Keyhole limpet hemocyanin: an effective adjunct against melanoma in vivo

Rizvi, Irfan; Riggs, Dale R.; Jackson, Barbara J.; McFadden, David W.

doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2007.08.005

« Previous Next »The American Journal of Surgery
Volume 194, Issue 5 , Pages 628-632, November 2007

Keyhole limpet hemocyanin: an effective adjunct against melanoma in vivo

Presented at the 31st Annual Surgical Symposium of the Association of VA Surgeons, Little Rock, AR, May 10–12, 2007

Department of Surgery, Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA

Received 23 May 2007; received in revised form 7 August 2007

Abstract

Background

We have previously demonstrated the potent in vitro antiproliferative effects of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) against melanoma. Our prior studies directed us to hypothesize that KLH would be effective in vivo against melanoma, alone and in combination with conventional immunotherapy.

Methods

Mice were inoculated with 2 × 10⁷ HTB68 cells and randomized to 6 groups. Treatment groups consisted of control, KLH 200 μg, alpha interferon (AIFN) 1000 IU, interleukin-2 (IL-2) 5000 IU, KLH + AIFN, and KLH + IL-2.

Results

KLH + IL-2 exhibited the greatest reduction in tumor volume (30%) as compared to control (P = .014), followed by KLH + AIFN (28%, P = .031). Singly treated animals had less tumor inhibition: IL-2 (30%, P = .022), KLH (18%, not significant), and AIFN (16%, not significant).

Conclusions

KLH augments the effects of AIFN, one of the standard immunotherapeutic agents against melanoma in vivo. Further in vivo and early clinical studies into the effects of KLH as both a single and combined agent are warranted.

Keywords: Keyhole limpet hemocyanin, Melanoma, Immunotherapy, In vivo