Cetuximab Enhanced the Cytotoxic Activity of Immune Cells during Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

Cetuximab Enhanced the Cytotoxic Activity of Immune Cells during Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

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Background/Aims: Cetuximab is a chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody which targets the extracellular domain of epidermal growth factor receptor.This antibody is widely used for colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment but its influence on the immune ACTIVE B COMPLEX system is incompletely understood.Methods: The immune influence of cetuximab therapy in CRC patients was investigated by analyzing peripheral blood mononuclear cells using flow cytometry.We undertook in vitro cytotoxicity and cytokine-profile assays to ascertain the immunomodulatory effect of cetuximab treatment.Results: The number of CD3+ T, CD8+ T, and natural killer (NK) cells was increased significantly and T-regulatory cells reduced gradually after cetuximab treatment.

Percentage of CD4+ T, natural killer T (NKT)-like, invariant NKT, and dendritic cells was similar between baseline patients and cetuximab patients.Expression of CD137 on NK and CD8+ T cells was increased significantly after 4 weeks of cetuximab therapy.In vitro cetuximab treatment markedly increased expression of CD137 and CD107a on NK and CD8+ T cells.Cetuximab treatment promoted the cytotoxic activity of NK and CD8+ T cells against tumor Tent Accessories cells.Conclusion: Cetuximab treatment promotes activation of the immune response but alleviates immunosuppression: this might be the underlying anti-CRC effect of cetuximab.