Immunotherapeutic Efficacy of a Lactobacillus Caseilysate As an Adjuvant Combined With a Heated-4T1mammary Carcinoma Cell Lysate in a Murine Model Ofbreast Cancer Publisher



Dorostkar R¹ ; Hashemzadeh MS¹ ; Jafari S² ; Tat M¹ ; Ghalavand M¹ ; Asghari MH^{3, 4} ; Moloudizargari M⁵ Show Affiliations
Source: Asian Biomedicine Published:2016

Abstract

Background: Immunotherapy, during which the immune system of the patient is manipulated to act againsttumors has been among the most successful methods in the treatment of breast cancer, a leading cause ofmortality among women worldwide.Objectives: To investigate the immunotherapeutic efficacy of Lactobacillus casei lysate as an adjuvant incombination with a heated-4T1 mammary carcinoma cell lysate in a model of breast cancer.Methods: After ethics committee approval of all animal procedures, a murine model of breast cancer was inducedin BALB/c mice using 4T1 cells. These mice were immunized with a combination of lysates of heated 4T1 cellsand L. casei. Subsequent changes in tumor size and weight, and the production of TNF-α, IL-2, IL-12, IL-17, and IL13 were measured. Lung weights were measured as an indicator of metastasis to other organs.Results: The tumor size and weight in mice immunized with the combined vaccine were significantly reducedcompared with controls. The combined immunotherapy altered the pattern of cytokine production to theadvantage of antitumor immunity, and was significantly more potent than immunization with heated-4T1-celllysate or L. casei lysate alone.Conclusions: Coadministration of L. casei lysate enhanced the immunotherapeutic efficacy of the heated-4T1-cell lysate as a source of tumor-associated antigens. L. casei can potentially be used as an adjuvant combinedwith sources of tumor antigens in the treatment of cancers, and as a safe alternative to the current adjuvantsthat cause greater irritation to hosts. Further studies are required to clarify the mechanisms underlying theseeffects.