OVAREX(TM) MAB-B43.13-IFN-GAMMA COULD IMPROVE THE OVARIAN TUMOR-CELL SENSITIVITY TO CA125-SPECIFIC ALLOGENIC CYTOTOXIC T-CELLS

Various immunological parameters were studied in 100 ovarian cancer pa tients injected with the OVAREX(TM) therapeutic vaccine (the functiona l component of which is anti-CA125 MAb-B43.13) to explain the serendip itous observation of prolonged survival after such treatment. In addit ion to CA125-specific humoral and cellular responses, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was also found to be induced in those patients receiving the vaccine. In vitro studies indicated that the expression of MHC I, MHC II, and ICAM I in ovarian tumor cells were upregulated in response to IFN-gamma, Such tumor cells were also found to be more sensitive t o CA125-specific cytotoxic T cells compared to cells that were not inc ubated with IFN-gamma.