A phase I/II study of cancer peptide vaccine S-288310 in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Background: S-288310, a cancer peptide vaccine composed of two HLA-A*24:02-restricted peptides derived from two oncoantigens, DEP domain-containing 1 (DEPDC1) and M-phase phosphoprotein 1 (MPHOSPH1), was investigated in urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder. Patients and methods: Thirty eight HLA-A*24:02-positive patients with progressive UC were enrolled in this study. In the phase I part of the study, three patients each were treated with S-288310 at 1 mg or 2 mg/peptide subcutaneously once a week to evaluate safety and tolerability. In the phase II, 32 patients were randomized to receive either 1 mg or 2 mg to evaluate the difference in cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) induction and safety. Results: S-288310 was safe and well tolerated in the phase I. Of 27 patients evaluable for immune responses in the phase II, there was no difference in CTL induction rate between the 1 mg (100%) and 2 mg (80.0%) groups. Of 32 patients receiving S-288310 in the phase II, the most frequent drug-related AE was the injection site reaction that was observed in 29 patients (90.6%), but none of the patients discontinued administration due to these reactions and no dose relationship in the frequency and severity was observed. The objective response rate of the 32 patients was 6.3% and the disease control rate was 56.3%. The median overall survival (OS) rates for patients vaccinated with S-288310 after one regimen of chemotherapy, 2 regimens, or 3 or more were 14.4, 9.1 and 3.7 months, respectively, and 32.2% of patients post first-line treatment were alive at 2 years. OS of patients who showed CTL induction to both peptides was longer than that of those with CTL induction to no or one peptide. Conclusion: S-288310 was well-tolerated and effectively induced peptide-specific CTLs, which were correlated with longer survival for patients with UC of the bladder. Trial registration ID: JapicCTI-090980.

Robot-assisted surgical approach to bladder cancer: a decade of progress!

Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) has gained popularity and proven its efficacy, safety and reproducibility in the last decade. RARC has resulted in less blood loss, enhanced recovery, and shorter hospital stay. RARC has proven to have similar or better postoperative morbidity, mortality and equal oncologic, outcomes. Limiting factors to the acceptance of this surgical approach have included its steep learning curve and the lack of both long-term outcome data. This article systematically reviews the literature comparing the outcomes for RARC (comparisons with open radical cystectomy when performed at the same institution) with a focus on operative, complications, oncologic, functional and survival outcomes.

Murine serum glycoprotein gp70 behaves as an acute phase reactant.

A single intraperitoneal injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or its lipid A component induced high levels of glycoprotein, gp70, in sera of several strains of mice within 24 h. This serum gp70 response induced by LPS was independent of the activation of B cells and the presence of T cells. However, serological and immunohistochemical studies demonstrated the production of gp70 by hepatic parenchymal cells and its subsequent release into the circulating blood. The expression of gp70 in the serum was enhanced not only by LPS but also other inducers of acute phase reactants (APR) such as turpentine oil or polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid. Further, the serum gp70 response was kinetically identical to those of APR. These results strongly suggest that (a) the liver may be the major source for serum gp70, (b) serum gp70 behaves like an APR, (c) its expression may be controlled by a mechanism similar to that for other APR, and (d) this glycoprotein apparently behaves as a normal host constituent and not a product of a viral genome.

Implicating a role for immune recognition of self in tumor rejection: passive immunization against the brown locus protein.

The immune system can recognize differentiation antigens that are selectively expressed on malignant cells and their normal cell counterparts. However, it is uncertain whether immunity to differentiation antigens can effectively lead to tumor rejection. The mouse brown locus protein, gp75 or tyrosinase-related protein 1, is a melanocyte differentiation antigen expressed by melanomas and normal melanocytes. The gp75 antigen is recognized by autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells in persons with melanoma. To model autoimmunity against a melanocyte differentiation antigen, mouse antibodies against gp75 were passively transferred into tumor-bearing mice. Passive immunization with a mouse monoclonal antibody against gp75 induced protection and rejection of both subcutaneous tumors and lung metastases in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice, including established tumors. Passive immunity produced coat color alterations but only in regenerating hairs. This system provides a model for autoimmune vitiligo and shows that immune responses to melanocyte differentiation antigens can influence mouse coat color. Immune recognition of a melanocyte differentiation antigen can reject tumors, providing a basis for targeting tissue autoantigens expressed on cancer.

Retroviral gp70 immune complexes in NZB x NZW F2 mice with murine lupus nephritis.

NZB x NZW (NZB x W) F1 hybrid mice spontaneously develop a disease most prominently characterized by immune complex glomerulonephritis (GN), which seems to be associated with both antibodies to DNA and to the serum retroviral envelope glycoprotein, gp70. To evaluate the contribution of each of these autoimmune responses to the pathogenesis of the GN, we studied NZB x W F2 mice in which the two responses appeared to segregate relatively independently. Use of this model permitted analysis of possible correlations between each response and the G.N. The presence of circulating anti-gp 70-complexed gp70 correlated significantly with the development of fatal GN and one could predict the course of renal disease by computing the rising serum levels of gp70 complexed with antibodies. In contrast, the presence of free antibodies to either double-stranded or single-stranded DNA was not significantly associated with the development of fatal GN. This association of anti-gp70 antibody production with these animals' early death from GN strongly suggests that the gene(s) governing production of antibodies to serum retroviral gp70 may be one of the major genes responsible for spontaneous renal disease segregated in NZB x W F2 generations.

Low-calorie diet selectively reduces expression of retroviral envelope glycoprotein gp70 in sera of NZB x NZW F1 hybrid mice.

The effect of dietary restriction on the expression of retroviral envelope glycoprotein, gp70, and the formation of gp70-anti gp70 immune complexes was investigated in lupus-prone NZB x NZW F1 hybrid mice. Restricting total calorie intake from the usual 20 to only 10 calories per day after weaning markedly reduced serum levels of both free and antibody-complexed gp70, prevented renal disease, and increased the life spans of these mice. The reduction in serum gp70 was evident after only 2 wk of feeding these animals the low-calorie diet, and the concentration remained virtually unchanged throughout the course of 10 mon experimentation. However, serum concentrations of the major structural protein, p30, of endogenous retroviruses were not altered by restricting calories. Amounts of the serum glycoprotein, haptoglobin, decreased parallel to those of gp70 but amounts of albumin did not. These results suggest that the expression of gp70 in serum is controlled independently of the production of complete viral particles, and regulated by a mechanism similar to that for other serum glycoproteins, such as haptoglobin.

Introduction of basic fibroblast growth factor gene into mouse renal cell carcinoma cell line enhances its metastatic potential.

To clarify the role of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) in the malignant progression of renal cell carcinoma, we transfected the FGF-2 gene, which lacks the typical signal sequence, into RenCa, a mouse renal cell carcinoma cell line that does not express FGF-2 mRNA. In an in vitro tumor cell invasion assay, the FGF-2-transfected cell lines (RenCa/F) exhibited 3- to 4-fold higher invasive potential than either the parental RenCa (RenCa/P) or the vector-only transfected cell line (RenCa/C). Zymography showed a marked increase in matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) production in the culture supernatants of RenCa/F. Furthermore, when injected i.v. or into the renal subcapsule in syngeneic mice, RenCa/F formed more than 10 times as many metastatic nodules in the lung as did RenCa/P and RenCa/C. Metastases to the liver and mesenteric lymph nodes were observed only after the injection of RenCa/F into the renal subcapsule. In contrast, there was no significant difference in either cell proliferation in vitro or tumor growth in vivo among RenCa sublines. These results suggest that if it is overexpressed, endogenous native FGF-2 plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma, probably through the production of MMP-2.

Natural killer target molecules associated with the transformation of the oncogene-transfected fibroblast.

Cell surface antigens, the expression of which is highly enhanced along with the transformation of cells, were analyzed. W14 and W31, EJ-ras oncogene-induced transformants of a WKA rat fetus-derived fibroblast WFB, strongly expressed several transformation-associated antigens as defined by monoclonal antibodies 109, 061, and 081. These monoclonal antibodies recognized Mr 86,000, 62,000, and 101,000 molecules, each composed of a single polypeptide chain. The expression of these transformation-associated antigens was negligible on parental WFB cells. Transforming growth factor-beta could enhance the expression of all of these transformation-associated antigens, but platelet-derived growth factor could only enhance the Mr 86,000 kd molecule expression. In the cytotoxicity assays, poly-I:C-induced rat splenic NK cells were cytotoxic to W14 and W31, but not to WFB. The data also showed that the cytotoxicity by these NK cells against NK-sensitive YAC-1 cells was absorbed with the addition of W14, W31, platelet-derived growth factor, or transforming growth factor-beta-stimulated WFB cells. This indicates that NK cells may recognize common target antigens that are expressed among these target cells. It was also indicated that Mr 86,000 and 62,000 molecules were strongly involved in this cytotoxicity, possibly as the target antigens, since F(ab')2 fragments of monoclonal antibodies 109 and 061 strongly inhibited the cytotoxicity. The addition of monoclonal antibody 109, but not 061, inhibited the cytotoxicity even at 60 min after mixing with the effector and target cells, suggesting that the Mr 86,000 molecule may participate in the lethal hit phase of cytotoxicity by NK cells. These data may indicate that some, but not all, transformation-associated antigens are virtually important in the antitumor surveillance mechanisms by the host effector cells, such as NK cells.

Heat- or stress-inducible transformation-associated cell surface antigen on the activated H-ras oncogene-transfected rat fibroblast.

A WKA rat fetus fibroblast (WFB) was transfected by several oncogenes including EJras (activated H-ras), polyoma middle T (PyMT), v-src, c-myc, and adenovirus type 12 E1A-E1B. We analyzed the expression of the transformation-associated cell surface antigens on WFB by developing monoclonal antibodies. One of the WFB transformation-associated cell surface antigens, recognized by monoclonal antibody 067, was constitutively expressed only on two (W31 and W70) of ten WFB-EJras-transformed clones. This antigen could not be detected on parental WFB cells as well as ten WFB-PyMT transformant clones. Furthermore, it was not expressed on several clones of partially transformed WFB-v-src and WFB-adeno E1 transfectants or nontransformed WFB-c-myc transfectants. Monoclonal antibody 067 could form an immunoprecipitate with an approximate molecular weight of 67,000 which was composed of a single polypeptide chain. It was also shown that the expression of this antigen could be enhanced by cyclic AMP or cholera toxin treatment of W31; treated cells also showed a phenotypic reversion to the nonmalignant growth characteristics of the parental WFB. Moreover, the expression of this antigen could be induced on the WFB-EJras transformants such as W14, which do not constitutively express this antigen, by treatment of these agents. Furthermore, the expression of antigen was enhanced by heat and superoxide treatment on W31. These data suggest that the monoclonal antibody 067-defined molecule is a novel transformation-associated cell surface antigen that could be induced by heat shock or other physiological stress.

Overexpression of Bcl-2 in bladder cancer cells inhibits apoptosis induced by cisplatin and adenoviral-mediated p53 gene transfer.

To investigate the effects of the expression of Bcl-2 protein in bladder cancer on the apoptosis induced by cisplatin or adenoviral-mediated p53 gene (Ad5CMV-p53) transfer, we transfected the bcl-2 gene into KoTCC-1, a human bladder cancer cell line that does not express the Bcl-2 protein. The Bcl-2-transfected KoTCC-1 (KoTCC-1/B) exhibited significantly higher resistance to both cisplatin and Ad5CMV-p53 transfer than did either the parental KoTCC-1 (KoTCC-1/P) or the vector-only transfected cell line (KoTCC-1/C). The flow cytometric analysis of the propidium iodide-stained nuclei and DNA fragmentation analysis after cisplatin or Ad5CMV-p53 treatment revealed DNA degradation in both KoTCC-1/P and KoTCC-1/C, whereas KoTCC1/B showed a marked inhibition of DNA degradation. Following the treatment with cisplatin or Ad5CMV-p53, the accumulation of p53 protein was highly detectable for a long period in KoTCC-1/B compared to that in KoTTC-1/P and KoTCC-1/C. Furthermore, the cisplatin and Ad5CMV-p53 treatments each reduced the volume of the subcutaneous tumors established in nude mice formed by KoTCC-1/P or KoTCC-1/C; in contrast, their reductive effects on the tumors formed by KoTCC-1/B were significantly suppressed. The intraperitoneal tumor cell implantation model revealed that the prognoses of mice injected with KoTCC-1/B were significantly inferior to those of the mice injected with either KoTCC-1/P or KoTCC-1/C after treatment with cisplatin or Ad5CMV-p53. These findings suggest that the expression of Bcl-2 in bladder cancer cells interferes with the therapeutic effects of cisplatin and Ad5CMV-p53 through the inhibition of the apoptotic pathway.

Abnormalities in plasma lipoprotein in familial partial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency.

Abnormalities in plasma lipoproteins from patients with familial partial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency were studied. In these patients the plasma cholesterol ester ratio was about 40% and plasma apolipoprotein B level remained within the normal range. The content of large-sized low-density-lipoproteins (LDL) was low. Apolipoprotein B-100 and B-48 were detected in very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and LDL in patients' plasma. In patients' LDL, apolipoprotein B-48 was primarily present in large-sized particles. Apolipoprotein E and A-I were mainly detected in intermediate-sized LDL. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) were separated into three fractions by gel permeation chromatography. Large-sized HDL particles (150-200 A) including discoidal particles contained apolipoproteins, E, A-IV and A-I. The content of discoidal HDL was low and, on electron micrograph, rouleau-formed particles were rarely seen. Normal-sized HDL (80-100 A) contained apolipoproteins A-I and A-II and small-sized HDL (about 60 A) contained only apolipoprotein A-I. Although several lipoprotein abnormalities were similar to those in classical familial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency, remaining lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase activity may, however, cause a lack of reduction of apolipoprotein B level, a low level of large-sized LDL and also a low level of discoidal HDL.

Synergistic chemsensitization and inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis by the antisense oligodeoxynucleotide targeting clusterin gene in a human bladder cancer model.

Clusterin expression is highly up-regulated in several normal and malignant tissues undergoing apoptosis. Although recent studies have demonstrated a protective role of clusterin expression against various kinds of apoptotic stimuli, the functional role of clusterin in the acquisition of a therapy-resistant phenotype in bladder cancer remains unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine whether antisense (AS) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) targeting the clusterin gene enhances apoptosis induced by cisplatin and to evaluate the usefulness of combined treatment with AS clusterin ODN and cisplatin in the inhibition of KoTCC-1 tumor growth and metastasis in a human bladder cancer KoTCC-1 model. We initially revealed the dose-dependent and sequence-specific inhibition of clusterin expression by AS clusterin ODN treatment in KoTCC-1 cells at both mRNA and protein levels. Clusterin mRNA was increased in a dose-dependent manner by cisplatin treatment at concentrations < or =10 mg/ml, and clusterin mRNA up-regulation induced by 10 mg/ml cisplatin peaked by 48-h post-treatment and began decreasing by 72-h post-treatment. Although there was no significant effect on growth of KoTCC-1 cells, AS clusterin ODN treatment significantly enhanced cisplatin chemosensitivity of KoTCC-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner, reducing the IC(50) by >50%. Characteristic apoptotic DNA ladder formation and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase protein were detected after combined treatment with AS clusterin ODN and cisplatin but not either agent alone. In vivo systemic administration of AS clusterin and cisplatin significantly decreased the s.c. KoTCC-1 tumor volume compared with mismatch control ODN plus cisplatin. Furthermore, after the orthotopic implantation of KoTCC-1 cells, combined treatment with AS clusterin and cisplatin significantly inhibited the growth of primary KoTCC-1 tumors, as well as the incidence of lymph node metastasis. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that clusterin helps confer a chemoresistant phenotype through inhibition of apoptosis and that combined AS clusterin ODN may be useful in enhancing the effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with bladder cancer.

A melanosomal membrane protein is a cell surface target for melanoma therapy.

Differentiation antigens on cancer cells are recognized by the immune system. A prototype set of these autoantigens in melanoma cells are the melanosomal glycoproteins, expressed in both melanomas and normal melanocytes. These are intracellular proteins that can be recognized by both antibodies and T lymphocytes. While one can understand how T cells can respond to intracellular proteins, based on cellular requirements for antigen processing and presentation, it is more difficult to understand how antibody responses to melanosomal proteins could lead to tumor rejection. We demonstrate that gp75 is expressed on the cell surface as well as intracellularly in human and mouse melanomas. The surface expression of gp75 can be augmented by IFN-gamma and during tumor growth in vivo. Surface expression of gp75 on mouse melanoma cells correlates with the ability of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against gp75 to reject melanomas in syngeneic mice. Antibody-mediated rejection seems to require the Fc portion of the antibody, suggesting a role for Fc receptor-positive effector cells such as natural killer cells. However, although NK1.1(+) cells have been implicated in antibody-induced rejection in vivo, cell surface expression of gp75(+) on melanoma does not lead to susceptibility to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in vitro. The mAb to gp75 induced tumor rejection in mice carrying both scid and bg/bg traits, showing that neither thymus-dependent T cells nor natural killer cytotoxic activity was required in vivo. Long-term treatment of mice with mAb led to patchy depigmentation in the coat. In summary, an intracellular organellar protein can be expressed at the cell surface and provide an antigenic target for antibody therapy and autoimmunity.

Relative expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 in mouse renal cell carcinoma cells regulates their metastatic potential.

To clarify the significance of the balance between matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in the progression of renal cell carcinoma, we transfected both the MMP-2 and TIMP-2 genes simultaneously into RenCa, a mouse renal cell carcinoma cell line that does not express detectable levels of either MMP-2 or TIMP-2 mRNAs, and established several clones with various MMP-2:TIMP-2 expression ratios. On the basis of the quantitative evaluation of the MMP-2: TIMP-2 mRNA expression ratio by Northern blot analysis, we selected a clone overexpressing MMP-2 alone (RenCa/M), a clone overexpressing TIMP-2 alone (RenCa/T), and two kinds of clones overexpressing both, i.e., one with a high (RenCa/MTh) and one with a low (RenCa/MTl) MMP-2: TIMP-2 ratio, to compare the tumor cell phenotypes. In an in vitro tumor cell invasion assay, the MMP-2:TIMP-2 ratios of the RenCa sublines were directly correlated with their invasive potential. The invasive abilities of the parental RenCa cells induced by conditioned media from RenCa sublines were also correlated with the MMP-2:TIMP-2 ratios of the sublines. The cell adhesion assay showed the inverse correlation between the MMP-2 expression levels in the sublines and their cell adhesion to several extracellular matrix components. Furthermore, when injected i.v. or into the renal subcapsule in syngeneic mice, RenCa sublines formed metastatic nodules in the lungs, and the number of nodules was correlated with the MMP-2:TIMP-2 ratio of each clone. In contrast, despite the growth-inhibitory effects of TIMP-2 overexpression, MMP-2 overexpression had no effect on either proliferation in vitro of RenCa sublines or on their growth as tumors in vivo. These results suggest that the MMP-2:TIMP-2 expression ratio is a critical factor in the invasion and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma.

Multifocal renal cell carcinoma: evidence for a common clonal origin.

The reported incidence of satellite tumor lesions in kidneys resected by radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is 7-25%; however, genetic analyses of satellite tumors in comparison with those of main tumor lesions have not been performed well. In the present study, we investigated the incidence of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at chromosome arms 3p, 6q, 8p, 9p, 9q, and 14q using 18 microsatellite markers in 10 nonpapillary RCCs of 50 mm or less in diameter and the accompanying satellite tumor lesions to evaluate the genetic alterations in main and satellite tumors. LOH was detected in 10, 3, 5, 3, 2, and 3 cases at chromosome arms 3p, 6q, 8p, 9p, 9q, and 14q, respectively. In addition, primary and satellite tumor lesions in 8 of 10 cases exhibited identical patterns of LOH on the 18 loci examined. In the remaining two cases, both main and satellite tumors demonstrated LOH on the common seven and three loci, respectively, whereas for another locus, LOH was observed only in the satellite tumor lesions. The similarity of LOH patterns detected in main and satellite tumor lesions indicates that the presence of satellite tumors might be the result of intrarenal metastasis from the main tumor lesion. These findings strongly suggest that even in case of small nonpapillary RCC, nephron-sparing surgery might carry the risk of failing to prevent postoperative local recurrence due to the incomplete resection of unrecognized satellite tumors with genetic alterations similar to those of the main tumor.

Aortic and vena caval reconstruction with retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for metastatic germ cell tumor.

A 49-year-old man who had a huge testicular tumor with retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis and bilateral multiple pulmonary metastases was referred to our hospital. Firstly orchiectomy was done obtaining the pathological diagnosis of mixed type germ cell tumor. After cisplatin-based chemotherapy, he underwent resection of the retroperitoneal lymph node involving the abdominal aorta and the inferior vena cava. Both great vessels were resected with the tumor and reconstructed with prosthetic grafts. Two months after the laparotomy, 12 metastatic nodules in the left lung were resected. Seven months later, he furthermore underwent resection of 4 metastatic nodules in the right lung. Microscopically, all resected metastatic tumors were diagnosed to be mature teratoma without viable malignant cells. The patient remains well 30 months after the first operation. Follow-up CT scan demonstrates patency of aortic and vena caval bypass grafts without local recurrence or distant metastasis.

Elimination of CD4(+) T cells enhances anti-tumor effect of locally secreted interleukin-12 on B16 mouse melanoma and induces vitiligo-like coat color alteration.

CD4(+) T cells have been reported to suppress immunity against cancer in certain animal models. In this study, we investigated the role of CD4(+) T cells in the anti-tumor immune response when interleukin-12-producing melanoma cells are inoculated in mice. We found that interleukin-12-transfected B16 melanoma showed retarded tumor growth in syngeneic mice; however, all the mice developed tumors eventually. In vivo depletion of CD4(+) T cells led to complete regression of B16/interleukin-12 tumors in 12 of 20 mice (60%). Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that a number of CD8(+) T cells accumulated in close proximity to the B16/interleukin-12 tumors in the CD4(+) T cell-depleted mice, whereas CD8(+) T cells were only scarcely observed at the periphery of the tumors in control immunocompetent mice. Furthermore, 10 of 20 mice treated with both B16/interleukin-12 inoculation and CD4(+) T cell depletion exhibited vitiligo-like coat color alteration. B16/interleukin-12 tumors completely regressed in all the mice with vitiligo. Histologic examination showed that CD8(+) lymphocytes accumulated around the hair bulbs of mice with vitiligo, but not in those without vitiligo. These results suggest that CD4(+) T cells have an inhibitory effect on tumor rejection by suppressing cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells in this melanoma loading model with local interleukin-12 secretion. To investigate the mechanism of enhanced anti-tumor effects by CD4(+) T cell depletion, we examined the T helper type 1/2 cytokine profile in the tumor draining lymph nodes of B16/interleukin-12-bearing mice with or without CD4(+) T cell depletion using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method. We found that CD4(+) T cell depletion eliminated T helper type 2 cells and resulted in a T helper type 1-dominant cytokine profile in tumor draining lymph nodes. We emphasize that this T helper type 1-dominant cytokine profile may generate further activated CD8(+) T cells against B16 melanoma cells, lead B16/interleukin-12 to regress, and result in the destruction of the melanocytes in hair bulbs due to cross-antigenicity between both cell types. This mouse model not only demonstrates the depletion of CD4(+) T cells as a useful strategy for cancer gene therapy with interleukin-12 but also provides a model for human melanoma-associated vitiligo.J Invest Dermatol 115:1059-1064 2000

Pharmacokinetics of natural human IFN-alpha in hemodialysis patients.

A pharmacokinetic study of natural human interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) was conducted in hemodialysis patients. Natural human IFN-alpha was intramuscularly (i.m.) administered to 8 hemodialysis patients at a single dose of 5 million IU and to 7 patients undergoing hemodialysis at the same dose once daily for 5 successive days. The serum antiviral activity was determined by a cytopathic effect bioassay. In the single dose study, the serum antiviral activity reached a maximum (Cmax) of 56.4 +/- 33.3 IU/ml at 8.3 +/- 2.7 h after dosing, and the area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC0-24h) was 957.2 +/- 601.8 IU h/ml. The Cmax and AUC0-24h values at day 5 following the repeated dosing were both 2.6-fold higher than those of day 1, and the serum antiviral activity reached a steady state within 3 days after initiation of repeated administration. The serum antiviral activity in hemodialysis patients showed a tendency to increase compared with that in the subjects with normal renal function, but the magnitude of the differences was not great. In one nonhemodialysis patient with poor renal function (creatinine clearance < 30 ml/min), no increases in serum antiviral activity owing to repeated dosing were observed. The main adverse events seen were fever (4 of 13, 30.8%), leukopenia (3 of 13, 23.1%), and fatigue (2 of 13, 15.4%). These results suggest that dosage modifications of natural human IFN-alpha are unnecessary for patients with low renal function, even those undergoing hemodialysis.

Effectiveness of cancer vaccine therapy using cells transduced with the interleukin-12 gene combined with systemic interleukin-18 administration.

We introduced the interleukin-12 (IL-12) gene into mouse renal cell carcinoma (RenCa) cells to develop a tumor vaccine and to examine mechanisms of tumor rejection. IL-12-secreting RenCa (RenCa/IL-12) cells were completely rejected when implanted into syngeneic BALB/c but not athymic nude mice, suggesting that T cells were involved in this antitumor effect. Depletion of natural killer (NK) cells in nude mice did not affect the tumor growth of RenCa/IL-12. The simultaneous injection of mitomycin C-treated RenCa/IL-12 inhibited the tumor growth of parental RenCa injected at a distant site, whereas injection of mitomycin C-treated parental RenCa did not. The antitumor effect of RenCa/IL-12 as a cancer vaccine was induced by CD8+ T cells and NK cells and was inhibited by CD4+ T cells. Although the systemic administration of recombinant IL-18 (rIL-18) alone did not inhibit the tumor growth, it did enhance the cancer vaccine effect of RenCa/IL-12. The combination therapy of RenCa/IL-12 and the systemic administration of rIL-18 retarded even the growth of established tumors. The effector cells of this combination therapy consist not only of CD8+ T cells and NK cells but also of CD4+ T cells. This synergistic cancer vaccine effect of in situ secretion of IL-12 and the systemic administration of rIL-18 may be attributed to a functional change of CD4+ T cells.

Marked hyper-HDL2-cholesterolemia associated with premature corneal opacity. A case report.

We report here a peculiar case with premature corneal opacity and extremely high levels of HDL cholesterol in serum. The patient is a 54-year-old man who was first noticed to have marked corneal opacities at age 19. His serum HDL cholesterol level was elevated to the level of 135-160 mg/dl, while total serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were 254 mg/dl and 56 mg/dl, respectively. Serum apoprotein A-I and E levels analyzed by single radial immunodiffusion method were elevated in the case. Serum lipoprotein fractions isolated by preparative ultracentrifugation revealed that increased levels of HDL cholesterol were accounted for solely by the HDL2 fraction. HDL2 of the patient contained relatively higher amounts of apoprotein E than normal control HDL2. Elution profiles of lipoproteins in high performance liquid chromatography revealed that HDL2 particles from the patient were larger in size than those from normal controls. These characteristics of HDL are in part similar to those of HDLC which appears in experimental animals after cholesterol feeding. Such abnormalities in HDL2 fractions associated with premature corneal opacity have not been reported so far and appear to constitute a new disease entity.