Fc gamma receptors play a dominant role in protective tumor immunity against a virus-encoded tumor-specific antigen in a murine model of experimental pulmonary metastases.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor antigen (Tag) represents a virus-encoded tumor-specific antigen expressed in many types of human cancers and a potential immunologic target for antitumor responses. Fc receptors are important mediators in the regulation and execution of host effector mechanisms against conditions including infectious diseases, autoimmunity, and cancer. By examining tumor protection in SV40 Tag-immunized wild-type BALB/c mice using an experimental pulmonary metastasis model, we attempted to address whether engagement of the immunoglobulin G Fc receptors (FcgammaRs) on effector cells is necessary to mediate antitumor responses. All immunized BALB/c FcgammaR-/- knockout mice developed anti-SV40 Tag antibody responses prior to experimental challenge with a tumorigenic cell line expressing SV40 Tag. However, all mice deficient in the activating FcgammaRI (CD64) and FcgammaRIII (CD16) were unable to mount protective immunologic responses against tumor challenge and developed tumor lung foci. In contrast, mice lacking the inhibitory receptor FcgammaRII (CD32) demonstrated resistance to tumorigenesis. These results underscore the importance of effector cell populations expressing FcgammaRI/III within this murine tumor model system, and along with the production of a specific humoral immune response, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) may be a functioning mechanism of tumor clearance. Additionally, these data demonstrate the potential utility of ADCC as a viable approach for targeting vaccination strategies that promote FcgammaRI/III scavenging pathways against cancer.