Optimizing complement-activating antibody-based cancer immunotherapy: a feasible strategy?

Passive immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) targeted to specific tumor-associated antigens is amongst the most rapidly expanding approaches to biological therapy of cancer. However, until now a limited number of therapeutic mAb has demonstrated clinical efficacy in selected neoplasia. Results emerging from basic research point to a deeper characterization of specific biological features of neoplastic cells as crucial to optimize the clinical potential of therapeutic mAb, and to identify cancer patients who represent the best candidates to antibody-based immunotherapy. Focus on the tissue distribution and on the functional role of membrane complement-regulatory proteins such as Protectin (CD59), which under physiologic conditions protects tissues from Complement (C)-damage, might help to optimize the efficacy of immunotherapeutic strategies based on C-activating mAb.