Objectif
The therapeutic vaccination against breast cancer, and more widely all solid tumours, has largely been ineffective in clinical trials. This failure has been attributed to ‘immune editing’ of the cancerous cells, or to suppression of T cell functions within the tumour. In relation to the later, we have identified a novel population of tumoural macrophages, marked by the expression of fibroblast activation protein-alpha (FAP) which can mediate tumoural immune suppression through the enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Selective inhibition of HO-1 with tin mesoporphyrin (SnMP), a drug which has already been administered to infants for the treatment of neonatal jaundice, permits immunological control of tumour growth in transplantable Lewis lung carcinoma tumours. This proposal seeks to evaluate SnMP as a novel cancer immunotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer. We have demonstrated that HO-1+ cells are recruited into mammary tumours of a relevant spontaneous murine model of breast cancer. A vaccine strategy will be developed targeting telomerase, a vaccine target already in clinical trial for human breast cancer. The effect on mammary tumour growth of a vaccine induced anti-tumour immune response, alongside HO-1 inhibition to alleviate immune suppression, will be assessed. Lung metastases in these mice, and their response to treatment, will also be studied. The HO-1 expressing cells in human breast cancer will be quantitated and characterised at both the protein and transcriptome levels to validate the approach. Novel immuno-therapies directed at modulating HO-1 expression will also be investigated, facilitated by the development of a transgenic HO-1 reporter mouse which will co-express green fluorescent protein and luciferase driven by the promoter and response elements of the HO-1 gene. As cancer vaccines have already been developed, and as we have identified a drug, SnMP, which may circumvent tumoural immune suppression, this proposal is clinically relevant.
Champ scientifique
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologylung cancer
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrypost-transition metals
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologybreast cancer
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyimmunotherapy
Appel à propositions
ERC-2013-StG
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Régime de financement
ERC-SG - ERC Starting GrantInstitution d’accueil
WC2R 2LS London
Royaume-Uni