Wnt and frizzled receptors as targets for immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

• US 7,682,607 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Carson, Dennis A., Wu, Christina, Rhee, Chae-Seo, Corr, Maripat, Leoni, Lorenzo M., Sen, Malini
• Primary Examiner(s): Yaen; Christopher H
• Application Number:
  US10/381,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,883 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 424/130.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/28 against receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6851 Quantitative amplification
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6886 for cancer immunoassay for cancer G01N33/574
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/158 Expression markers

Abstract

The diverse receptor-ligand pairs of the Wnt and frizzled (Fzd) families play important roles during embryonic development, and thus may be overexpressed in cancers that arise from immature cells. The mRNA levels and expression levels of 5 Wnt (Wnt-1, 5a, 7a, 10b, 13) and 2 Fzd (Fzd-2, 5) genes in 10 head and neck squamous carcinoma cell lines (HNSCC) were investigated. In addition, anti-Wnt-1 antibodies were used to study the Wnt/Fzd signalling pathway. These results indicate that HNSCC cell lines overexpress one or more Wnt and Fzd genes, and the growth and survival of a subset of HNSCC may depend on the Wnt/Fzd pathway. Therefore, The Wnt and Fzd receptors may be useful targets for immunotherapy of this common cancer.

Claims

1. A method of inhibiting the proliferation or survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells that require overexpression of a Wnt-1 protein in a Wnt/zd signaling pathway for proliferation or survival, wherein the carcinoma cells overexpress the Wnt-1 protein when compared to non-carcinoma cells of the same cell type, said method comprising contacting the carcinoma cells with an anti-Wnt-1 antibody that inhibits the Wnt/zd signaling pathway in the carcinoma cells.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the anti-Wnt-1 antibody is an antagonist of the Wnt/zd signaling pathway.

3. A method of inhibiting the proliferation or survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells that overexpress a Wnt-1 protein when compared to non-carcinoma cells of the same cell type, said method comprising contacting the carcinoma cells with an anti-Wnt-1 antibody that facilitates carcinoma cell toxicity or killing by complement.

4. A method of inhibiting the proliferation or survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells that overexpress a Wnt-1 protein when compared to another Wnt protein in the same carcinoma cells, said method comprising contacting the carcinoma cells with an anti-Wnt-1 antibody that facilitates carcinoma cell toxicity or killing by complement.

5. A method of inhibiting the proliferation or survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells, that require overexpression of a Wnt-1 protein in a Wnt/zd signaling pathway for proliferation or survival, wherein the carcinoma cells overexpress the Wnt-1 protein when compared to non-carcinoma cells of the same cell type and wherein the Wnt-1 protein is overexpressed when compared to another Wnt protein in the same carcinoma cells, said method comprising contacting the carcinoma cells with an anti-Wnt-1 antibody that inhibits the Wnt/zd signaling pathway in the carcinoma cells.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the anti-Wnt-1 antibody is an antagonist of the Wnt/zd signaling pathway.