We evaluated the effectiveness of vaccination with a HER-2/neu DNA plasmid to induce protective immunity against HER-2/neu overexpressing syngeneic TUBO tumour cells in old ages. Young and old Balb/c mice received three immunizations with a pCMVneuNT DNA plasmid and, successively, were challenged with TUBO cells. Young mice were completely protected whereas less than 60% protection was observed in old mice. Anti-p185neu antibodies were found in the sera from both young and old immunized mice, even if antibody production was significantly higher in young in comparison with old mice. Similarly, higher anti-p185neu lymphocyte proliferation was induced in young than in old mice. No anti-p185neu cytotoxicity was found in lymphocytes from old animals. We conclude that anticancer DNA vaccination has a lower effectiveness in old than in young ages.
Low effectiveness of DNA vaccination against HER-2/neu in ageing
AMICI, Augusto
2003-01-01
Abstract
We evaluated the effectiveness of vaccination with a HER-2/neu DNA plasmid to induce protective immunity against HER-2/neu overexpressing syngeneic TUBO tumour cells in old ages. Young and old Balb/c mice received three immunizations with a pCMVneuNT DNA plasmid and, successively, were challenged with TUBO cells. Young mice were completely protected whereas less than 60% protection was observed in old mice. Anti-p185neu antibodies were found in the sera from both young and old immunized mice, even if antibody production was significantly higher in young in comparison with old mice. Similarly, higher anti-p185neu lymphocyte proliferation was induced in young than in old mice. No anti-p185neu cytotoxicity was found in lymphocytes from old animals. We conclude that anticancer DNA vaccination has a lower effectiveness in old than in young ages.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
