Adjuvants for Enhancing the Immunogenicity of Whole Tumor Cell Vaccines

Abstract

Whole tumor cell lysates can serve as excellent multivalent vaccines for priming tumor-specific CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells. Whole cell vaccines can be prepared with hypochlorous acid oxidation, UVB-irradiation and repeat cycles of freeze and thaw. One major obstacle to successful immunotherapy is breaking self-tolerance to tumor antigens. Clinically approved adjuvants, including Montanide™ ISA-51 and 720, and keyhole-limpet proteins can be used to enhance tumor cell immunogenicity by stimulating both humoral and cellular anti-tumor responses. Other potential adjuvants, such as Toll-like receptor agonists (e.g., CpG, MPLA and PolyI:C), and cytokines (e.g., granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor), have also been investigated.

Keywords :

• whole tumor cell vaccine
• ovarian carcinoma
• immunogenicity
• adjuvants
• cytokines
• Toll-like receptor agonists

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by NIH P50-CA083638 Ovarian Cancer SPORE; The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund in support of the Cooperative Ovarian Group for Immunotherapy; and The Ovarian Cancer Immunotherapy Initiative.