title: Anti-cancer properties of gastropodan hemocyanins in murine model of colon carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various immunotherapeutic approaches have been used for the treatment of cancer. A number of natural compounds are designed to repair, stimulate, or enhance the immune system response. Among them are the hemocyanins (Hcs) - extracellular copper proteins isolated from different arthropod and mollusc species. Hcs are oxygen transporter molecules and normally are freely dissolved in the hemolymph of these animals. Hemocyanins are very promising class of anti-cancer therapeutics due to their immunogenic properties and the absence of toxicity or side effects. KLH (Megathura crenulata hemocyanin) is the most studied molecule of this group setting a standard for natural carrier protein for small molecules and has been used in anti-tumor clinical trials.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Hcs isolated from marine snail Rapana thomasiana (RtH) and the terrestrial snail Helix pomatia (HpH) express strong in vivo anti-cancer and anti-proliferative effects in the developed by us murine model of colon carcinoma. The immunization with RtH and HpH prolonged the survival of treated animals, improve humoral anti-cancer response and moderate the manifestation of C-26 carcinoma symptoms as tumor growth, splenomegaly and lung metastasis appearance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hemocyanins are used so far for therapy of superficial bladder cancer and murine melanoma models. Our findings demonstrate a potential anti-cancer effect of hemocyanins on a murine model of colon carcinoma suggesting their use for immunotherapy of different types of cancer.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gesheva
authors.forename: Stela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chausheva
authors.forename: Nikolina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mihaylova
authors.forename: Iliyan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manoylov
authors.forename: Lyuba
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Doumanova
authors.forename: Krassimira
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Idakieva
authors.affiliation: The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad, G, Bonchev Str, 26, Sofia, 1113, Bulgaria. tchorban@microbio.bas.bg.
authors.forename: Andrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tchorbanov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010641:Phenotype; D012908:Snails / Q000737:chemistry*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D006433:Hemocyanins