Interference with immune response at the level of generating effector cells by tumor-associated haptoglobin.

Most of the immune response regulators identified to date proved to be products of tumor, of an immune system or of combinations of such systems or to be tumor-induced host products. We have described how the haptoglobin isolated from cancer patients can impose serious hindrance to cell-mediated immune functions in vivo and in vitro under the pathophysiologic concentrations seen in these patients. Because the tumor-associated haptoglobin interferes with the innate and adaptive immune functions, elimination of the haptoglobin by passive removal or by active therapy could be an important adjunct for immunotherapy in cancer patients.