The effect of feeding a dry enzyme mixture with fibrolytic activity on the performance of lactating cows and digestibility of a diet for sheep.

A dry enzyme mixture was added to the diets of lactating cows and growing lambs to evaluate its ability to improve milk production and nutrient digestibility, respectively. The enzyme mixture contained xylanase and cellulase activity over a broad range of pH (tested from 4 to 7). Twenty-four lactating cows between 50 and 150 d in milk and averaging about 40 kg of milk/ d were fed a total mixed ration (TMR) consisting of 26% [dry matter (DM) basis] corn silage, 17% alfalfa silage, 7% chopped alfalfa hay, and 50% concentrate. One-half of the cows were fed the TMR without supplementation and the remaining half of the cows were fed the same TMR supplemented with 10 g of the enzyme mixture/ cow per day. After 21 d, the treatments were crossed over for a second 21-d period. The dry enzyme mixture had no effect on DM intake, milk production, or milk composition. Addition of various concentrations of the enzyme mixture did not improve the in vitro digestion of neutral detergent fiber from the TMR. In a digestion trial, lambs were fed a commercial diet supplemented with 4 g of the enzyme mixture/lamb per day, and total feces and urine were collected. Although the ratio of enzyme to feed was much higher than it was in the experiment with lactating cows, addition of the enzyme mixture had no effect on the apparent digestion of DM, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, or N in the diet.

Clinical outcome of breast and ovarian cancer patients treated with high-dose chemotherapy, autologous stem cell rescue and THERATOPE STn-KLH cancer vaccine.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicity and potential efficacy of administering the THERATOPE STn-KLH cancer vaccine to ovarian and breast cancer patients after an autologous stem cell transplant. Forty patients (11 high-risk stage II/III breast cancer, 22 stage IV breast cancer, and seven stage III/IV ovarian cancer patients) were treated with high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous/syngeneic stem cell rescue and vaccination with THERATOPE STn-KLH (Sialyl-Tn-KLH with Detox-B Stable Emulsion). Each patient was scheduled to receive a total of five vaccinations beginning on days 30-151 after stem cell infusion. The vaccine was well tolerated. Induration and erythema at the site of injection were the most common side-effects. When one compares the outcome of patients vaccinated with 66 breast and ovarian cancer patients who were not, following risk-adjustment analysis, vaccinated patients appeared more likely to survive (P = 0.07) and less likely to relapse (P = 0. 10). Vaccinated patients with the greatest specific lytic activity against STn+OVCAR tumor cells relative to nonspecific killing of Daudi cells tended to remain in remission longer than patients who displayed less specific immune activity (P = 0.057). We conclude that the THERATOPE STn-KLH cancer vaccine is well tolerated in breast and ovarian cancer patients after autologous transplant and, while not statistically significant, the trends in data support the concept that THERATOPE vaccine may decrease the risk for relapse and death and thus warrants further study. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 25, 1233-1241.

Vaccines prepared with sialyl-Tn and sialyl-Tn trimers using the 4-(4-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxyl hydrazide linker group result in optimal antibody titers against ovine submaxillary mucin and sialyl-Tn-positive tumor cells.

Sialyl-Tn (STn) is an O-serine- or O-threonine-linked disaccharide [NeuAcalpha(2-->6)GalNAcalpha-O-Ser/Thr) expressed on mucins of most types of adenocarcinoma as single STn or clustered STn [STn(c)] epitopes. Though STn is expressed on some normal tissues it is relatively tumor-specific, especially in the clustered conformation. Clinical trials with STn-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) conjugate vaccines, prepared using reductive amination with a two-carbon linker group, have resulted in high titers against STn but lower titers against natural forms of STn (ovine submaxillary mucin, or tumor cells). To obtain antibodies of more appropriate specificity, we attempted to prepare STn(c)-KLH conjugates to establish their immunogenicity in mice in preparation for clinical trials; however, conjugation efficiency was poor when the same two-carbon linker was used, presumably because of steric hindrance. STn-KLH and STn(c)-KLH conjugates were prepared using the regular two-carbon or the recently developed more efficient longer heterobifunctional 4-(4-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxyl hydrazide (MMCCH) linkers, and the resulting immunogenicities in mice were compared. The highest titers against STn were seen with the STn-KLH conjugate with the two-carbon linker, and the highest titers against STn(c) were seen with STn(c)-KLH with the MMCCH linker. Conjugation with MMCCH resulted in the highest conjugation efficiency (yield) and the highest titers against ovine submaxillary mucin and STn-positive tumor cells, and is the method of choice for the preparation of STn(c) vaccine for clinical trials.

Evidence of a cellular immune response against sialyl-Tn in breast and ovarian cancer patients after high-dose chemotherapy, stem cell rescue, and immunization with Theratope STn-KLH cancer vaccine.

Seven ovarian and 33 breast high-risk stage II/III and stage IV cancer patients received high-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell rescue. Thirty to 151 days after stem cell transplantation, the patients received their first immunotherapy treatment with Theratope STn-KLH cancer vaccine. Most patients developed increasing IgG anti-STn titers to a sustained peak after the fourth or fifth immunizations. Only one patient had elevated CA27.29 (MUC1 mucin) serum levels at trial entry. Five of the seven patients with preimmunotherapy elevated serum CA125 levels demonstrated decreasing CA125 levels during immunotherapy, consistent with an antitumor response. Evidence of STn antigen-specific T-cell proliferation was obtained from 17 of the 27 evaluable patients who received at least three immunotherapy treatments. Eleven of the 26 patients tested had evidence of an anti-STn TH1 antigen-specific T-cell response as determined by interferon-gamma, but not interleukin (IL)-4, production. After immunization, lytic activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) tested against a lymphokine activated killer (LAK)-sensitive cell line, a natural killer (NK)-sensitive cell line, and an STn-expressing cancer cell line (OVCAR) increased significantly. In vitro IL-2 treatment of the PBLs after vaccination greatly enhanced killing of the STn+ cancer cell line. Evidence of the development of OVCAR specific killing activity, over and above that seen due to LAK or NK killing, is presented. These studies provide the strongest evidence in humans of the development of an antitumor T-cell response after immunization with a cancer-associated carbohydrate antigen.

The anti-MUC1 monoclonal antibody BCP8 can be used to isolate and identify putative major histocompatibility complex class I associated amino acid sequences.

MHC class I molecules were isolated from the MUC1-positive human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7 by immunoaffinity using the panreactive anti-class I monoclonal antibodies (MAb) W6/32. Acid-eluted peptides from the class I molecules were separated twice by high-performance liquid chromatography and tested for reactivity with the MAb BCP8, which reacts with the minimal MUC1 core peptide sequence PDTRPA. A peak with strong and specific BCP8 reactivity was found in fractions eluting at 16.5-17.5 min. The protocol used for the MUC1+ pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line CAPAN-1 (HLA.A2) was to perform sequential affinity purifications of class I molecules using MAb W6/32, followed by affinity purification of HLA.A2 molecules by the HLA.A2.1-specific MAb, MA2.1, and high-performance liquid chromatography fractionation of the acid-eluted material. A single peak with MAb BCP8 reactivity was noted at 18-19 min. The protocol for the MUC1+ breast adenocarcinoma cell line SKBr-3 (HLA.A11,B40), which used A11- and B40-specific MAbs, also resulted in the detection of BCP8-specific peaks at approximately 18-19 min. A preliminary mass spectral analysis of BCP8 affinity-purified class I associated material surprisingly revealed the presence of two 3-mer MUC1 amino acid sequences and one 6-mer sequence. A synthetic 9-mer MUC1 peptide, TSAPDTRPA, containing the isolated fragments was found to cause strong class I up-regulation in T2 cells as well as to serve as an epitope for CTL generated in a primary in vitro immune response. These studies suggest that MUC1-derived peptides are processed and presented in the context of MHC class I molecules on the surface of tumor cells and support the use of MAb BCP8 to further define MHC class I associated MUC1 motifs.

Liposomal formulations of synthetic MUC1 peptides: effects of encapsulation versus surface display of peptides on immune responses.

Synthetic human MUC1 peptides are important candidates for therapeutic cancer vaccines. To explore whether a human MUC1 peptide BP25 (STAPPAHGVTSAPDTRPAPGSTAPP) can be rendered immunogenic by incorporation in liposomes, the effects of physical association of the peptide with liposomes on immune responses were investigated. Lipid conjugated and nonconjugated MUC1 peptides were incorporated in liposomes with a composition of distearoylphosphatidylcholine/cholesterol/dimyristoylphosphatidylglyc erol (3:1:0.25, molar ratio) containing monophosphoryl lipid A (1% w/w of the total lipids). Liposomes were characterized for peptide retention by HPLC and for surface peptide display of MUC1 epitopes by flow cytometry. C57BL/6 mice were immunized with lipopeptide alone, peptide mixed with peptide-free liposomes, and peptide associated with liposomes in entrapped or surface-exposed forms. T cell proliferative responses, cytokine patterns, and antibody isotypes were studied. Results showed that immune responses were profoundly influenced by the liposome formulations. Physically associated, either encapsulated or surface-exposed, peptide liposomes elicited strong antigen-specific T cell responses, but not lipopeptide alone or peptide mixed with peptide-free liposomes. Analysis of the cytokines secreted by the proliferating T cells showed a high level of IFN-gamma and undetectable levels of IL-4, indicating a T helper type 1 response. Thus, physical association of the peptide with liposomes was required for T cell proliferative responses, but the mode of association was not critical. On the other hand, the nature of the association significantly affected humoral immune responses. Only the surface-exposed peptide liposomes induced MUC1-specific antibodies. A domination of anti-MUC1 IgG2b over IgG1 (94 versus 6%) was observed. Our results support the hypothesis that different immune pathways are stimulated by different liposome formulations. This study demonstrated that a liposome delivery system could be tailored to induce either a preferential cellular or humoral immune response.

Immunogenicity and antitumor activity of a liposomal MUC1 peptide-based vaccine.

A human MUC1-transfected mouse mammary adenocarcinoma cell line (GZHI) was used to develop both subcutaneous and intravenous tumor models. A vaccine formulation comprised of a 24 mer (human MUC1) synthetic peptide encapsulated with monophosphoryl lipid A adjuvant (MPLA) in multilamellar liposomes was tested for immunogenicity and anti-tumor activity. A low dose of the human MUC1 peptide (5 microg) administered in liposomes provided excellent protection of mice in both tumor challenge models. The protective antitumor activity mediated by the liposome formulation correlated with anti-MUC1-specific T-cell proliferation, gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) production and IgG2a anti-MUC1 antibodies, suggesting a type 1 (T1) T-cell response. In contrast, lack of protection in mice immunized with negative control vaccines correlated with IgG1 anti-MUCI antibody formation, low or no anti-MUC1 IgG2a and low antigen-specific T-cell proliferation, consistent with a type 2 (T2) T-cell response to the tumor.

Cancer-associated MUC1 mucin inhibits human T-cell proliferation, which is reversible by IL-2.

A number of adenocarcinomas abundantly express and secrete underglycosylated MUC1 mucin. Underglycosylation exposes tandem repeat peptide sequences on cancer-associated MUC1 mucin that are normally cryptic. High levels of MUC1 mucin are correlated with a poor prognosis and immunosuppression in adenocarcinoma patients. In this report we show that cancer-associated MUC1 mucin, affinity-purified from ascites fluids of cancer patients, and synthetic tandem repeats of MUC1 mucin core peptide can suppress human T-cell proliferative responses. This MUC1 mucin-induced suppression of T-cell responses can be reversed by the addition of exogenous IL-2 or anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody. These results are consistent with other studies showing that lymphocytes present in the vicinity of tumor cells are anergic and can be reactivated with exogenous interleukin-2. Overcoming MUC1 mucin-induced immunosuppression with IL-2 combined with active specific immunotherapy might be an effective immunotherapeutic strategy against human adenocarcinomas.

Analysis of the role of type 1 core O-glycans in the binding of anti-MUC1 antibodies by cytofluorometry and synthetic peptide/glycopeptide binding inhibition studies.

A panel of 56 MAbs submitted to the ISOBM TD-4 (MUC1) Workshop were analysed in two systems. These systems were designed to screen for peptide type 1 core O-glycan-related reactivities. Using synthetic MUC1 mucin-related peptides and glycopeptides, the panel of MAbs were tested for relative binding affinities to type 1 core O-glycan-substituted MUC1 structures. These studies utilized a competitive binding format with a native human adenocarcinoma-derived mucin as a solid phase. This system allows for analysis of the type 1 core glycoform subspecificity of each MAb. The second approach taken in parallel, utilized MCF-7 (BrCa) and OVCAR (OVCa) cell lines which were grown in the presence or absence of phenyl-N-acetylgalactosaminide (p-gal), a blocker of mucin O-linked glycosylation. These cells were analysed by FACS to examine the role these same glycan substitutions play with regard to either the diagnostic or therapeutic application of these MAbs. By FACS analysis there was a consistent increased 'epitope exposure' for peptide-specific MAbs binding in the presence of p-gal. In addition, a single MAb (TD-4 #150) is interpreted to react with a type 1 core O-glycan, probably with Tn, TF or STn specificity.

Rapid induction of primary human CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses against cancer-associated MUC1 peptide epitopes.

Antigen-specific MHC class II- and class I-restricted helper and cytotoxic T cell responses are important anti-cancer immune responses. MUC1 mucin is a potentially important target for immunotherapy because of its high expression on most human adenocarcinomas. MUC1 peptide-specific type 1 T cell responses were generated in vitro using human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), incubated with liposomes containing synthetic MUC1 lipopeptide antigen. Only two weekly stimulations with the liposomal MUC1 formulation led to the generation of potent anti-MUC1-specific T cell proliferation as well as class I-restricted cytotoxic responses. Thus the use of PBL pulsed with liposome-encapsulated antigen provides an effective approach of rapidly generating effective antigen-presenting cell (APC) function as well as antigen specific T cells in vitro. It may be feasible to use this technology for the rapid and effective generation of APC and/or T cells as cellular vaccines for adenocarcinomas.

Expression of mucin genes and carbohydrate epitopes in 19 human colon carcinoma cell lines.

The levels of mRNA corresponding to the MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC5B, and MUC6 genes were determined in 19 human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method using specific primers in an attempt to correlate to the levels of cell surface carbohydrate epitopes. All 19 cell lines expressed MUC1 and MUC5B mRNA, whereas MUC2, MUC5AC, or MUC6 mRNA were only detected in 8, 3, or 2 of 19 cell lines, respectively. Sialyl Lewis a carbohydrates, identified by the monoclonal antibody (mAb) CA19-9, and sialyl Lewis X carbohydrates. identified by mAb KM93, were observed, with most of the cell lines expressing multiple mucin core polypeptide genes but with few cell lines expressing only MUC1 and MUC5B. Sialyl Tn epitopes identified by mAb B195.3R11 and by mAb TKH-2 were strongly expressed on both of two MUC6-positive cells, whereas only a small portion of MUC6-negative cells expressed these epitopes. Strict correlation between mucin gene expression and any carbohydrate epitopes examined was not observed.

Specificities of anti-sialyl-Tn and anti-Tn monoclonal antibodies generated using novel clustered synthetic glycopeptide epitopes.

The fine specificities of MAbs generated using novel synthetic clustered STn and Tn glycopeptides as immunogens were compared with the anti-TAG-72 antibodies B72.3 and CC49. Hapten inhibition experiments demonstrated the specificity of several of the MAbs for STn and Tn expressed on ovine submaxillary mucin and tumor derived MUC-1 mucin. Amongst the STn specific MAbs only the B195.3 MAb shows absolute dependence on the presence of sialic acid and specificity to the simple disaccharide NANAA alpha2-6-GalNAc. Identification of tumor associated carbohydrate epitopes in cluster and monomer configurations are possible using MAbs detecting the defined structure specificities described herein.

Prognostic significance of preimmunotherapy serum CA27.29 (MUC-1) mucin level after active specific immunotherapy of metastatic adenocarcinoma patients.

The TRUQUANT BR radioimmunoassay, which uses monoclonal antibody B27.29 to quantitate CA27.29 mucin antigen (MUC-1 gene product) in serum, has recently received Food and Drug Administration approval for predicting recurrent breast cancer in patients with stage II and III disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the new radioimmunoassay for serum MUC-1 has prognostic significance for patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma receiving active specific immunotherapy (ASI). Using 40 U/ml as the upper limit of "normal," patients with metastatic breast and ovarian cancer with a preimmunotherapy serum CA27.29 mucin > 40 U/ml (CA27.29 Hi patients) had a poorer survival than CA27.29 Lo patients (< or = 40 U/ml) after ASI. There was no significant correlation between preimmunotherapy CA27.29 serum levels and measurable tumor burden. The preimmunotherapy CA27.29 serum level was a predictor of poor survival of metastatic colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients independent of other prognostic factors. There seemed to be two populations of pancreatic cancer patients, separated at 60 U/ml serum CA27.29 (CA27.29 Hi versus Lo patients). A CA27.29 serum level of 22 U/ml separated patients with CA27.29 Hi vs. Lo colorectal cancer. Patients with CA27.29 Lo colorectal and pancreatic cancer survived longer after ASI compared with patients with CA27.29 Hi colorectal and pancreatic cancer, respectively. We suggest that various CA27.29 serum levels define poor prognosis patients (CA27.29 Hi secretors) versus good prognosis patients (CA27.29 Lo secretors) for different cancer types.

The breast mucin MUCI as a novel adhesion ligand for endothelial intercellular adhesion molecule 1 in breast cancer.

The MUC 1 mucin is expressed on normal breast epithelium and in 90% of breast cancers. We report here that tumor-associated MUC1 is a ligand for intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). Antibodies to ICAM-1 and to MUC1 inhibited adhesion of human and transfected mouse MUC1-positive cell lines to human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers and immobilized recombinant human ICAM-1-immunoglobulin fusion protein. Purified MUC1 pretreatment of recombinant human ICAM-1 was an equally effective inhibitor of adhesion. The interaction between MUC1 and ICAM-1 may be critical to the process of bloodborne metastases in breast cancer.

In vitro induction of MUC-1 peptide-specific type 1 T lymphocyte and cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses from healthy multiparous donors.

We have recently provided evidence that there is a natural immunization against human cancer-associated MUC-1 mucin epitopes during pregnancy by studying MUC-1 Ag-specific T cell lines established from multiparous women. Using this experimental model system, we now report that MUC-1 peptide-specific MHC class I-restricted CTLs can be generated in vitro using T cells from multiparous women stimulated with synthetic MUC-1 peptide-loaded, autologous APCs. The complexity of cytokines produced in response to the MUC-1 peptide by anti-MUC-1 T-cells was examined. IFN-gamma was generated by MUC-1-specific T cell lines in long term cultures, whereas in short term cultures, both IFN-gamma and IL-4 were produced. The presence of MUC-1-reactive T cells in multiparous women is consistent with their potential role in immune surveillance and provides a rationale for the use of certain synthetic MUC-1 peptides for active specific immunotherapy of human carcinomas.

Enhancing the effect of THERATOPE STn-KLH cancer vaccine in patients with metastatic breast cancer by pretreatment with low-dose intravenous cyclophosphamide.

THERATOPE (Biomira Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada) STn-KLH cancer vaccine induces strong antibody titers against both the synthetic STn epitope and against a natural mucin, OSM, which expresses STn-like epitopes. In prospective, randomized studies in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated at two cancer centers, the effect of different low-dose, immunomodulatory cyclophosphamide (cyclo) pretreatments on the response to THERATOPE STn-KLH was compared. Patients were randomized to receive either intravenous cyclo 300 mg/m2 on day -3, or oral cyclo 50 mg daily from days -14 to -3 inclusive, or no cyclo, before THERATOPE treatments. The anti-STn and anti-OSM antibody titers were higher in the patients who received cyclo intravenously before THERATOPE. Patients treated with cyclo intravenously and THERATOPE STn-KLH cancer vaccine lived significantly longer (projected median survival of 19.7 months versus actual median survival of 12.6 months, p = 0.0176) than those treated with the same STn vaccine with oral or no cyclo. Although it is not clear how the anti-STn antibody response modifies tumor biology, we noted that patients in the intravenously administered cyclo group had a lower percentage of patients showing progressive disease at 9 weeks, and that there was an inverse correlation between serum anti-STN antibody titer and growth of measurable tumors. There was no correlation between tumor growth and anti-KLH antibody titers. These data are consistent with a therapeutic effect of THERATOPE STn-KLH cancer vaccine and support development of a phase III study to explore this further.

Pre-immunotherapy serum CA27.29 (MUC-1) mucin level and CD69+ lymphocytes correlate with effects of Theratope sialyl-Tn-KLH cancer vaccine in active specific immunotherapy.

Patients with metastatic breast, colorectal or ovarian cancers received active specific immunotherapy (ASI) with Theratope sialyl-Tn-KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) cancer vaccine emulsified in Detox adjuvant. The median log2 anti-STn IgG titer generated by ASI, estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with solid-phase ovine submaxillary mucin, was 5.322 (range = 0 - 9.322). Following ASI, 51 patients who generated titers higher than the median value for anti-STn+ mucin IgG survived longer than 46 patients who generated lower titers below the median. 38 of the patients were phenotyped for CD69 prior to ASI. The patients with lower numbers of CD69+ peripheral blood lymphocytes prior to immunotherapy (pre-ASI) also had low serum CA27.29 cancer antigen (MUC-1) levels, and had longer times to disease progression and improved survival following ASI. Elevated pre-ASI serum CA27.29 tumor antigen levels were associated with higher numbers of CD69+ PBL, with decreased anti-STn antibody production and decreased survival following ASI. The data are compatible with the hypothesis that elevated serum MUC-1 mucin is specifically immunosuppressive.

Antibodies against mucin-associated sialyl-Tn epitopes correlate with survival of metastatic adenocarcinoma patients undergoing active specific immunotherapy with synthetic STn vaccine.

The humoral immune response of 85 metastatic breast, ovarian, and colorectal cancer patients was analyzed after immunization with THERATOPE STn-KLH (KLH, keyhole limpet hemocyanin) cancer vaccine emulsified in DETOX adjuvant. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibody titers against the synthetic sialyl-Tn (STn) epitope were estimated by using solid phase STn-HSA and compared with antibody titers generated to the more biologically relevant natural mucin STn epitopes by using ovine submaxillary mucin (OSM) as a solid phase. Anti-KLH antibody titers were compared with anti-STn antibody titers as a specificity control. All but two patients generated increased anti-OSM antibody titers after immunization with STn-KLH. Breast and colorectal cancer patients who had the highest anti-OSM antibody titers, determined 4 weeks after the fourth immunization with STn-KLH (post-4 ASI), survived longer than the patients who had lower post-4 active specific immunotherapy (ASI) anti-OSM antibody titers. In contrast, there was no correlation of anti-KLH antibody titers with survival, demonstrating the specificity of the association of anti-OSM antibodies with survival. Cox multivariate survival analysis models were used to attempt to determine whether the induction of high-titer antibodies after immunization is a prognostic indicator independent of age, level of various tumor markers, extent of disease, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and route of administration of low-dose cyclophosphamide before ASI. Increased pre-ASI CA-125 serum levels in the ovarian cancer patients were predictors of poor survival, independent of all of the other prognostic factors. The postimmunization increase in anti-OSM immunoglobulin M (IgM) titer was independently associated with longer survival of the colorectal cancer patients. Increased anti-OSM IgG titers were associated with a marked increased survival of the breast cancer patients, which was independent of all other prognostic factors except the size of measurable metastatic lesions at trial entry and the route of administration of cyclophosphamide. In a randomized trial design, breast cancer patients who received low-dose intravenous cyclophosphamide just before ASI showed longer survival and generated higher anti-OSM antibody titers than did patients who received low-dose oral cyclophosphamide before ASI.

Structurally defined synthetic cancer vaccines: analysis of structure, glycosylation and recognition of cancer associated mucin, MUC-1 derived peptides.

Translation of an immune response into therapy is probably the toughest task in designing vaccines for cancer due to the heterogeneity of the cell surface antigens which display tremendous variations in glycoforms. Consequently, a small segment (antigen) of cancer-associated mucin, in spite of generating antigen-specific immune responses, may be limited in therapeutic value. It is important that the synthetic segment resembles the native cancer-associated mucin in both structure and conformation. Synthetic cancer associated mucin derived 16 amino acid peptide GVTSAPDTRPAPGSTA and its partially glycosylated forms have demonstrated specific binding to two monoclonal antibodies, B27.29 and BCP8, raised against the native cancer associated mucin, MUC-1 and a MUC-1 derived synthetic peptide, respectively. In spite of the structural similarities at the core peptide level of both glycosylated and unglycosylated peptides, it appears that partial glycosylation does not inhibit and even slightly enhances binding to the MAb B27.29 indicating that the glycosylated synthetic peptide more closely resembles the native mucin epitope recognized by MAb B27.29. From molecular dynamic simulations using NMR derived distance constraints, both glycosylated and unglycosylated peptides have shown a type 1 beta turn involving the same amino acids in both glycosylated and unglycosylated peptides. The alpha GalNAc attached to the threonine (T3) and serine (S4) in the 16 amino acid sequence has not imposed any conformational changes to the peptide backbone nor has offered severe steric resistance to the binding of either antibody to the glycopeptides as indicated by hapten inhibition studies. Nevertheless, all peptides have displayed glycosylation dependent specificities in binding to these antibodies, i.e. the glycosylated peptides demonstrated relative higher affinities to the native mucin antibody B27.29 while the unglycosylated peptide is more specific to the MAb BCP8. Immune responses generated by these synthetic glycopeptides are highly specific in recognizing the native cancer associated mucin.

Does pregnancy immunize against breast cancer?

Multiparity has been linked with protection against breast cancer. T cells from biparous women, but not T cells from nulliparous women or men, specifically proliferated in response to core peptide sequences of a human breast cancer-associated mucin (MUC-1). Two of the nulliparous women were retested during the first trimester of their first pregnancy, and their T cells proliferated specifically in response to MUC-1 mucin. These observations support the hypothesis that there is a natural immunization against MUC-1 peptide epitopes during pregnancy which provides some protection against the development of breast cancer. These data also suggest that certain MUC-1 synthetic peptides might be effective components of "vaccines" for therapy or prevention of breast cancer.