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Endotoxin and cancer chemo-prevention

Giuseppe Mastrangelo1, Emanuela Fadda, Luca Cegolon

  • 1Padua University, Department of Molecular Medicine, Padua, Italy.

Cancer Epidemiology
|May 23, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Monophosphoryl Lipid A (MPL®), an endotoxin derivative, may reduce cancer risk. An observational study in Germany could investigate MPL®

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Reduced lung cancer rates observed in occupational groups exposed to endotoxin-contaminated organic dusts.
  • Endotoxin's anti-neoplastic effects may involve increased endogenous mediators and Toll-like Receptor (TLR) activation.
  • Monophosphoryl Lipid A (MPL®), a detoxified endotoxin derivative, is an established adjuvant in European allergy vaccines.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential cancer-preventive effects of Monophosphoryl Lipid A (MPL®).
  • To compare cancer incidence in patients with allergic rhinitis treated with or without MPL®-containing vaccines.
  • To quantify MPL®'s protective effect in both smokers and non-smokers.

Main Methods:

  • Proposed observational follow-up study in Germany.
  • Comparison of cancer incidence between two patient groups: allergic rhinitis patients treated with allergoids plus MPL® versus allergoids alone.
  • Analysis of MPL®'s protective effect stratified by smoking status (ever and never smokers).

Main Results:

  • Study is observational and proposed; no results are available yet.
  • Potential to quantify cancer risk reduction associated with MPL® exposure.
  • Data on patient exposure (MPL® dose, timing) and individual characteristics are potentially available.

Conclusions:

  • If protective effects are evidenced, MPL® could be rapidly adopted as a chemo-preventive agent.
  • MPL®'s existing use in human vaccines supports its potential for cancer prevention.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm MPL®'s anti-neoplastic properties.
Keywords:
Allergy vaccineCancerChemo-preventionEndotoxinEpidemiologyMonophosphoryl lipid A

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