Adenovirus vaccine immunotherapy targeting WT1-expressing tumors

Abstract

Importance of the field: Tumor associated antigens (TAAs) offer specific targets for developing cancer immunotherapies. In particular, viral vectors encoding transgenic TAAs have been used in recent vaccination strategies. Wilm's Tumor gene (WT1) is a robust TAA which is overexpressed in many malignancies and has been recently used to develop a novel recombinant adenovirus (Ad-WT1) for antitumor immunotherapy.

Areas covered in this review: The lines of evidence over the past two decades leading to the development of Ad-WT1 immunotherapy are reviewed, including preclinical studies and clinical trials using WT1-based vaccines and TAA-expressing adenoviral vectors for antitumor therapy.

What the reader will gain: The fundamental immunogenic properties of WT1-based vaccines are detailed, as well as the recent progress in using adenoviral vectors for eliciting a TAA-specific immune response. The reader will also gain an understanding of the evidence supporting Ad-WT1 antitumor therapy in vivo.

Take home message: Ad-WT1 elicits a potent CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell immune response and can effectively inhibit tumor growth in vivo, thus making it an important potential cancer therapy worthy of future investigation.

Keywords::

• adenovirus
• cancer
• immunotherapy
• vaccine
• Wilm's tumor gene
• WT1

Notes

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