Humoral epitope-spreading following immunization with a HER-2/neu peptide based vaccine in cancer patients.

HER-2/neu is a tumor antigen in patients with breast and ovarian cancer. Multiple varieties of vaccine strategies are being developed to immunize patients against HER-2/neu. Studies in animal models have demonstrated both T cell and antibody immunity are needed to mediate an antitumor response. Thirty-five patients, immunized with HER-2/neu peptide based vaccines, were evaluated for the generation of HER-2/neu-specific antibody immunity. Sixty percent of patients developed HER-2/neu IgG specific antibody responses to at least one peptide included in their vaccine. Twenty-nine percent of patients developed IgG immunity to the native HER-2/neu protein after peptide immunization. Humoral intramolecular epitope-spreading within the HER-2/neu protein occurred in 49% of immunized patients. Intermolecular epitope-spreading to p53 was evident in 20% of vaccinated patients. Of those patients who developed new immunity to p53, 71% had demonstrated antibody epitope-spreading within HER-2/neu.