Evaluation of the inhibition potential of the anti-Id mAb 10.D7, which mimics endothelial growth factor (VEGF), on the growth of B16F10 melanoma

• Grant number: 12/24280-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Jane Zveiter de Moraes
• Grantee: Jéssica de Souza Sanches
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Melanoma is the leading fatal disease originating from the skin. Serious adverse effects of conventional therapies make the seeking of new options of treatment necessary. Immunotherapies represent an alternative and, among them, the anti-angiogenic approaches are promising. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a critical role in the angiogenic process. Bevacizumab is a humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody, which has been used in the treatment of several tumors. However, undesirable side effects have been observed which compromises its use. Pilot experiment conducted by our group has shown encouraging results when the Bevacizumab anti-idiotype (Id) MAb 10.D7, obtained in our laboratory (Process 2009/18631-1 FAPESP), was used as an immunogen. The present project proposes to explore the results observed in the preliminary experiment, where the survival of animals that received tumor implantation after being immunized with anti-Id MAb 10.D7 increased. Therefore, studies will be made in vivo, using a greater number of animals and two immunization protocols will be compared. In parallel, it will be examined whether the anti-Id MAb 10.D7 is capable of interfering with the in vitro growth of human endothelial cells (HUVEC) as well as to bind to VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 expressed on them. (AU)