Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
5-2024
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Department
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Degree Program
Pharmacology and Toxicology, MS
Committee Chair
Matoba, Nobuyuki
Committee Member
Siskind, Leah
Committee Member
Palmer, Kenneth
Committee Member
Kakar, Sham
Committee Member
Telang, Sucheta
Committee Member
Yaddanapudi, Kavitha
Author's Keywords
drug development; plant-made pharmaceuticals; cancer glycosylation; lectin; antibody; immunotherapy
Abstract
This thesis describes the investigation of Avaren-Fc (AvFc), a novel lectin-based therapeutic fusion protein consisting of the recombinant Avaren lectin and the Fc region of human IgG1, against ovarian cancer. AvFc possesses selectivity toward tumor associated N-linked high-mannose-type glycans. The present study demonstrates AvFc’s in vitro activity against OVCA cell lines via antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and its ability to extend the survival of mice challenged with murine ID8 OVCA cells after repeated systemic administration. Furthermore, AvFc treatment in this model was found to increase the presence of peritoneal leukocytes, suggesting a shift toward an improved antitumor immune response. Another key finding of the current work was AvFc’s preferential binding to primary human OVCA tumor tissue over healthy adjacent tissue. Overall, these results emphasize AvFc’s therapeutic potential by effectively leveraging OVCA-associated high-mannose glycans as a target to induce cancer cell elimination.
Recommended Citation
Mayer, Katarina Lee, "Investigation of Avaren-Fc's therapeutic potential against ovarian cancer." (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4331.
Retrieved from https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/4331
Included in
Immunotherapy Commons, Other Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons, Pharmaceutics and Drug Design Commons
