Immunization with HER2 extracellular subdomain proteins induces cellular response and tumor growth inhibition in mice

Immunotherapy. 2018 Mar 1;10(6):511-524. doi: 10.2217/imt-2017-0181.

Abstract

Aim: We investigated cellular and protective immune responses in mice vaccinated with recombinant HER2 extracellular subdomains.

Materials & methods: Balb/C mice were immunized with recombinant full HER2 extracellular domain and subdomain proteins. Humoral and cellular immune response and antitumor effect was evaluated using a syngeneic mice tumor model.

Results: All recombinant proteins induced secretion of IL-4 and particularly IFN-γ and IL-17 cytokines. Challenging of immunized mice with stable 4T1-HER2 transfected cells resulted in partial but significant tumor growth inhibition in all groups of mice particularly those immunized with fHER2-ECD together with CPG.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the recombinant HER2-ECD subdomains induce mainly Th1 and Th17 responses, which seem to contribute to tumor growth inhibition in syngeneic mice.

Keywords: HER2; breast cancer; cytokine; protein immunization; tumor challenge.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular
  • Immunity, Humoral
  • Immunization
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neoplasms, Experimental
  • Protein Domains / genetics
  • Protein Domains / immunology*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / immunology*
  • Th1 Cells / immunology*
  • Th17 Cells / immunology*

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Erbb2 protein, mouse
  • Receptor, ErbB-2