Method of treating cancer

Abstract

A method for inducing apoptosis of a neoplastic cell expressing C3aR or C5aR includes administering at least one complement antagonist to the cell so that the at least one complement antagonist substantially reduces or inhibits the activity of protein kinase B in the neoplastic cell.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method of inducing apoptosis in a cancer cell expressing a C3a receptor (C3aR) and a C5a receptor (C5aR), the method comprising: administering amounts of a C3a antagonist and a C5a antagonist directly or locally to the cancer cell; wherein the amounts of the C3a antagonist and the C5a antagonist administered to the cancer are effective to induce apoptosis in the cancer cell, and wherein the C3a antagonist inhibits C3a mediated C3aR signaling of the cancer cell and the C5a antagonist inhibits C5a mediated C5aR signaling of the cancer cell. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , the C3a antagonist and the C5a antagonist are each individually selected from the group consisting of a small molecule, a polypeptide, and a polynucleotide. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , the C3a antagonist is an antibody directed against C3a and the C5a antagonist is an antibody directed against C5a. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , the cancer cell being at least one of a melanoma cancer cell, fibrosarcoma cancer cell, breast cancer cell, or leukemia cancer cell. 
     
     
         48 . A method of treating cancer in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising: administering directly or locally to cancer cells expressing C3aR and C5aR of the subject therapeutically effective amounts of a C3a antagonist and a C5a antagonist, wherein the amounts of C3a antagonist and C5a antagonist administered to the cancer cells induce apoptosis in the cancer cells, and the C3a antagonist inhibits C3a mediated C3aR signaling of the cancer cell and the C5a antagonist inhibits C5a mediated C5aR signaling of the cancer cell. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , the C3a antagonist and the C5a antagonist being each being individually selected from the group consisting of a small molecule, a polypeptide, and a polynucleotide. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , the C3a antagonist being an antibody directed against C3a and the C5a antagonist being an antibody directed against C5a. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48 , the C3a antagonist and the C5a antagonist each being administered locally to the cancer in the subject. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48 , the C3a antagonist and the C5a antagonist each being conjugated to targeting moieties that target the cancer being treated. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 48 , the C3a antagonist and the C5a antagonist each being administered systemically to the subject being treated. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 48 , the cancer being at least one of melanoma, fibrosarcoma, breast cancer cell, or leukemia. 
     
     
         55 . A method of treating cancer in a subject, the method comprising: administering directly or locally to cancer cells expressing C3aR and C5aR of the subject therapeutically effective amounts of a C3a antibody and a C5a antibody to induce apoptosis in the cancer, wherein the C3a antagonist inhibits C3a mediated C3aR signaling of the cancer cell and the C5a antagonist inhibits C5a mediated C5aR signaling of the cancer cell. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , the C3a antagonist and the C5a antagonist each being conjugated to targeting moieties that target the cancer being treated. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , the C3a antagonist and the C5a antagonist reduce or substantially inhibit the activity of protein kinase B (PKB), induce Fas/FasL surface expression, down regulate Bcl-2/Bcl-xl transcripts, upregulate expression of Bax/Bim transcripts in the cancer cells. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , the cancer being at least one of melanoma, fibrosarcoma, breast cancer cell, or leukemia.