Devil Facial Tumours: Towards a Vaccine

ABSTRACT

The Tasmanian devil is the only mammalian species to harbour two independent lineages of contagious cancer. Devil facial tumour 1 (DFT1) emerged in the 1990s and has caused significant population declines. Devil facial tumour 2 (DFT2) was identified in 2014, and evidence indicates that this new tumour has emerged independently of DFT1. While DFT1 is widespread across Tasmania, DFT2 is currently found only on the Channel Peninsula in south east Tasmania. Allograft transmission of cancer cells should be prevented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. DFT1 avoids immune detection by downregulating MHC class I expression, which can be reversed by treatment with interferon-gamma (IFNγ), while DFT2 currently circulates in hosts with a similar MHC class I genotype to the tumour. Wild Tasmanian devil numbers have not recovered from the emergence of DFT1, and it is feared that widespread transmission of DFT2 will be devastating to the remaining wild population. A preventative solution for the management of the disease is needed. Here, we review the current research on immune responses to devil facial tumours and vaccine strategies against DFT1 and outline our plans moving forward to develop a specific, effective vaccine to support the wild Tasmanian devil population against the threat of these two transmissible tumours.

KEYWORDS:

• Contagious cancer
• Tasmanian devil
• MHC
• vaccine
• tumour

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Annalisa Gastaldello and Dr. Alistair Bailey for valuable discussions.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Morris Animal Foundation project grant (D18ZO-104) to HVS. RO is supported by a Leverhulme Trust project grant (RPG-2015-103) to HVS.