In vitro discrimination of tumor cell lines with an electronic nose.

OBJECTIVE: The electronic nose is a sensor of volatile molecules that is useful in the analysis of expired gases. Our hypothesis is that the electronic nose can distinguish between different types of upper aerodigestive tract tumor cells in vitro. STUDY DESIGN: Cells from both tumor and normal cell lines were suspended in saline, and a polymer composite electronic nose was used to evaluate the headspace gases. The data were subjected to principal components analysis, and Mahalanobis distances were calculated to demonstrate the ability of the electronic nose to distinguish among samples. RESULTS: The tumor cell lines, including adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and mesothelioma, were distinct from each other, and from the normal fibroblast and smooth muscle cells as seen on canonical discrimination plots. CONCLUSION: The electronic nose can distinguish between tumor cell lines in vitro and has the potential to be a useful screening test for cancer.

Vaccination with human papillomavirus type 16 E7 peptide with CpG oligonucleotides for prevention of tumor growth in mice.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether an E7 peptide/CpG vaccine is effective in preventing and treating human papillomavirus-positive tumors in a murine model. INTERVENTION: First, an E7 peptide/CpG vaccine was administered systemically on days -14 and -7, and tumor cells were injected subcutaneously on day 0. Second, tumor cells were injected on day 0, and vaccine was administered on days 7, 14, and 21. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Tumor size was measured 3 times per week. A tetramer assay was used to assess the presence of activated, E7-specific lymphocytes in spleen and tumor cells harvested from mice treated with a similar vaccination regimen. RESULTS: In the prophylactic study, 75% of mice injected with E7 peptide/CpG resisted tumor formation. In the therapeutic setting, tumors initially regressed and experienced delayed progression when compared with controls. Survival rates improved in E7/CpG-vaccinated mice. Tetramer analysis detected increased numbers of activated, E7-specific lymphocytes in the spleens and tumors of animals treated with the experimental vaccine when compared with controls. CONCLUSION: The use of CpG motifs as an adjunct to peptide-based immunotherapy has potential impact on the treatment of human papillomavirus-associated cancers.