title: Therapeutic potential of CAMPATH-1H in skeletal tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  CD 52 is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored glycoprotein that is expressed abundantly on all lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, eosinophils and in the male genital tract. To date, the physiological role of CD52 on lymphocytes has not been elucidated. However, an antibody directed to CD52 called CAMPATH-1H has been shown to be capable of depleting lymphocytes. The aim of this study was to analyse tissue and cell lines of non-neoplastic bone, cartilage and skeletal tumours for CD52 expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of CD52 mRNA and protein both in vivo and in vitro was detected. Malignant tumours showed higher CD52 expression compared to benign tumours, suggesting a role in the development and progression of bone tumours. Interestingly, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry revealed that CD52 was expressed not only on the surface of tumour cells, but also in the cytoplasm. The results obtained in osteosarcoma cells showed that CAMPATH-1H leads to a complement-independent reduction of viable cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD52 is expressed in a variety of bone tumours and the in vitro studies presented herein suggest that CAMPATH-1H treatment might have therapeutic potential for osteosarcoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Charitè Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Chariteplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany. raphaela.fritsche@charite.de
authors.forename: Raphaela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fritsche-Guenther
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gruetzkau
authors.forename: Aurelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noske
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melcher
authors.forename: Klaus-Dieter
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Schaser
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Schlag
authors.forename: Hans-Udo
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Kasper
authors.forename: Veit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krenn
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sers
mesh_terms: D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000276:immunology*; D000074301:CD52 Antigen; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002812:Chondroma / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000074301:CD52 Antigen; C000613862:CD52 protein, human; D006023:Glycoproteins; D000074323:Alemtuzumab