Preclinical development of a NK cell-based immunotherapy for ovarian cancer by anti-EGFR-agents and immune-nanoparticles

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Due to high recurrence rate and resistance to common chemotherapeutic agents ovarian cancer remains a gynecological malignancy with worse prognosis. Thus, in current studies novel targeted therapies and immunotherapeutic approaches are being evaluated. Ovarian cancer patients are well suited for intraperitoneal immunotherapy since most patients suffer from peritoneal carcinosis and malignant ascites. Recent immunotherapeutic concepts based on natural killer cells (NK cells) showed promising results in this tumour entity.The aim of this project is to establish a NK cell-based immunotherapeutic model for ovarian carcinoma. For stimulation of NK cell-activity anti-EGFR-specific therapeutic agents will be used. The integration and evaluation of biocompatible calciumphosphate-nanoparticles as potential immune modifiers represents a key aspect in this proposal. Anti-EGFR-specific nanoparticles might improve tumour-/NK cell-interaction and might serve as carriers for further immune stimulating substances such as siRNA. As malignant ascites consists of proinflammatory, presumably immunosuppressive factors, we will also investigate tumour-/NK cell-interaction in the presence of ascitic fluid. This project will contribute to a better understanding of the potential efficacy of an intraperitoneal cellular immunotherapy for ovarian cancer.