The polymorphic epithelial mucin: potential as an immunogen for a cancer vaccine |
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Authors: | Rosalind A Graham J M Burchell J Taylor-Papadimitriou |
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Institution: | (1) Epithelial Cell Biology, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, 44 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PX, UK, GB |
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Abstract: | The identification and cloning of several tumour antigens together with an improvement in the understanding of the mechanisms
involved in antigen presentation and immune recognition has opened up the possibility of using active specific immunotherapy
as a treatment for certain cancers. This review discusses the tumour-associated MUC1 gene product of the polymorphic epithelial mucin (PEM), as a potential target molecule for cancer treatment. PEM is both
over-expressed and aberrantly glycosylated in many carcinomas resulting in an antigenically distinct molecule. Furthermore,
immune responses specific for PEM have been detected in cancer patients. Both syngeneic and transgenic murine model systems
have been developed in order to compare the efficacy and toxicity of various PEM-based immunogens in tumour rejection studies,
and to further improve the understanding of antigen presentation and the mechanisms underlying tumour rejection. Such models
also allow the examination of MUC1-based immunogens as a treatment for existing tumours. Clinical trials in progress using
immunogens based on the MUC1 gene product are briefly discussed.
Received: 23 November 1995 / Accepted: 4 January 1996 |
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Keywords: | MUC1-based immunogens Murine tumour models Active specific immunotherapy Cancer-associated antigens |
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