16.0 Scientific Abstract 
The goal of immunotherapy is to stimulate the immune system 
by modification of tumor cells or expansion of lymphocytes which 
respond specifically to tumor antigens. In this study, we will 
apply techniques of direct gene transfer to enhance immune 
response against tumors in vivo . Patients with advanced cancer 
who have failed all effective therapy will be treated by 
injection of a DNA/liposome complex directly within the tumor. 
DNA encoding an HLA-B7 histocompatibility antigen and the 
neomycin-resistant gene in a eukaryotic expression vector will be 
used, and a safe and effective dose to introduce this recombinant 
gene in HLA-B7” patients will be established. HLA-B7 expression 
will be confirmed in vivo , and the immune response stimulated by 
the expression of this antigen will be characterized. We will 
also determine whether this treatment facilitates tumor 
regression alone or in combination with other treatment 
modalities. This genetransfer approach will be analyzed for its 
efficacy as an anti-cancer treatment. Finally, these studies 
will allow the development of other approaches, using different 
recombinant genes or in combination with cytokines or adoptive T 
cell therapy, to augment tumor immunity. This method to treat 
malignancy may provide the basis to establish the safety on this 
general approach, which could be extended to treat a variety of 
other human diseases. 
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Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 15 
