Richter CE, Cocco E, Bellone S, Silasi DA, Rüttinger D, Azodi M, Schwartz PE, Rutherford TJ, Pecorelli S, Santin AD. High-grade, chemotherapy-resistant ovarian carcinomas overexpress epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and are highly sensitive to immunotherapy with MT201, a fully human monoclonal anti-EpCAM antibody.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010;
203:582.e1-7. [PMID:
20870202 DOI:
10.1016/j.ajog.2010.07.041]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2010] [Revised: 06/02/2010] [Accepted: 07/22/2010] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and the potential of MT201 (adecatumumab), a human-monoclonal-antibody that targets EpCAM against chemotherapy-resistant ovarian disease.
STUDY DESIGN
EpCAM expression was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. Sensitivity to MT201 antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity was tested in 4-hour chromium-release assays. The effect of interleukin-2 on MT201 ADCC was also studied.
RESULTS
High messenger RNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction and high EpCAM surface expression by flow cytometry was detected in 71% of ovarian cancers (5 of 7 cell lines). Although these cell lines were highly resistant to complement-dependent cytotoxicity and natural killer-dependent cytotoxicity in vitro (range of killing, 0-7%), EpCAM-positive cell lines showed high sensitivity to MT201 ADCC (range of killing, 27-66%). Incubation with interleukin-2 further increased the cytotoxic activity against EpCAM-positive ovarian cancer cell lines.
CONCLUSION
MT201 may represent a novel, potentially highly effective treatment option for patients with ovarian carcinoma whose body is harboring disease refractory to chemotherapy.
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