Breast Cancer Vaccine
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic, University of South Florida,
and University of Torino employed substances called toll-like receptor agonists
to help a synthetic peptide vaccine raise the immune system response
against breast cancer tumors.
They used antibodies to blunt other aspects of the immune system
that might interfere with a strong killer T cell response,
improving the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The researchers studied both normal mice and
transgenic mice carrying an activated HER2/neu oncogene,
which has been linked to breast cancer in humans.
In order to get a protective immune response,
the transgenic mice were repeatedly given vaccine in combination with the toll-like receptor agonist or were given antibodies that blocked their protective T regulatory cells.
It showed some benefit against early stage spontaneous breast tumors.
when most mice have excessive and often precancerous breast tissue growth called hyperplasia
“Once tumors appear, only certain mice respond and there is only a delay in tumor growth
