Tumor Immunology And Immunotherapy

Front 1

What is the rate of cancer death?

Back 1

1/4 of us will die.

Front 2

Progress of benign cancer into metastasis: (4)

Back 2

Inability to undergo apoptosis
Abnormal karyotype
Loss of regulation
Accumulation of erros.

Front 3

What do Thelper cells secrete to activate NK cells?
What are activated NK cells called?

Back 3

Thelper cells secrete IL-2 to induce NK cells.

NK cells become lymphokine activated killer cells.

Front 4

Characteristics of Malignant cells: (8)

Back 4

Not dependent on growth factors
Loss of contact inhibition
Surface independent
High mitotic index
Angiogenic factors
Immortal
Loss of tumor suppressor genes
Abnormal DNA content.

Front 5

Tumor specific antigens:

Back 5

Point mutation of self-peptides.

Will most likely activate anergic signals.

Front 6

Characteristics of Tumor cells:

Back 6

Reactivation of cell into germ cell configuration.
embryonic antigens can be expressed
Over-expression of normal cell antigens.

Front 7

What can we do to enhance the immune response?

Back 7

Tumor growth regulatory agents
Anti-angiogenic, anti-tumor agents
Activate NK cell
Macrophage mediated tumor cytotoxicity
Tc-cell mediated cytotoxicity
Anti-tumor antibodies
Block malignant phenotype

Front 8

Active therapy uses vaccines with what type of adjuvants?

Back 8

Non-specific
Specific

Front 9

Specific vaccines include:

Back 9

Cell extracts, purified or recombinant antigens

Front 10

Non-specific adjuvants include: (3)

Back 10

Levamisole (poly IC: RNA)

BCG: potent immunogen, activates cellular defenses

Corynebacterium parvum: B cell activator

Front 11

What is passive therapy?

Back 11

The production of an immune response in another animal/organism.

Front 12

What are reagents of passive therapy?

Back 12

Specific: Antibodies, Cytotoxic T cells

Non-specific: Lymphokine activated Killer

Front 13

Non-specific active immunotherapy includes: (4)

Back 13

Bacterial products
Synthetic molecules
Cytokines
Hormones

Front 14

Bacterial products:
Give an example
Major effect

Back 14

BCG
Activate macrophages and NK cells

Front 15

Synthetic molecules:
Give an example
Major effect

Back 15

Levamisole
Induce IFN alpha production

Front 16

Cytokines:
Give an example
Major effect

Back 16

IFN-alpha, -beta, or -gamma.
Induce activation of NK cells and macrophages

Front 17

TSAs can be present on the surface of the tumor cells. They can consist of two things:

Back 17

Embryonic protein
Mutated protein
Overexpression of normal self protein, changing the density of the peptide.

Front 18

What is the difference between antigens of carcinogens and virally induced cancers?

Back 18

The tumor specific antigen from a virus will most likely present solely the viral protein.

The TSA from a carcinogen will present a wide variety of antigen.

Front 19

What are tumor associated antigens?

What is the use of TAAs?

Back 19

Normal tissue protein that are expressed in abnormal quantities. Do not elicit an immune response. Can be useful in the detection of cancer cells.

Front 20

Give some examples of Tumor associated antigens.

Back 20

Igs produced by myeloma cells
Alpha-fetoprotein produced by liver tumors
Carcinoembryonic antigen produced by colon cancer cells.

Front 21

What are the effector cells against cancer?

Back 21

Phagocytes, platelet adherence, complement, cytotoxic T and macrophage, NKC. ADCC

Front 22

Hormones are a type of biological response modifiers. In other words, what type of immunotherapy is it?
Give an example
Major effect

Back 22

Non-specific active immunotherapy.

Thymosin, modulates T cell function

Front 23

Cytokine therapy for tumors:
Cons

Back 23

IL-2 creates vascular leak syndrome.

Front 24

Mechanisms by which tumor cells escape immune recognition: (5)

Back 24

Low immunogenicity (decrease MHC expression)
Tumor treated as self antigen (anergized)
Antigenic modulation (endocytosis of antigen)
Immune suppression: TGF-beta inhibits T cells directly
Priviledged sites

Front 25

Th1 cytokines boost what host defence?

Back 25

Non-specific host defense

Front 26

What is a tumor specific antigen of Breast cancer?

Back 26

CEA, mucin-1. BrCa1

Front 27

Tumor specific antigen immunotherapies (3 methods)

Back 27

Tumor-specific antibody
Tumor-specific antibody conjugated to a toxin
Tumor specific antibody conjugated to radionuclide

Front 28

Example of tumor specific antigen which can be detected in the blood.

Back 28

CEA can be used to determine the state of a patient

Front 29

Tumor rejection antigens (for vaccines) are not overly useful because of what effect. What must be done to overcome this effect?

Back 29

Due to anergy, one must simultaneously subject the host to co-stimulatory molecules.

Front 30

Removal of colon cancer will cause levels of CEA to:
until:

Back 30

Decrease until the cancer spreads to the Liver, at which point the CEA levels will increase.