Immunotherapeutic target expression on breast tumors can be amplified by hormone receptor antagonism: a novel strategy for enhancing efficacy of targeted immunotherapy.

ABSTRACT: Immunotherapy has historically been successful in highly antigenic tumors but has shown limited therapeutic efficacy in non-antigenic tumors such as breast cancers. Our previous studies in autoimmunity have demonstrated that increased antigen load within a tissue enhances immune reactivity against it. We therefore hypothesized that enhancing expression of target proteins on breast tumors can increase efficacy of targeted immunotherapy. We hypothesized that antagonism of the estrogen receptor (ER) can increase expression of targets that are hormonally regulated and facilitate enhanced tumor recognition by targeted immunotherapy. We used a lactation protein α-Lactalbumin, a known immunotherapeutic target on breast tumors, as our model target antigen. Enhancement of target protein expression

SUBMITTER: Jaini R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5464807 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature