Tyrosine hydroxylase-based DNA-vaccination is effective against murine neuroblastoma.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The disruption of self-tolerance against neuroblastoma is the ultimate goal of an effective DNA-vaccine. PROCEDURE Here we demonstrate the induction of a protective immunity against syngeneic murine NXS2 neuroblastoma in A/J mice, following vaccination with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) derived antigens. Oral gene delivery was accomplished using an attenuated strain of Salmonella typhimurium as a carrier harboring vectors encoding for mTH antigens. RESULTS: Vaccination was effective in protecting animals from a lethal challenge with wild-type NXS2 tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide the first evidence of the TH self antigen being recognized by T-cells and demonstrate that a TH-based DNA vaccine is a potentially useful immunotherapeutic strategy for neuroblastoma.