title: Anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activity of GD2 ganglioside-specific monoclonal antibody 3F8 in human melanoma cells.
abstract: The beneficial clinical effects of immunotherapy with GD2-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in melanoma and neuroblastoma patients have stimulated interest in characterizing the mechanisms underlying their antitumor effects. Previous studies have shown that GD2-specific mAbs mediate complement- and cell-dependent cytotoxicity and induce caspase-dependent apoptosis of tumor cells. In this study, we showed that GD2-specific mAb 3F8, which is undergoing clinical evaluation, inhibited thein vitrogrowth and induced apoptosis of melanoma cells. This effect was dose- and time-dependent, mediated by the interaction of mAb 3F8 combining site with GD2 ganglioside, associated with GD2 expression level on the cell surface, mAb internalization and increase of GD2 containing endosomes triggered by mAb 3F8. The induction of apoptosis by mAb 3F8 was mediated by caspase 3-, 7-, and 8-dependent pathways, downregulation of the anti-apoptotic molecules survivin and cytochrome c, and caspase 9 independent-AIF release from mitochondria. In addition, analyses of signaling pathway components demonstrated that mAb 3F8 strongly inhibited AKT and FAK activation and increased cleaved PARP expression. These results indicated that multiple mechanisms played a role in the antitumor activity of mAb 3F8 in melanoma cells. This information should provide a mechanistic basis for the optimization of the rational design of immunotherapeutic strategies in the mAb-based treatment of GD2 positive tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School ; Boston, MA USA.
authors.forename: Chun-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School ; Boston, MA USA.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sabbatino
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center ; New York, NY USA.
authors.forename: Nai-Kong V
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School ; Boston, MA USA.
authors.forename: Jeff Chi-Feng
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School ; Boston, MA USA.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School ; Boston, MA USA.
authors.forename: Xinhui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery; Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School ; Boston, MA USA.
authors.forename: Soldano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrone
keywords: GD2 ganglioside; antibody; apoptosis; internalization; melanoma