Purpose: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is commonly overexpressed in lung cancer.Cetuximab is a chimeric mouse-human antibody targeted against EGFR. Compared with its inhibitory properties, its immunologic mechanisms have not been well studied. In this study, we investigated the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity of cetuximab against lung cancer cell lines. Experimental Design: We studied the correlation between EGFR expression in lung cancer cell lines and the ADCC activity of cetuximab as well as the influence of interleukin-2 and chemotherapy on the ADCC activity. EGFR expression was measured by a quantitative flow cytometric analysis and immunohistochemistry. The ADCC activity was assessed by a 4-h 51 Cr release assay. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells, purified Tcells, natural killer (NK) cells, and monocytes from healthy donors or lung cancer patients were used as effector cells. Results: Fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells exhibited cetuximab-mediated ADCC activity against lung cancer cell lines at a low concentration of cetuximab (0.25 Ag/mL). A logarithmic correlation was observed between the number of EGFRs and ADCC activity. Even low EGFR expression, which was weakly detectable by immunohistochemistry, was sufficient for maximum ADCC activity, and further increases in EGFR expression on the target cells had no further effect on the ADCC activity. In addition, ADCC activity was enhanced by interleukin-2 mainly through activation of NK cells and was less susceptible to immunosuppression by chemotherapy than NK activity in lung cancer patients. Conclusions: These observations suggest the importance of ADCC activity as an immunologic mechanism of cetuximab in biological therapy for lung cancer patients.

We found that ADS aggravated lower respiratory symptoms in adult patients with asthma, but this influence was mild.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is linked to cardiovascular disease; however, there are few studies on the associations of cardiovascular genes with COPD. We assessed the association of lung function with 2,100 genes selected for cardiovascular diseases among 20,077 European-Americans and 6,900 African-Americans. We performed replication of significant loci in the other racial group and an independent consortium of Europeans, tested the associations of significant loci with percent emphysema, and examined gene expression in an independent sample. We then tested the association of a related lipid biomarker with FEV1/FVC and percent emphysema. We identified one new polymorphism for FEV1/FVC (rs805301) in European-Americans (p=1.3×10−6) and a second (rs707974) in the combined European-American and African-American analysis (p=1.38×10−7). Both SNPs flank the gene for apolipoprotein M (apoM), a component of HDL. Both replicated in an independent cohort. SNPs in a second gene related to apoM and HDL, PCSK9, were associated with FEV1/FVC among African-Americans. rs707974 was associated with percent emphysema among European-Americans and African-Americans, and APOM expression was related to FEV1/FVC and percent emphysema. Higher HDL levels were associated with lower FEV1/FVC and greater percent emphysema. These findings suggest a novel role for the APOM/HDL pathway in the pathogenesis of COPD and emphysema.

UL16-binding protein 2 (ULBP2) is one of the ligands for NKG2D (NKG2DL). ULBP2 expression is induced in transformed cells and is recognized by immune effector cells via the activating NKG2D immunoreceptor. Soluble forms of NKG2DL have been reported in the serum of patients with several types of cancer. The present study investigated the diagnostic and prognostic significance of serum-soluble ULBP2 (sULBP2) in lung cancer patients. We used flow cytometry to evaluate the surface expression of NKG2DL by various lung cancer cells, while sULBP2 was measured using our original ELISA. In addition, the immunological effect of sULBP2 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was examined by the 51 Cr release assay. We found that ULBP2 was highly expressed and that the sULBP2 level was elevated in supernatants of cultured non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells as well as in the serum of NSCLC patients. ULBP2 levels were especially high in squamous cell carcinoma (SQ) patients. Clinical stage IIIB and IV NSCLC patients with a sULBP2 level ! 8.7 pg/mL showed significantly shorter survival than patients with sULBP2 <8.7 pg/mL. In multivariate analysis, a sULBP2 level ! 8.7 pg/mL (hazard ratio [HR], 2.13; P = 0.038) and clinical stage IV (HR, 2.65; P = 0.019) were independent determinants of a poor outcome. As a possible mechanism, we demonstrated that sULBP2 directly suppresses the cytolytic activity of PBMC. In conclusion, ULBP2 is the most significant NKG2DL for lung cancer, and sULBP2 is useful in the diagnosis of SQ and as a prognostic indicator for patients with advanced NSCLC. (Cancer Sci 2012; 103: 1405-1413

Pollen augmented symptoms in adult asthma patients, but ADS on its own also were able to aggravate symptoms and pulmonary function.