title: Human chorionic gonadotropin as a target for cancer vaccines.
abstract: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is expressed by common cancers and may play a role in cell transformation as well as angiogenic, metastatic, and immune escape phenomena that are central to cancer progression. Clinical trials with a vaccine targeting the carboxy-terminal peptide of -hCG have indicated that tolerance to this oncofetal antigen can be broken. Humoral responses that may modulate the biologic activity of tumor-associated hCG as well as cellular responses to hCG have been generated. Studies are in progress to further define the biologic significance of hCG in cancer and to develop a vaccine approach that will best target this expression.
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Triozzi
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010215:Papio; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C047471:human chorionic gonadotropin-diphtheria toxin fragment A