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Maarten C. Bosland, DV.Sc., Ph.D. Background: The prostate gland is dependent on testosterone produced in the testes for growth and function. Therefore, reducing the production of testosterone is a targeted therapy in prostate cancer patients. Testosterone is produced in response to a hormone from the pituitary gland called luteinizing hormone. Luteinizing hormone is released from the pituitary in response to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), which is produced in the hypothalamus. Each step in this pathway provides an opportunity to block the production of testosterone to slow the growth of prostate tumors. These investigators using resources at the NIEHS-funded Center and the New York University Medical Center describe a vaccine against LHRH. Advance: The vaccine was created using sophisticated immunological techniques and tested in rodents, dogs, and baboons. The vaccine produced anti-LHRH antibodies in all three species. This vaccine differs from others in use in that it targets LHRH itself and not a carrier protein like other vaccines. The vaccine, in a clinically applicable formulation, controlled the growth of androgen-responsive prostate tumor cells in rats. Implication: The results of these studies demonstrate an efficient, responsive, and long-lasting decrease in androgen production in three diverse species, one of which is a non-human primate. Further studies are needed to determine if the vaccine is safe and effective at blocking testosterone production and prostate tumor growth in humans. If results from these studies are favorable, the vaccine could be an improved, less invasive method from treating prostate cancer. Citation: Finstad CL, Wang CY, Kowalski J, Zhang M, Li ML, Li XM, Xia WG, Bosland MC, Murphy KK, Walfield AM, Koff WC, Zamb TJ. Synthetic luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) vaccine for effective androgen deprivation and its implication to prostate cancer immunotherapy. Vaccine. 2004 Mar 12; 22(9-10):1300-13. |
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