Combination anti-CD74 (milatuzumab) and anti-CD20 (rituximab) monoclonal antibody therapy has in vitro and in vivo activity in mantle cell lymphoma.

ABSTRACT: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive B-cell malignancy with a median survival of 3 years despite chemoimmunotherapy. Rituximab, a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb), has shown only modest activity as single agent in MCL. The humanized mAb milatuzumab targets CD74, an integral membrane protein linked with promotion of B-cell growth and survival, and has shown preclinical activity against B-cell malignancies. Because rituximab and milatuzumab target distinct antigens and potentially signal through different pathways, we explored a preclinical combination strategy in MCL. Treatment of MCL cell lines and primary tumor cells with immobilized milatuzumab and rituximab resulted in rapid cell death, radical oxygen species generation, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. C

SUBMITTER: Alinari L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3099572 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature