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Biomedical subjects

A Berken

Publications and source records attributed to A Berken.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Case for adoptive immunotherapy in cancer.

Patients with normal immune systems may be unable to mount effective defences against solid tumours because of (1) the generation of suppressor T cells in the low zone tolerance response elicited by the low concentrations of antigen furnished by slow growing solid tumours; (2) the ineffectiveness of the cytolytic T-cell response when the tumour cell membrane lacks the major histocompatibility gene products required for linkage to tumour antigens; and (3) the hindrance of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity by antitumour antibodies when the precise requirements for the reaction cannot be fulfilled in the sites occupied by solid tumours. Recent immunological advances suggest that it should be possible to isolate antigens from cancer cells, produce antibodies against these antigens, bind the antibodies to the patient's macrophages and K lymphocytes, and reinject the bound cells into the patients to stimulate lymphokine synthesis and antibody-dependent cellular cytoxicity.

Antibodies, Neoplasm

Properties of antibodies cytophilic for macrophages.

Cytophilic activity for macrophages was shown to be a property possessed by most, if not all, of the complement binding 7S gamma(2)-population of guinea pig antibodies. Cytophilic antibodies were also demonstrated in rabbit and mouse antisera to sheep red cells. While each species antibody best sensitized homologous macrophages, cross species sensitization was also observed. The binding site for macrophages resides on the Fc fragment, therefore, on the H chains, and is destroyed by pepsin hydrolysis or reduction and alkylation. The binding reaction is reversible with a high rate of dissociation at 37 degrees C. Cytophilic activity is not complement dependent, and was shown to be that property of opsonizing antibody which provides the receptors that permit the binding of the antibody to the macrophage cell membrane in preparation for phagocytosis.

Alkylation