title: Antitumor protection by NGcGM3/VSSP vaccine against transfected B16 mouse melanoma cells overexpressing N-glycolylated gangliosides.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer vaccines are designed to modulate immunological responses against tumor cells through the presentation of tumor antigens.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mouse mRNA of the cytidine monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (Cmah) gene, the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NGc), was cloned and transfected into the B16 melanoma cell line. Transfected cells (B16-H) were characterized and used as an NGcGM3-positive primary tumor model for the evaluation of the therapeutic activity of the NGcGM3/VSSP vaccine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of NGcGM3 in B16-H cells promoted proliferation and adhesion in vitro, but resulted in reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. However, B16-H cells developed growing tumors in mice where NGcGM3/VSSP vaccination induced a therapeutic antitumor activity. NGcGM3/VSSP was ineffective in mice inoculated with parental B16 or B16-H cells that had lost NGcGM3 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of NGcGM3 in tumor cells is critical for the antitumor activity of NGcGM3/VSSP vaccine.
authors: Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Science and Technology, Quilmes National University, R. Saenz Peña 352, Bernal B1876BXD Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Valeria I
authors: VI
authors: Segatori
authors: Laura L
authors: LL
authors: Otero
authors: Luis Enrique
authors: LE
authors: Fernandez
authors: Daniel E
authors: DE
authors: Gomez
authors: Daniel F
authors: DF
authors: Alonso
authors: Mariano R
authors: MR
authors: Gabri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000378:metabolism*; D006031:Glycosylation; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D017931:DNA Primers; D005732:Gangliosides