tumour were tested for the presence of immune complexes by the 125I-Clq binding assay. Elevated serum Clq binding activity was found in 67.7% of the osteogenic sarcoma patients and in 75% of the giant-cell tumour patients. These results were compared with those obtained with five sera from patients with benign bone tumours and 20 sera from normal young donors. In the last two groups, the incidence of elevated Clq-binding activity was 0% and 5%, respectively. In some patients with giant-cell tumours, pre- and post-operative serum samples were studied, showing a decrease in test values after tumour resection. Preliminary sequential studies of individual patients indicate that the 125I-Clq binding assay may be useful for monitoring patients with bone tumours.

Tumour markers with unknown functions in gynaecological neoplasia

Pre- and post-operative ovarian cancer patients' sera were examined for the presence or circulating immune complexes using a variety of assay procedures. In contrast to findings with breast cancer patients' sera, sera from patients with other gynaecological tumours or with preclinical disease diagnosed by cytology, no evidence was obtained to indicate that circulating immune complexes were associated with ovarian cancer.

Lymphocyte-mediated lysis of tumor cells in vitro (ADCC), induced by serum antibodies from patients with urinary bladder carcinoma or from controls

IgG fractions from serum of patients with transitional-cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder (TCC), patients with carcinoma of the prostate (CC) and healthy donors (HD) were tested for their capacity to induce antibody-dependent lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) to tumor cells in vitro. Lymphocytes from healthy donors were selected for low natural cytotoxicity to the target cells from established cell lines of TCC or other origins. IgG was prepared by adsorption of serum to Sepharose-bound protein A from Staphylococcus aureus and subsequent acid elution. When tested against a panel of six different target cells, most individual IgG preparations from all three donor groups contained antibodies inducing ADCC to some of the target cells. When IgG preparations from II untreated TCC patients were studied for ADCC induction to the TCC target T24 and the colon carcinoma HT29, cytotoxicity to T24 was, on an average, significantly higher than that to HT29. For IgG preparations from 18 TCC patients, treated with radiotherapy, a similar difference was seen but was not statistically significant. IgG preparations from II patients with carcinoma of the prostate and from 12 healthy donors did not show this differences. Moreover, while individual IgG preparations from untreated TCC patients were, on the average, significantly more cytotoxic to T24 than those from either of the two control groups, no such differences were seen when HT29 was the target. On the contrary, IgG preparations from patients with prostatic carcinoma were significantly more cytotoxic to HT29 than those from healthy donors. The results suggest that TCC patients develop a disease-related humoral immune response, superimposed on a "natural" immunity to a variety of antigens on the target cells used. The nature of the antigens involved in these reactions remains to be established. However, the results are compatible with previous findings, in these patients, of a bladder-tumor-related cellular cytotoxicity, to a large extent caused by the patients' own antibodies.

Immune complexes in breast cancer patients as detected by C1q binding

Levels of Clq binding activity have been measured in the sera of patients with benign and malignant breast disease. Cancer patients showed significantly higher binding activity than patients with gross fibrocystic disease. Clq binding levels were not related to levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, or rheumatoid factor. The Clq reactive material was identified as being precipitable with Protein A, and predominantly eluted in gel filtration fractions with a molecular weight of approximately 1 x 10(6). These studies indicate that Clq binding level may be of use in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast disease.