title: Specific antitumor immunity induced by cross-linking complex heat shock protein 72 and alpha-fetoprotein.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies over the world. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is an oncofetal protein during HCC development that could generate weaker and less reproducible antitumor protection, and it may serve as a target for immunotherapy. Therefore, it is imperative to enhance its immunogenicity and develop therapeutic vaccines to eliminate AFP-expressing tumors. In this study, by way of glutaraldehyde cross-linking, we constructed a potential therapeutic protein complex vaccine, heat shock protein 72 (HSP72)/AFP. Our results demonstrated that AFP and HSP72 synergistically exhibited significant increases in AFP-specific CD8(+) T cell responses and impressive antitumor effects against AFP-expressing tumors. Priming mice with the reconstructed vaccine, we elicited robust strong protective immunity. Our study suggests that a tumor vaccine by cross-linking tumor antigen and HSP72 is a promising approach for cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China. wxpphd@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Huan-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Qiao-Xia
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D007114:Immunization; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D005976:Glutaral