An integrated approach of immunogenomics and bioinformatics to identify new Tumor Associated Antigens (TAA) for mammary cancer i

Background: Neoplastic transformation is a multistep process in which distinct gene products of specific cell regulatory pathways are involved at each stage. Identification of overexpressed genes provides an unprecedented opportunity to address the immune system against antigens typical of defined stages of neoplastic transformation. HER-2/neu/ERBB2 (Her2) oncogene is a prototype of deregulated oncogenic protein kinase membrane receptors. Mice transgenic for rat Her2 (BALBneuT mice) were studied to evaluate the stage in which vaccines can prevent the onset of Her2 driven mammary carcinomas. As Her2 is not overexpressed in all mammary carcinomas, definition of an additional set of tumor associated antigens (TAAs) expressed at defined stages by most breast carcinomas would allow a broader coverage of vaccination. To address this question, a metaanalysis was performed on two transcription profile studies [1,2] to identify a set of new TAA targets to be used instead of or in conjunction w...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2005
• Where: BMCBI
• Authors: Federica Cavallo, Annalisa Astolfi, Manuela Iezzi, Francesca Cordero, Pierluigi Lollini, Guido Forni, Raffaele Calogero
• Keywords: BMCBI 2005, Her2, Mammary Carcinomas, Neoplastic Transformation