α-fetoprotein impairs APC function and induces their apoptosis
- Authors
- Um S.H.; Mulhall C.; Alisa A.; Ives A.R.; Karani J.; Williams R.; Bertoletti A.; Behboudi S.
- Issue Date
- Aug-2004
- Publisher
- American Association of Immunologists
- Citation
- Journal of Immunology, v.173, no.3, pp 1772 - 1778
- Pages
- 7
- Indexed
- SCOPUS
- Journal Title
- Journal of Immunology
- Volume
- 173
- Number
- 3
- Start Page
- 1772
- End Page
- 1778
- URI
- https://scholarworks.korea.ac.kr/kumedicine/handle/2020.sw.kumedicine/20882
- DOI
- 10.4049/jimmunol.173.3.1772
- ISSN
- 0022-1767
1550-6606
- Abstract
- α-Fetoprotein (AFP) is a tumor-associated Ag, and its serum level is elevated in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In vitro, AFP induces functional impairment of dendritic cells (DCs). This was demonstrated by the down-regulation of CD40 and CD86 molecnles and the impairment of allostimulatory function. Also, AFP was found to induce significant apoptosis of DCs, and AFP-treated DCs produced low levels of IL-12 and TNF-α, a cytokine pattern that could hamper an efficient antitumor immune response. Ex vivo, APCs of patients with HCC and high levels of AFP produced lower levels of TNF-α than that of healthy individuals. In conclusion, these results illustrate that AFP induces dysfunction and apoptosis of APCs, thereby offering a mechanism by which HCC escapes immunological control.
- Files in This Item
- There are no files associated with this item.
- Appears in
Collections - 2. Clinical Science > Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology > 1. Journal Articles
Items in ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.