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Biomedical subjects

T Velu

Publications and source records attributed to T Velu.

96 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Cellular vaccines.

This project is devoted to the development of novel cellular vaccines designed to treat cancer patients. These cellular vaccines present and enhance immunogens, which will elicit a potent immune response. The goal is to achieve safe and effective immune reaction against the patient's own tumour. (1) Autologous cellular vaccines are prepared by processing circulating blood mononuclear cells outside of the patient's body (ex vivo) to differentiate them into antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Monocyte-derived APCs (MD-APCs) are then grown in the presence of exogenous target antigens (tumour cell debris, or apoptotic bodies) to become fully mature APCs. (2) Functionality for antigen presentation to T cells of ex vivo MD-APCs is evaluated in vivo. (3) Cellular vaccines are tested in selected rodent animal models. Efficiency and immune response are monitored in pertinent experimental systems for cancer. Pharmacological data are generated for clinical investigation. Tolerance and biologic effects are documented in primates. (4) The first clinical trials on cancer patients are taking place in 1998 on melanoma and prostate cancer to validate the concept. Specialized cell processors with dedicated software and standardized controls are being developed and used for the preparation of cellular vaccines. (5) The evaluation of new non-viral vectors and the validation of new non-viral transfection methods of mononuclear cells with marker genes is in progress and will lead to the ex vivo transfection of genes coding for immunostimulating cytokines or for tumour antigens in MD-APCs. Efficiency will be validated in vitro and in animal models. The ex vivo and animal model studies validate the clinical relevance of this new cellular immunotechnology. Clinical validation of individual autologous cellular vaccines in specific indications for which no treatment is presently available will allow the development of cellular and gene immunotherapy for other types of cancers.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Contribution of molecular oncology in the detection of colorectal carcinomas.

The development of effective screening tests for colorectal tumors is essential given the high frequency of these cancers in the general population, and more especially in various groups at risk. Sporadic and hereditary colorectal cancers result from the accumulation of mutations in oncogenes, such as ras, myc, neu/HER2, and in tumor suppressor genes such as apc, dcc, p53. The detection of ras or p53 mutations in DNA extracted from stool has been shown to be feasible and might be useful for the development of new screening tests. Many mutations in these genes can also be used as new prognostic factors. Identification of mutation in the apc gene responsible for familial polyposis, or its indirect detection through the study of polymorphism in such families, is completely changing the previously recommended medical attitude for the screening of this disease, and therefore may decrease or even avoid major medical follow-up. These changes are also true for the nonpolyposis hereditary colorectal tumors, also called Lynch syndrome, since the responsible hMSH2, hMLH1, hPMS1 and hPMS2 genes have recently been cloned. Mutations in these genes do not seem to be limited to families with Lynch syndrome, and could account for a predisposition of some patients to develop colorectal or other tumors.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗