Intratumoral injection of alpha-gal glycolipids induces xenograft-like destruction and conversion of lesions into endogenous vaccines

J Immunol. 2007 Apr 1;178(7):4676-87. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.178.7.4676.

Abstract

This study describes a novel cancer immunotherapy treatment that exploits the natural anti-Gal Ab to destroy tumor lesions and convert them into an endogenous vaccine targeted to APC via FcgammaR. Anti-Gal constitutes 1% of immunoglobulins in humans and interacts specifically with alpha-gal epitopes (Galalpha1-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc-R). The binding of anti-Gal to alpha-gal epitopes on pig cells mediates xenograft rejection. The proposed method uses glycolipid micelles with multiple alpha-gal epitopes (alpha-gal glycolipids). These glycolipids are extracted from rabbit red cell membranes and are comprised of ceramides with carbohydrate chains containing 5-25 carbohydrates, all capped with alpha-gal epitopes. Efficacy of this treatment was demonstrated in alpha1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout mice producing anti-Gal and bearing B16 melanoma or B16/OVA producing OVA as a surrogate tumor Ag. These mice are unique among nonprimate mammals in that, similar to humans, they lack alpha-gal epitopes and can produce the anti-Gal Ab. Intratumoral injection of alpha-gal glycolipids results in local inflammation mediated by anti-Gal binding to the multiple alpha-gal epitopes and activation of complement. These glycolipids spontaneously insert into tumor cell membranes. The binding of anti-Gal to alpha-gal expressing tumor cells induces the destruction of treated lesions as in anti-Gal-mediated xenograft rejection. Anti-Gal further opsonizes tumor cells within the lesion and, thus, targets them for effective uptake by APC that transport the tumor Ags to draining lymph nodes. APC further cross-present immunogenic tumor Ag peptides and elicit a systemic anti-tumor immune response. Similar intratumoral injection of alpha-gal glycolipids in humans is likely to induce the destruction of treated lesions and elicit a protective immune response against micrometastases.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Erythrocyte Membrane / chemistry
  • Erythrocyte Membrane / immunology
  • Galactosyltransferases / genetics
  • Glycolipids / administration & dosage*
  • Glycolipids / immunology
  • Glycolipids / isolation & purification
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Injections
  • Lymph Nodes / immunology
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / immunology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / immunology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Rabbits
  • Skin Neoplasms / immunology
  • Skin Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Transplantation, Heterologous / immunology
  • Trisaccharides / administration & dosage*
  • Trisaccharides / chemistry
  • Trisaccharides / immunology
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Glycolipids
  • Trisaccharides
  • alpha-galactosyl epitope
  • Ovalbumin
  • Galactosyltransferases
  • N-acetyllactosaminide alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase