A genetic variant of immunoglobulin [gamma]2 is strongly associated with immunity to mucin 1 in patients with breast cancer

High levels of antibodies to mucin 1 (MUC1), a membrane-bound glycoprotein that is overexpressed in adenocarcinomas, are associated with good prognosis in patients with breast cancer. The aim of the present investigation was to determine whether GM and KM allotypes--genetic markers of IgG heavy chains and κ-type light chains, respectively--contribute to the magnitude of natural antibody responsiveness to MUC1 in patients with breast cancer. A total of 153 Caucasian subjects with breast cancer were allotyped for several GM and KM markers. These subjects were also characterized for IgG and IgM antibodies to MUC1. Anti-MUC1 IgG antibody levels in subjects who were carriers of the immunoglobulin γ2 allele GM 23 were significantly higher than in those who were noncarriers (P = 0.003). These results could potentially divide the population into high or low responders to MUC1, which has important implications for MUC1-based immunotherapeutic interventions in breast cancer.