α-Fetoprotein Impairs APC Function and Induces Their Apoptosis | Zendy

Soon Ho Um | Zendy; Catherine Mulhall | Zendy; Akeel Alisa | Zendy; Annette Ives | Zendy; John Karani | Zendy; Roger Williams | Zendy; Antonio Bertoletti | Zendy; Shahriar Behboudi | Zendy

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α-Fetoprotein Impairs APC Function and Induces Their Apoptosis

Author(s) -

Soon Ho Um,

Catherine Mulhall,

Akeel Alisa,

Annette Ives,

John Karani,

Roger Williams,

Antonio Bertoletti,

Shahriar Behboudi

Publication year - 2004

Publication title -

the journal of immunology

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.737

H-Index - 372

eISSN - 1550-6606

pISSN - 0022-1767

DOI - 10.4049/jimmunol.173.3.1772

Subject(s) - cd86 , apoptosis , cd40 , immune system , tumor necrosis factor alpha , hepatocellular carcinoma , alpha fetoprotein , cytokine , cancer research , immunology , medicine , ex vivo , in vivo , biology , in vitro , t cell , cytotoxic t cell , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology

alpha-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 molecules 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-alpha, 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-alpha 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.

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