Development of metastatic HER2+ breast cancer is independent of the adaptive immune system

• DOI: 10.1002/path.2837
• Publication Date: 2010-12-07T13:41:04Z
• Authors: Metamia Ciampricotti; Kim Vrijland; Cheei‐Sing Hau; Tea Pemovska; Chris W Doornebal; Ewoud N Speksnijder; Katharina Wartha; Jos Jonkers; Karin E de Visser
• Keywords: Immunosurveillance; HER2/neu; Mammary tumor

The tumour-modulating effects of the endogenous adaptive immune system are rather paradoxical. Whereas some clinical and experimental observations offer compelling evidence for existence immunosurveillance, other studies have revealed promoting on primary cancer development metastatic disease. We examined functional significance as a regulator spontaneous HER2(+) breast tumourigenesis pulmonary metastasis formation, using MMTV-NeuT mouse model in which mammary carcinogenesis is induced by transgenic expression activated HER2/neu oncogene. Although T B lymphocytes infiltrate human tumours, genetic elimination does not affect premalignant hyperplasias or cancers. In addition, we demonstrate that formation mice dependent system. Thus, our findings reveal HER2-driven neither suppressed, nor altered immunosurveillance mechanisms, promoted