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1.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 3882, 2024 May 08.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38719809

In this randomized phase II clinical trial, we evaluated the effectiveness of adding the TLR agonists, poly-ICLC or resiquimod, to autologous tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cell (ATL-DC) vaccination in patients with newly-diagnosed or recurrent WHO Grade III-IV malignant gliomas. The primary endpoints were to assess the most effective combination of vaccine and adjuvant in order to enhance the immune potency, along with safety. The combination of ATL-DC vaccination and TLR agonist was safe and found to enhance systemic immune responses, as indicated by increased interferon gene expression and changes in immune cell activation. Specifically, PD-1 expression increases on CD4+ T-cells, while CD38 and CD39 expression are reduced on CD8+ T cells, alongside an increase in monocytes. Poly-ICLC treatment amplifies the induction of interferon-induced genes in monocytes and T lymphocytes. Patients that exhibit higher interferon response gene expression demonstrate prolonged survival and delayed disease progression. These findings suggest that combining ATL-DC with poly-ICLC can induce a polarized interferon response in circulating monocytes and CD8+ T cells, which may represent an important blood biomarker for immunotherapy in this patient population.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01204684.


CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes , Cancer Vaccines , Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium/analogs & derivatives , Dendritic Cells , Glioma , Interferons , Poly I-C , Polylysine/analogs & derivatives , Humans , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Dendritic Cells/drug effects , Glioma/immunology , Glioma/therapy , Female , Male , Middle Aged , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects , Poly I-C/administration & dosage , Poly I-C/pharmacology , Adult , Toll-Like Receptors/agonists , Imidazoles/pharmacology , Imidazoles/therapeutic use , Aged , Vaccination , Monocytes/immunology , Monocytes/drug effects , Brain Neoplasms/immunology , Brain Neoplasms/therapy , Brain Neoplasms/drug therapy , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects , Immunotherapy/methods , Toll-Like Receptor Agonists
2.
Front Immunol ; 15: 1354710, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38726010

Cancer vaccines are gaining ground as immunotherapy options. We have previously demonstrated in cutaneous melanoma (CM) patients that adjuvant treatment with VACCIMEL, a mixture of four irradiated CM cell lines co-adjuvanted with BCG and GM-CSF, increases the cellular immune response to melanocyte differentiation antigens, cancer-testis antigens and neoantigens, with respect to basal levels. On the other hand, it is also known that treatment with anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), acting on pre-existing tumor-reactive lymphocytes, induces clinical responses in CM patients, albeit in a fraction of treated patients. A combination of both treatments would appear therefore desirable. In this paper, we describe CM patients who, having progressed even years after vaccination, were treated with anti-PD-1 MAbs. In 5/5 of such progressor patients, complete responses were obtained which lasted between 3 and 65+ months. Three of the patients remain disease-free and two recurred. One of the patients passed away after a recurrence of brain metastases. We suggest that clonally expanded reactive lymphocytes induced by VACCIMEL partially remain as memory cells, which may be recalled after tumor recurrence and may foster ulterior activity of anti-PD-1 MAbs.


Cancer Vaccines , Melanoma , Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor , Skin Neoplasms , Humans , Melanoma/immunology , Melanoma/therapy , Melanoma/drug therapy , Skin Neoplasms/immunology , Skin Neoplasms/therapy , Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy , Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/antagonists & inhibitors , Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Aged , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use , Melanoma, Cutaneous Malignant , Treatment Outcome , Adjuvants, Immunologic/therapeutic use , Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage
3.
J Immunother Cancer ; 12(5)2024 May 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38702146

BACKGROUND: T cell checkpoint receptors are expressed when T cells are activated, and modulation of the expression or signaling of these receptors can alter the function of T cells and their antitumor efficacy. We previously found that T cells activated with cognate antigen had increases in the expression of PD-1, and this was attenuated in the presence of multiple toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, notably TLR3 plus TLR9. In the current report, we sought to investigate whether combining TLR agonists with immune checkpoint blockade can further augment vaccine-mediated T cell antitumor immunity in murine tumor models. METHODS: TLR agonists (TLR3 plus TLR9) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (antibodies targeting PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, TIM-3 or VISTA) were combined and delivered with vaccines or vaccine-activated CD8+T cells to E.G7-OVA or MyC-CaP tumor-bearing mice. Tumors were assessed for growth and then collected and analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Immunization of E.G7-OVA tumor-bearing mice with SIINFEKL peptide vaccine, coadministered with TLR agonists and αCTLA-4, demonstrated greater antitumor efficacy than immunization with TLR agonists or αCTLA-4 alone. Conversely, the antitumor efficacy was abrogated when vaccine and TLR agonists were combined with αPD-1. TLR agonists suppressed PD-1 expression on regulatory T cells (Tregs) and activated this population. Depletion of Tregs in tumor-bearing mice led to greater antitumor efficacy of this combination therapy, even in the presence of αPD-1. Combining vaccination with TLR agonists and αCTLA-4 or αLAG-3 showed greater antitumor than with combinations with αTIM-3 or αVISTA. CONCLUSION: The combination of TLR agonists and αCTLA-4 or αLAG-3 can further improve the efficacy of a cancer vaccine, an effect not observed using αPD-1 due to activation of Tregs when αPD-1 was combined with TLR3 and TLR9 agonists. These data suggest that optimal combinations of TLR agonists and immune checkpoint blockade may improve the efficacy of human anticancer vaccines.


Cancer Vaccines , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors , Toll-Like Receptors , Animals , Mice , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Toll-Like Receptors/agonists , Toll-Like Receptors/metabolism , Female , Humans , Cell Line, Tumor , Toll-Like Receptor Agonists
4.
Front Immunol ; 15: 1389173, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38745666

Tumor immunotherapy is a promising approach for addressing the limitations of conventional tumor treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which often have side effects and fail to prevent recurrence and metastasis. However, the effectiveness and sustainability of immune activation in tumor immunotherapy remain challenging. Tumor immunogenic cell death, characterized by the release of immunogenic substances, damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), and tumor associated antigens, from dying tumor cells (DTCs), offers a potential solution. By enhancing the immunogenicity of DTCs through the inclusion of more immunogenic antigens and stimulating factors, immunogenic cell death (ICD) based cancer vaccines can be developed as a powerful tool for immunotherapy. Integrating ICD nanoinducers into conventional treatments like chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and radiotherapy presents a novel strategy to enhance treatment efficacy and potentially improve patient outcomes. Preclinical research has identified numerous potential ICD inducers. However, effectively translating these findings into clinically relevant applications remains a critical challenge. This review aims to contribute to this endeavor by providing valuable insights into the in vitro preparation of ICD-based cancer vaccines. We explored established tools for ICD induction, followed by an exploration of personalized ICD induction strategies and vaccine designs. By sharing this knowledge, we hope to stimulate further development and advancement in the field of ICD-based cancer vaccines.


Cancer Vaccines , Immunogenic Cell Death , Neoplasms , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Immunogenic Cell Death/drug effects , Neoplasms/immunology , Neoplasms/therapy , Animals , Immunotherapy/methods , Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
5.
Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book ; 44(3): e433330, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38718318

The treatment for recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD1) with or without chemotherapy has led to an improvement in survival. Yet, despite this therapeutic advancement, only 15%-19% of patients remain alive at four years, highlighting the poor survival and unmet need for improved therapies for this patient population. Some of the key evolving novel therapeutics beyond anti-PD1 in R/M HNSCC have included therapeutic vaccine therapies, bispecific antibodies/fusion proteins and multitargeted kinase inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Multiple concurrent investigations of novel therapeutics for patients with R/M HNSCC beyond anti-PD(L)1 inhibition are currently underway with some promising early results. Beyond immune checkpoint inhibition, novel immunotherapeutic strategies including therapeutic vaccines ranging from targeting human papillomavirus-specific epitopes to personalized neoantigen vaccines are ongoing with some early efficacy signals and large, randomized trials. Other novel weapons including bispecific antibodies, fusion proteins, and multitargeted kinase inhibitors leverage multiple concurrent targets and modulation of the tumor microenvironment to harness antitumor immunity and inhibition of protumorigenic signaling pathways with emerging promising results. Finally, as with other solid tumors, ADCs remain a promising therapeutic intervention either alone or in combination with immunotherapy for patients with R/M HNSCC. With early enthusiasm across novel therapies in R/M HNSCC, results of larger randomized trials in R/M HNSCC are eagerly awaited.


Immunotherapy , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck , Humans , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/therapy , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/immunology , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/drug therapy , Immunotherapy/methods , Head and Neck Neoplasms/therapy , Head and Neck Neoplasms/immunology , Head and Neck Neoplasms/drug therapy , B7-H1 Antigen/antagonists & inhibitors , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Neoplasm Metastasis , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use
6.
Cell ; 187(10): 2521-2535.e21, 2024 May 09.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38697107

Cancer immunotherapy remains limited by poor antigenicity and a regulatory tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we create "onion-like" multi-lamellar RNA lipid particle aggregates (LPAs) to substantially enhance the payload packaging and immunogenicity of tumor mRNA antigens. Unlike current mRNA vaccine designs that rely on payload packaging into nanoparticle cores for Toll-like receptor engagement in immune cells, systemically administered RNA-LPAs activate RIG-I in stromal cells, eliciting massive cytokine/chemokine response and dendritic cell/lymphocyte trafficking that provokes cancer immunogenicity and mediates rejection of both early- and late-stage murine tumor models. In client-owned canines with terminal gliomas, RNA-LPAs improved survivorship and reprogrammed the TME, which became "hot" within days of a single infusion. In a first-in-human trial, RNA-LPAs elicited rapid cytokine/chemokine release, immune activation/trafficking, tissue-confirmed pseudoprogression, and glioma-specific immune responses in glioblastoma patients. These data support RNA-LPAs as a new technology that simultaneously reprograms the TME while eliciting rapid and enduring cancer immunotherapy.


Immunotherapy , Tumor Microenvironment , Animals , Immunotherapy/methods , Mice , Dogs , Humans , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Dendritic Cells/metabolism , Cytokines/metabolism , Glioblastoma/therapy , Glioblastoma/immunology , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Female , Glioma/therapy , Glioma/immunology , Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA/metabolism , RNA/therapeutic use , Cell Line, Tumor , Neoplasms/therapy , Neoplasms/immunology , Brain Neoplasms/therapy , Brain Neoplasms/immunology
7.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(9)2024 Apr 30.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38732150

Peptide antigens derived from tumors have been observed to elicit protective immune responses, categorized as either tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) or tumor-specific antigens (TSAs). Subunit cancer vaccines incorporating these antigens have shown promise in inducing protective immune responses, leading to cancer prevention or eradication. Over recent years, peptide-based cancer vaccines have gained popularity as a treatment modality and are often combined with other forms of cancer therapy. Several clinical trials have explored the safety and efficacy of peptide-based cancer vaccines, with promising outcomes. Advancements in techniques such as whole-exome sequencing, next-generation sequencing, and in silico methods have facilitated the identification of antigens, making it increasingly feasible. Furthermore, the development of novel delivery methods and a deeper understanding of tumor immune evasion mechanisms have heightened the interest in these vaccines among researchers. This article provides an overview of novel insights regarding advancements in the field of peptide-based vaccines as a promising therapeutic avenue for cancer treatment. It summarizes existing computational methods for tumor neoantigen prediction, ongoing clinical trials involving peptide-based cancer vaccines, and recent studies on human vaccination experiments.


Antigens, Neoplasm , Cancer Vaccines , Neoplasms , Peptides , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology , Neoplasms/immunology , Neoplasms/therapy , Neoplasms/prevention & control , Peptides/immunology , Peptides/chemistry , Vaccines, Subunit/immunology , Animals , Clinical Trials as Topic
8.
ACS Biomater Sci Eng ; 10(5): 3136-3147, 2024 May 13.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38663028

Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has shown efficacy in some patients with Lynch syndrome-associated colon cancer, but some patients still do not benefit from it. In this study, we adopted a combination strategy of tumor vaccines and ICIs to maximize the benefits of immunotherapy. Here, we obtained tumor-antigen-containing cell lysate (TCL) by lysing MC38Mlh1 KD cells and prepared liposome nanoparticles (Lipo-PEG) with a typical spherical morphology by thin-film hydration. Anti-PD-L1 was coupled to the liposome surface by the amidation reaction. As observed, anti-PD-L1/TCL@Lipo-PEG was not significantly toxic to mouse intestinal epithelial cells (MODE-K) in the safe concentration range and did not cause hemolysis of mouse red blood cells. In addition, anti-PD-L1/TCL@Lipo-PEG reduced immune escape from colon cancer cells (MC38Mlh1 KD) by the anti-PD-L1 antibody, restored the killing function of CD8+ T cells, and targeted more tumor antigens to bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), which also expressed PD-L1, to stimulate BMDC antigen presentation. In syngeneic transplanted Lynch syndrome-associated colon cancer mice, the combination of anti-PD-L1 and TCL provided better cancer suppression than monoimmunotherapy, and the cancer suppression effect of anti-PD-L1/TCL@Lipo-PEG treatment was even better than that of the free drug. Meanwhile anti-PD-L1/TCL@Lipo-PEG enhanced the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In vivo fluorescence imaging and H&E staining showed that the nanomedicine was mainly retained in the tumor site and had no significant toxic side effects on other major organs. The anti-PD-L1/TCL@Lipo-PEG prepared in this study has high efficacy and good biosafety in alleviating the progression of Lynch syndrome-associated colon cancer, and it is expected to be a therapeutic candidate for Lynch syndrome-associated colon cancer.


B7-H1 Antigen , Colonic Neoplasms , Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis , Liposomes , Animals , Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis/pathology , Colonic Neoplasms/pathology , Colonic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Mice , B7-H1 Antigen/metabolism , Nanomedicine , Cell Line, Tumor , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Humans , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Female , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Dendritic Cells/drug effects , Dendritic Cells/metabolism , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Nanoparticles/therapeutic use , Disease Progression , Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry , Polyethylene Glycols/therapeutic use , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
9.
Molecules ; 29(7)2024 Mar 25.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38611742

Tumor vaccines have been considered a promising therapeutic approach for treating cancer in recent years. With the development of sequencing technologies, tumor vaccines based on neoantigens or genomes specifically expressed in tumor cells, mainly in the form of peptides, nucleic acids, and dendritic cells, are beginning to receive widespread attention. Therefore, in this review, we have introduced different forms of neoantigen vaccines and discussed the development of these vaccines in treating cancer. Furthermore, neoantigen vaccines are influenced by factors such as antigen stability, weak immunogenicity, and biosafety in addition to sequencing technology. Hence, the biological nanomaterials, polymeric nanomaterials, inorganic nanomaterials, etc., used as vaccine carriers are principally summarized here, which may contribute to the design of neoantigen vaccines for improved stability and better efficacy.


Cancer Vaccines , Nanostructures , Neoplasms , Nucleic Acids , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Precision Medicine , Nanostructures/therapeutic use , Neoplasms/therapy
10.
Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book ; 44(3): e438592, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38669611

The origins of cancer vaccines date back to the 1800s. Since then, there have been significant efforts to generate vaccines against solid and hematologic malignancies using a variety of platforms. To date, these efforts have generally been met with minimal success. However, in the era of improved methods and technological advancements, supported by compelling preclinical and clinical data, a wave of renewed interest in the field offers the promise of discovering field-changing paradigms in the management of established and resected disease using cancer vaccines. These include novel approaches to personalized neoantigen vaccine development, as well as innovative immune-modulatory vaccines (IMVs) that facilitate activation of antiregulatory T cells to limit immunosuppression caused by regulatory immune cells. This article will introduce some of the limitations that have affected cancer vaccine development over the past several decades, followed by an introduction to the latest advancements in neoantigen vaccine and IMV therapy, and then conclude with a discussion of some of the newest technologies and progress that are occurring across the cancer vaccine space. Cancer vaccines are among the most promising frontiers for breakthrough innovations and strategies poised to make a measurable impact in the ongoing fight against cancer.


Cancer Vaccines , Neoplasms , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Neoplasms/immunology , Neoplasms/therapy , Biomarkers, Tumor , Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology , Immunotherapy/methods
11.
Pharmacol Res ; 203: 107174, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38580185

The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized the clinical treatment for tumor. However, the low response rate of ICIs remains the major obstacle for curing patients and effective approaches for patients with primary or secondary resistance to ICIs remain lacking. In this study, immune stimulating agent unmethylated CG-enriched (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) was locally injected into the tumor to trigger a robust immune response to eradicate cancer cells, while anti-CD25 antibody was applied to remove immunosuppressive regulatory T cells, which further enhanced the host immune activity to attack tumor systematically. The combination of CpG and anti-CD25 antibody obtained notable regression in mouse melanoma model. Furthermore, rechallenge of tumor cells in the xenograft model has resulted in smaller tumor volume, which demonstrated that the combinational treatment enhanced the activity of memory T cells. Remarkably, this combinational therapy presented significant efficacy on multiple types of tumors as well and was able to prevent relapse of tumor partially. Taken together, our combinational immunotherapy provides a new avenue to enhance the clinical outcomes of patients who are insensitive or resistant to ICIs treatments.


Oligodeoxyribonucleotides , T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory , Animals , T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology , T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/drug effects , Oligodeoxyribonucleotides/therapeutic use , Oligodeoxyribonucleotides/pharmacology , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Female , Humans , Cell Line, Tumor , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/immunology , Melanoma, Experimental/immunology , Melanoma, Experimental/drug therapy , Melanoma, Experimental/therapy , Immunotherapy/methods , Neoplasms/immunology , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/therapy , Vaccination , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use
12.
Cancer Res ; 84(7): 953-955, 2024 Apr 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38558128

Personalized vaccines directed to tumor mutations have recently gained significant momentum. On the basis of the concept of stimulating T-cell responses against neoantigens encoded by a tumor's host of personal mutations, these vaccines utilize genome or exome sequencing, mutation calling, and epitope prediction followed by manufacturing of a customized vaccine for each patient. In their 2012 Cancer Research publication, Castle and colleagues provided evidence that vaccinating with long peptide vaccines encompassing neoantigens can generate robust immune responses and induce antitumor activity in a mouse B16F10 melanoma. This approach, harnessing the exquisite specificity of mutations to the tumor and thus providing an effective target for cancer vaccines, was subsequently shown to be safe and immunogenic in a series of small first in man trials in patients with melanoma. The field has accelerated and expanded substantially over the last 5 years, propelled by increasing evidence for vaccine-mediated clinical efficacy, leading to ongoing registrational trials using personalized RNA neoantigen vaccines in patients with melanoma and several other malignancies. See related article by Castle and colleagues, Cancer Res 2012;72:1081-91.


Cancer Vaccines , Melanoma , Neoplasms , Humans , Animals , Mice , Cancer Vaccines/genetics , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Antigens, Neoplasm/genetics , Neoplasms/genetics , Neoplasms/therapy , T-Lymphocytes , Mutation , Immunotherapy
13.
Biomolecules ; 14(4)2024 Apr 21.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38672519

Cancer remains one of the global leading causes of death and various vaccines have been developed over the years against it, including cell-based, nucleic acid-based, and viral-based cancer vaccines. Although many vaccines have been effective in in vivo and clinical studies and some have been FDA-approved, there are major limitations to overcome: (1) developing one universal vaccine for a specific cancer is difficult, as tumors with different antigens are different for different individuals, (2) the tumor antigens may be similar to the body's own antigens, and (3) there is the possibility of cancer recurrence. Therefore, developing personalized cancer vaccines with the ability to distinguish between the tumor and the body's antigens is indispensable. This paper provides a comprehensive review of different types of cancer vaccines and highlights important factors necessary for developing efficient cancer vaccines. Moreover, the application of other technologies in cancer therapy is discussed. Finally, several insights and conclusions are presented, such as the possibility of using cold plasma and cancer stem cells in developing future cancer vaccines, to tackle the major limitations in the cancer vaccine developmental process.


Cancer Vaccines , Neoplasms , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Neoplasms/immunology , Neoplasms/therapy , Animals , Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology , Neoplastic Stem Cells/immunology
14.
J Hematol Oncol ; 17(1): 25, 2024 Apr 29.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38679698

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health concern worldwide, with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. In recent years, immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made great progress in the systemic treatment of HCC. The combination treatments based on ICIs have been the major trend in this area. Recently, dual immune checkpoint blockade with durvalumab plus tremelimumab has also emerged as an effective treatment for advanced HCC. However, the majority of HCC patients obtain limited benefits. Understanding the immunological rationale and exploring novel ways to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy has drawn much attention. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in this area, the ongoing clinical trials of immune-based combination therapies, as well as novel immunotherapy strategies such as chimeric antigen receptor T cells, personalized neoantigen vaccines, oncolytic viruses, and bispecific antibodies.


Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Immunotherapy , Liver Neoplasms , Tumor Microenvironment , Humans , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology , Liver Neoplasms/therapy , Liver Neoplasms/immunology , Tumor Microenvironment/immunology , Immunotherapy/methods , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Animals
15.
Expert Opin Biol Ther ; 24(4): 269-284, 2024 Apr.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38644655

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most lethal malignancy worldwide. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) benefit only 15% of patients with mismatch repair-deficient/microsatellite instability (dMMR/MSI) CRC. The majority of patients are not suitable due to insufficient immune infiltration. Cancer vaccines are a potential approach for inducing tumor-specific immunity within the solid tumor microenvironment. AREA COVERED: In this review, we have provided an overview of the current progress in CRC vaccines over the past three years and briefly depict promising directions for further exploration. EXPERT OPINION: Cancer vaccines are certainly a promising field for the antitumor treatment against CRC. Compared to monotherapy, cancer vaccines are more appropriate as adjuvants to standard treatment, especially in combination with ICI blockade, for microsatellite stable patients. Improved vaccine construction requires neoantigens with sufficient immunogenicity, satisfactory HLA-binding affinity, and an ideal delivery platform with perfect lymph node retention and minimal off-target effects. Prophylactic vaccines that potentially prevent CRC carcinogenesis are also worth investigating. The exploration of appropriate biomarkers for cancer vaccines may benefit prognostic prediction analysis and therapeutic response prediction in patients with CRC. Although many challenges remain, CRC vaccines represent an exciting area of research that may become an effective addition to current guidelines.


Cancer Vaccines , Colorectal Neoplasms , Humans , Colorectal Neoplasms/immunology , Colorectal Neoplasms/prevention & control , Colorectal Neoplasms/therapy , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Animals , Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
16.
Med ; 5(4): 288-290, 2024 Apr 12.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38614074

KEYNOTE-9421 is a randomized phase II adjuvant study in patients with resected stage III melanoma investigating a personalized neoantigen mRNA vaccine in combination with anti-PD-1. The study gave a clear signal of superiority for the vaccine plus anti-PD-1 in relapse-free and distant-metastasis-free survival but is not yet conclusive, and important questions remain.


Cancer Vaccines , Melanoma , Skin Neoplasms , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Adjuvants, Immunologic , Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic
17.
J Immunother Cancer ; 12(4)2024 Apr 24.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38658032

BACKGROUND: While immunotherapy has been highly successful for the treatment of some cancers, for others, the immune response to tumor antigens is weak leading to treatment failure. The resistance of tumors to checkpoint inhibitor therapy may be caused by T cell exhaustion resulting from checkpoint activation. METHODS: In this study, lentiviral vectors that expressed T cell epitopes of an experimentally introduced tumor antigen, ovalbumin, or the endogenous tumor antigen, Trp1 were developed. The vectors coexpressed CD40 ligand (CD40L), which served to mature the dendritic cells (DCs), and a soluble programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) microbody to prevent checkpoint activation. Vaccination of mice bearing B16.OVA melanomas with vector-transduced DCs induced the proliferation and activation of functional, antigen-specific, cytolytic CD8 T cells. RESULTS: Vaccination induced the expansion of CD8 T cells that infiltrated the tumors to suppress tumor growth. Vector-encoded CD40L and PD-1 microbody increased the extent of tumor growth suppression. Adoptive transfer demonstrated that the effect was mediated by CD8 T cells. Direct injection of the vector, without the need for ex vivo transduction of DCs, was also effective. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that therapeutic vaccination that induces tumor antigen-specific CD8 T cells coupled with a vector-expressed checkpoint inhibitor can be an effective means to suppress the growth of tumors that are resistant to conventional immunotherapy.


Cancer Vaccines , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors , Lentivirus , Animals , Mice , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Lentivirus/genetics , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Humans , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Disease Models, Animal , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Melanoma, Experimental/immunology , Melanoma, Experimental/therapy , Cell Line, Tumor , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Female
18.
Cancer Immunol Res ; 12(4): 387-392, 2024 Apr 02.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38562082

Cancer prevention and early detection, the first two of the eight primary goals of the National Cancer Plan released in April 2023, are at the forefront of the nation's strategic efforts to reduce cancer incidence and mortality. The Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP) of the NCI is the federal government's principal component devoted to promoting and supporting innovative cancer prevention research. Recent advances in tumor immunology, cancer immunotherapy, and vaccinology strongly suggest that the host immune system can be effectively harnessed to elicit protective immunity against the development of cancer, that is, cancer immunoprevention. Cancer immunoprevention may be most effective if the intervention is given before or early in the carcinogenic process while the immune system remains relatively uncompromised. DCP has increased the emphasis on immunoprevention research in recent years and continues to expand program resources and interagency collaborations designed to facilitate research in the immunoprevention field. These resources support a wide array of basic, translational, and clinical research activities, including discovery, development, and validation of biomarkers for cancer risk assessment and early detection (Early Detection Research Network), elucidation of biological and pathophysiological mechanistic determinants of precancer growth and its control (Translational and Basic Science Research in Early Lesions), spatiotemporal multiomics characterization of precancerous lesions (Human Tumor Atlas Network/Pre-Cancer Atlas), discovery of immunoprevention pathways and immune targets (Cancer Immunoprevention Network), and preclinical and clinical development of novel agents for immunoprevention and interception (Cancer Prevention-Interception Targeted Agent Discovery Program, PREVENT Cancer Preclinical Drug Development Program, and Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network).


Antineoplastic Agents , Cancer Vaccines , Neoplasms , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Immunotherapy , Neoplasms/prevention & control , Biomarkers
19.
Pathol Res Pract ; 257: 155288, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38653088

Tumor-mediated immunosuppression is a fundamental obstacle to the development of dendritic cell (DC)-based cancer vaccines, which despite their ability to stimulate host anti-tumor CD8 T cell immunity, have not been able to generate meaningful therapeutic responses. Exosomes are inactive membrane vesicles that are nanoscale in size and are produced by the endocytic pathway. They are essential for intercellular communication. Additionally, DC-derived exosomes (DEXs) contained MHC class I/II (MHCI/II), which is frequently complexed with antigens and co-stimulatory molecules and is therefore able to prime CD4 and CD8 T cells that are specific to particular antigens. Indeed, vaccines with DEXs have been shown to exhibit better anti-tumor efficacy in eradicating tumors compared to DC vaccines in pre-clinical models of digestive system tumors. Also, there is room for improvement in the tumor antigenic peptide (TAA) selection process. DCs release highly targeted exosomes when the right antigenic peptide is chosen, which could aid in the creation of DEX-based antitumor vaccines that elicit more targeted immune responses. Coupled with their resistance to tumor immunosuppression, DEXs-based cancer vaccines have been heralded as the superior alternative cell-free therapeutic vaccines over DC vaccines to treat digestive system tumors. In this review, current studies of DEXs cancer vaccines as well as potential future directions will be deliberated.


Cancer Vaccines , Dendritic Cells , Exosomes , Exosomes/immunology , Humans , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Digestive System Neoplasms/immunology , Digestive System Neoplasms/therapy , Digestive System Neoplasms/pathology , Animals , Immunotherapy/methods
20.
Int Immunopharmacol ; 132: 112037, 2024 May 10.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38599100

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a typical cancer that accounts for 10% of all new cancer cases annually and nearly 10% of all cancer deaths. Despite significant progress in current classical interventions for CRC, these traditional strategies could be invasive and with numerous adverse effects. The poor prognosis of CRC patients highlights the evident and pressing need for more efficient and targeted treatment. Novel strategies regarding mRNA vaccines for anti-tumor therapy have also been well-developed since the successful application for the prevention of COVID-19. mRNA vaccine technology won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, signaling a new direction in human anti-cancer treatment: mRNA medicine. As a promising new immunotherapy in CRC and other multiple cancer treatments, the mRNA vaccine has higher specificity, better efficacy, and fewer side effects than traditional strategies. The present review outlines the basics of mRNA vaccines and their advantages over other vaccines and informs an available strategy for developing efficient mRNA vaccines for CRC precise treatment. In the future, more exploration of mRNA vaccines for CRC shall be attached, fostering innovation to address existing limitations.


Cancer Vaccines , Colorectal Neoplasms , Immunotherapy , mRNA Vaccines , Animals , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use , Colorectal Neoplasms/therapy , Colorectal Neoplasms/immunology , Immunotherapy/methods , mRNA Vaccines/immunology , mRNA Vaccines/therapeutic use
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