Wnt and frizzled receptors as targets for immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas
View Patent ↗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.
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.