Does VEGF-targeted active immunotherapy induce complete abrogation of platelet VEGF levels?

• Published in: BMC research notes Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 323
• Main Authors: Sánchez Ramírez, Javier, Bequet-Romero, Mónica, Morera Díaz, Yanelys, Hernández-Bernal, Francisco, Ayala Avila, Marta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 10.06.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Aluminum; Analysis; Angiogenesis; Antibodies; Antibody response; Antigens; Bevacizumab; Blood platelets; Cancer; Cancer patients; Cancer therapies; Cancer vaccines; Chemotherapy; CIGB-247; Clinical trials; Colorectal cancer; Drug dosages; EDTA; Endothelial growth factors; Endothelium; FDA approval; Health aspects; Immunization; Immunotherapy; Lung cancer; Medical research; Metastasis; Phase I clinical trial; Physiology; Platelets; Research Note; Solid tumors; Specific active immunotherapy; Statistical analysis; Substance abuse treatment; Tumors; Vaccination; Vaccines; Vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGF vaccine; Womens health; VEGF vaccine; Specific active immunotherapy; Platelets; CIGB-247; Phase I clinical trial
• ISSN: 1756-0500; 1756-0500
• DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4368-z

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in physiological angiogenesis, but also is considered one of the key factors that promotes tumor angiogenesis. CIGB-247 is a VEGF-based vaccine that has been evaluated in phase I clinical trial patients with advanced solid tumors. This specific active immunotherapy is able to reduce platelet VEGF levels; however it is unknown whether this effect leads to a decrease in VEGF below the levels that can be observed in healthy individuals. The objective of the present study is to investigate platelet VEGF levels in cancer patients vaccinated with CIGB-247, and then compare these values with those obtained in healthy individuals. To achieve this, platelet VEGF levels of 62 cancer patients and 93 healthy individuals were compared. Cancer patients were those individuals recruited in CENTAURO and CENTAURO-2 clinical trials. Before vaccination, platelets of cancer patients carried more VEGF than the levels seen in platelet of healthy individuals. However, after vaccination, cancer patients had platelet VEGF values within the range established by healthy individuals, indicating that the antibody response elicited by CIGB-247 is not able to induce a complete suppression of VEGF. Vaccination with CIGB-247 helps to normalize VEGF levels within platelets.