Does pregnancy immunize against breast cancer?
Agrawal, B.; Reddish, M.A.; Krantz, M.J.; Longenecker, B.M.
Cancer Research 55(11): 2257-2261
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-5472 PMID: 7538899 Document Number: 449310
Multiparity has been linked with protection against breast cancer. T cells from biparous women, but not T cells from nulliparous women or men, specifically proliferated in response to core peptide sequences of a human breast cancer-associated mucin (MUC-1). Two of the nulliparous women were retested during the first trimester of their first pregnancy, and their T cells proliferated specifically in response to MUC-1 mucin. These observations support the hypothesis that there is a natural immunization against MUC-1 peptide epitopes during pregnancy which provides some protection against the development of breast cancer. These data also suggest that certain MUC-1 synthetic peptides might be effective components of "vaccines" for therapy or prevention of breast cancer.