title: Autoimmune mediated regulation of ovarian tumor growth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An immune response sufficient to induce organ failure may provide protection and therapy against tumors derived from the targeted organ particularly when removal or ablation of the organ is part of the standard therapy and does not threaten survival. We have previously shown that a targeted immune response directed against the ovarian-specific protein, inhibin-α, causes ovarian failure. Here we determined whether inhibin-α autoimmunity is effective in both prevention and treatment of ovarian tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A transgene consisting of the SV40 large tumor transformation antigen under the regulation of an anti-Mullerian hormone promoter (AMH-SV40Tag) was transferred by backcrossing for 12 generations to SJL/J mice producing SJL.AMH-SV40Tag (H-2(s)) females that develop a high incidence of autochthonous granulosa cell tumors. We determined whether immunization of SJL.AMH-SV40Tag female mice with the IA(s)-restricted p215-234 peptide of mouse inhibin-α was capable of preventing and treating these ovarian tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The growth of autochthonous ovarian granulosa cell tumors in SJL.AMH-SV40Tag transgenic mice was significantly inhibited in mice immunized with Inα 215-234. In addition, significant inhibition of tumor growth occurred when mice with established ovarian granulosa cell tumors were therapeutically vaccinated with Inα 215-234.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that induction of ovarian-specific autoimmunity may serve as an effective way to prevent the emergence of autochthonous ovarian tumors and control the growth of established ovarian malignancies.
authors: Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, OH 44195, USA.
authors: Cengiz Z
authors: CZ
authors: Altuntas
authors: Ritika
authors: R
authors: Jaini
authors: Pavani
authors: P
authors: Kesaraju
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Jane-wit
authors: Justin M
authors: JM
authors: Johnson
authors: Kelly
authors: K
authors: Covey
authors: Christopher A
authors: CA
authors: Flask
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Dutertre
authors: Jean-Yves
authors: JY
authors: Picard
authors: Vincent K
authors: VK
authors: Tuohy
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C094377:inhibin-alpha subunit; D007265:Inhibins