Evaluation of immunological responses in patients with ovarian cancer treated with the anti-idiotype vaccine ACA125 by determination of intracellularcytokines - A preliminary report
S. Reinartz et al., Evaluation of immunological responses in patients with ovarian cancer treated with the anti-idiotype vaccine ACA125 by determination of intracellularcytokines - A preliminary report, HYBRIDOMA, 18(1), 1999, pp. 41-45
In a first clinical trial, 45 patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma and
recurrences were treated with the murine monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody
(Ab2) designated ACA125 for active immunotherapy, The monoclonal antibody
(MAb) ACA125 mimics a specific epitope of the tumor-associated antigen CA12
5 expressed by most malignant ovarian tumors. Patients with CA125-positive
tumors are immunologically tolerant to CA125, which could be overcome by th
e use of an anti-idiotypic antibody as a surrogate for the tumor antigen CA
125. An immunological response to the anti-idiotype ACA125 in these patient
s was associated with a statistically significant survival prolongation. Hu
moral immunity to ACA125 was assessed by induction of anti-anti-idiotypic a
ntibodies (Ab3) directed against CA125, Using flow cytometric detection met
hods we observe alterations of the intracellular cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-2,
and IL-4 at the single-cell level during the course of immunization. There
was a strong increase of intracellular IFN-gamma and IL-2 characteristic f
or a Th1 cell type immune response after treatment with ACA125, A delayed i
nduction of Th2 type response, which promotes antibody-mediated immunity by
B cells, could also be detected. The understanding of the kinetics of Th1
and Th2 responses could be important to improve treatment schedules for eff
ective immunotherapy with anti-idiotype vaccines.