Immunotherapy of cancer with dendritic-cell-based vaccines

 Animal studies have shown that vaccination with genetically modified tumor cells or with dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with tumor antigens are potent strategies to elicit protective immunity in tumor-bearing animals, more potent than “conventional” strategies that have been tested in clinical settings with limited success. While both vaccination strategies are forms of cell therapy requiring complex and costly ex vivo manipulations of the patient’s cells, current protocols using dendritic cells are considerably simpler and would be more widely available. Vaccination with defined tumor antigens presented by DC has obvious appeal. However, in view of the expected emergence of antigen-loss variants as well as natural immunovariation, effective vaccine formulations must contain mixtures of commonly, if not universally, expressed tumor antigens. When, or even if, such common tumor antigens will be identified cannot be, predicted, however. Thus, for the foreseeable future, vaccination with total-tumor-derived material as source of tumor antigens may be preferable to using defined tumor antigens. Vaccination with undefined tumor-derived antigens will be limited, however, by the availability of sufficient tumor tissue for antigen preparation. Because the mRNA content of single cells can be amplified, tumor mRNA, or corresponding cDNA libraries, offer an unlimited source of tumor antigens. DC transfected with tumor RNA were shown to engender potent antitumor immunity in animal studies. Thus, immunotherapy using autologous DC loaded with unfractionated tumor-derived antigens in the form of RNA emerges as a potentially powerful and broadly useful vaccination strategy for cancer patients. Received: 10 October 1997 / Accepted: 12 January 1998     

表达丙型肝炎病毒NS3抗原的重组腺病毒构建及体外表达

为探索研制丙型肝炎疫苗的新途径,以期获得防治丙型肝炎的重组腺病毒减毒活疫苗,我们构建了表达丙型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis C virus ,HCV)非结构蛋白3(non structural protein 3,NS3)抗原的重组腺病毒RAd NS3,并检测其在体外表达。应用PCR从真核表达质粒pRC/NS3 中扩增编码HCV NS3 蛋白(329-935aa)的基因片段,定向克隆到重组腺病毒AdEasy-1系统的穿梭质粒pAdTrack CMV上,采用细菌内同源重组"两步转化法"构建携带HCV NS3基因的重组腺病毒基因组质粒pAd HCV NS3,转染293 细胞,成功包装出重组腺病毒RAd NS3,利用它有效地感染人肝癌细胞株HepG2,经RT PCR及免疫印迹等不同方法检测表明,被感染细胞能表达HCVNS3蛋白,为后续进行重组腺病毒在动物体内诱导抗HCV免疫应答能力的研究奠定了基础。     

Cancer therapy using a self-replicating RNA vaccine.

'Naked' nucleic acid vaccines are potentially useful candidates for the treatment of patients with cancer, but their clinical efficacy has yet to be demonstrated. We sought to enhance the immunogenicity of a nucleic acid vaccine by making it 'self-replicating'. We accomplished this by using a gene encoding an RNA replicase polyprotein derived from the Semliki forest virus, in combination with a model antigen. A single intramuscular injection of a self-replicating RNA immunogen elicited antigen-specific antibody and CD8+ T-cell responses at doses as low as 0.1 microg. Pre-immunization with a self-replicating RNA vector protected mice from tumor challenge, and therapeutic immunization prolonged the survival of mice with established tumors. The self-replicating RNA vectors did not mediate the production of substantially more model antigen than a conventional DNA vaccine did in vitro. However, the enhanced efficacy in vivo correlated with a caspase-dependent apoptotic death in transfected cells. This death facilitated the uptake of apoptotic cells by dendritic cells, providing a potential mechanism for enhanced immunogenicity. Naked, non-infectious, self-replicating RNA may be an excellent candidate for the development of new cancer vaccines.     

核苷酸切除修复基因XPA反义RNA表达载体的构建及其抑瘤功能

采用RT PCR方法扩增出 4 2 6bp着色性干皮病A(xerodermapigmentosumgroupA ,XPA)cDNA片段 (2～ 4 2 7bp) ,反向插入pcDNA3 1质粒构建XPA反义RNA表达载体 .经测序证实 ,该片段序列与XPAmRNA对应片段完全互补 .通过脂质体Lipofectamine 2 0 0 0将重组质粒转染肺癌A5 4 9细胞 ,RT PCR检测表明转染XPA反义RNA重组质粒能够抑制肺癌细胞XPAmRNA表达 ;MTT实验表明转染XPA反义RNA的肺癌细胞对顺铂敏感性增强 .本研究为深入探讨NER途径基因功能及临床克服肿瘤耐药提出了一个新的思路     

反义RNA抑制人黑色素瘤细胞表面粘附分子CD44的表达及抑瘤效应

将细胞表面粘附分子ＣＤ４４Ｓ的ｃＤＮＡ反向插入到真核细胞表达载体ｐＭＡＭｎｅｏ－ＣＡＴ和ＭＭＴＶ－ＬＴＲ启动子下游,构成ＣＤ４４Ｓ的反义ＲＮＡ载体．将其用电击法导入ＣＤ４４＋的人黑色素瘤细胞系ＨＭＭ２３９,转录出的反义ＲＮＡ能不同程度地抑制ＨＭＭ２３９表面ＣＤ４４的表达．ＣＤ４４的表达被抑制后,瘤细胞与透明质酸的结合力下降,细胞的体外生长速率不受影响．将其接种裸鼠皮下,发现其致瘤性明显降低     

Comparative analysis of DC fused with tumor cells or transfected with tumor total RNA as potential cancer vaccines against hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: DC vaccination with the use of tumor cells provides the potential to generate a polyclonal immune response to multiple known and unknown tumor Ag. Our study comparatively analyzed DC fused with tumor cells or transfected with tumor total RNA as potential cancer vaccines against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Immature DC generated from PBMC of patients with HCC were fused with HepG2-GFP (HepG2 cell line transfected stably with plasmid pEGFP-C3) cells or transfected with their total RNA. Matured DC were used to stimulate autologous T cells, and the resultant Ag-specific effector T cells were analyzed by IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay. RESULTS: DC were capable of further differentiation into mature DC after fusion with HepG2-GFP cells or transfection with HepG2-GFP cell total RNA, and were able to elicit specific T-cell responses in vitro. Both methods of Ag loading could result in stimulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, but with the indication that fusion loading was more efficient than RNA loading in priming the Th1 response, while RNA loading was more effective in CTL priming. DISCUSSION: Our results indicate that DC fused with tumor cells or transfected with tumor total RNA represent promising strategies for the development of cancer vaccines for treatment of HCC. They may have potential as an adjuvant immunotherapy for patients with HCC.     

Stable antisense RNA expression neutralizes the activity of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein and promotes urokinase accumulation in the medium of an astrocytic tumor cell line.

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) binds and internalizes multiple ligands that are structurally and functionally diverse. However, the effects of LRP on cellular phenotype remain unclear. To study LRP in human astrocytic tumor cells, we designed LRP antisense RNA expression constructs in which the antisense cDNA fragment was expressed under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. U-1242 MG astrocytic tumor cells were transfected with the antisense constructs and cloned from single cells to yield multiple cell lines with decreased LRP expression. Further studies were performed with two cell lines in which LRP antigen was completely eliminated (L(alpha)42) or substantially decreased (Lalpha47), as determined by Western blot analysis. Untransfected U-1242 MG cells and cells that were stably transfected with empty vector (pBK-CMV) bound activated alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M) in a specific and saturable manner. The Bmax was about 5000 receptors/cell. Lalpha42 cells did not bind alpha2M, and binding was decreased by >60% in Lalpha47 cells. Lalpha42 and Lalpha47 cells also demonstrated reduced susceptibility to the cytotoxin, Pseudomonas exotoxin A, and accumulated greatly increased levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in conditioned medium. The accumulation of uPA demonstrates a major role for LRP in the catabolism of this protein in astrocytic tumor cells. The LRP-deficient cell lines, developed using antisense technology, represent a new model system for studying LRP function in astrocytes.     

Enhancement of sindbis virus self-replicating RNA vaccine potency by linkage of herpes simplex virus type 1 VP22 protein to antigen

Recently, self-replicating and self-limiting RNA vaccines (RNA replicons) have emerged as an important form of nucleic acid vaccines. Self-replicating RNA eventually causes lysis of transfected cells and does not raise the concern associated with naked DNA vaccines of integration into the host genome. This is particularly important for development of vaccines targeting proteins that are potentially oncogenic. However, the potency of RNA replicons is significantly limited by their lack of intrinsic ability to spread in vivo. The herpes simplex virus type 1 protein VP22 has demonstrated the remarkable property of intercellular transport and provides the opportunity to enhance RNA replicon vaccine potency. We therefore created a novel fusion of VP22 with a model tumor antigen, human papillomavirus type 16 E7, in a Sindbis virus RNA replicon vector. The linkage of VP22 with E7 resulted in a significant enhancement of E7-specific CD8+ T-cell activities in vaccinated mice and converted a less effective RNA replicon vaccine into one with significant potency against E7-expressing tumors. These results indicate that fusion of VP22 to an antigen gene may greatly enhance the potency of RNA replicon vaccines.     

Alphavirus-based DNA vaccine breaks immunological tolerance by activating innate antiviral pathways

Cancer vaccines targeting 'self' antigens that are expressed at consistently high levels by tumor cells are potentially useful in immunotherapy, but immunological tolerance may block their function. Here, we describe a novel, naked DNA vaccine encoding an alphavirus replicon (self-replicating mRNA) and the self/tumor antigen tyrosinase-related protein-1. Unlike conventional DNA vaccines, this vaccine can break tolerance and provide immunity to melanoma. The vaccine mediates production of double-stranded RNA, as evidenced by the autophosphorylation of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase R (PKR). Double-stranded RNA is critical to vaccine function because both the immunogenicity and the anti-tumor activity of the vaccine are blocked in mice deficient for the RNase L enzyme, a key component of the 2',5'-linked oligoadenylate synthetase antiviral pathway involved in double-stranded RNA recognition. This study shows for the first time that alphaviral replicon-encoding DNA vaccines activate innate immune pathways known to drive antiviral immune responses, and points the way to strategies for improving the efficacy of immunization with naked DNA.     

RNA复制子疫苗研究进展

最近兴起的RNA复制子疫苗,利用源自病毒的能够自主复制的RNA,其结构蛋白基因由外源抗原基因取代,保留了非结构蛋白(RNA复制酶)基因。RNA复制酶可使RNA载体在细胞质中高水平复制,并实现外源抗原基因的高水平表达,可同时诱导细胞免疫和体液免疫应答。大量双链RNA可诱导被感染细胞凋亡,宿主细胞的凋亡有利于免疫系统识别外源抗原。RNA复制子疫苗克服了传统疫苗和普通DNA疫苗存在的缺点,具有抗原表达效率高、安全性好、应用范围广等优点,因而被视为一种发展前景很好的疫苗形式。目前已对一些疾病模型基于复制子的治疗性和预防性疫苗进行了研究(涉及的对象包括病毒、肿瘤以及细菌毒素等),并对某些不足之处进行了改进。     

Specific antihepatocellular carcinoma T cells generated by dendritic cells pulsed with hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 total RNA

Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination with the use of total tumor RNA provides the potential to generate a polyclonal immune response to multiple known and unknown tumor antigens without HLA restriction. Our study evaluated this approach as potential immunotherapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Immature DCs generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with HCC were transfected with HepG2-GFP (HepG2 cells transfected stably with plasmid pEGFP-C3) cells total RNA. Transfected, matured DCs were used to stimulate autologous T cells. Results revealed that DCs transfected with HepG2-GFP cells total RNA expressed EGFP when observed by flow cytometry. Compared with those before transfection, the expressions of membrane molecules were increased dramatically, and interleukin-12p70 release in the supernatant was elevated significantly. Specific T cells generated by DCs transfected with HepG2-GFP total RNA recognized HLA-matched HepG2 cell lines specifically. These findings indicate that these RNA-transfected DCs successfully generate specific T cells that specifically recognize HCC cells. Total tumor RNA-pulsed DCs may have potential as an adjuvant immunotherapy for patients with HCC.     

Inhibition of the synthesis of proteins needed for Epstein-Barr virus replication by antisense RNA against the zta gene

Antisense RNA complementary to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) Zta gene, an immediate-early gene encoding a transactivator, was applied to inhibit EBV protein synthesis during its lytic cycle. A DNA fragment containing the Zta gene sequence was inserted into an expression vector, pMAMneo, in a sense and antisense direction under a dexamethasone-inducible murine mammary tumor virus LTR promoter, resulting in the construction of plasmids pZ(+) and pZ(–), respectively. Synthesis of Zta protein was reduced in pZ(–)-transfected cells upon dexamethasone induction. Because D-form early antigen and DNA polymerase are essential for viral DNA replication, the contents of these two viral proteins were examined. Amounts of the two lytic proteins were observed to be significantly repressed in pZ(–)-transfected cells. In contrast, both proteins were normally expressed in the sense plasmid pZ(+) or cells transfected with vector alone. Above results demonstrate that Zta antisense RNA can reduce the production of Zta protein and the other lytic proteins, possibly resulting in the inhibition of EBV replication.     

Natural antisense (rTSalpha) RNA induces site-specific cleavage of thymidylate synthase mRNA

The 3' untranslated region (UTR) of rTSalpha RNA is complementary (i.e., antisense) to human thymidylate synthase (TS) RNA. When HEp2 cells (human epidermoid carcinoma) progressed from late-log to plateau phase growth, ribonuclease protection assay (RPA) revealed an inverse correlation between the levels of rTSalpha RNA and TS mRNA, suggesting a possible effect of rTSalpha RNA on TS mRNA levels. HEp2 cells expressing a Tet-On transactivator were transiently co-transfected with pHook-1 and a construct containing rTSalpha (protein and antisense RNA), rTSalphaDelta3' (rTSalpha protein only), rTSalpha-3' (antisense RNA-luciferase) or luciferase. Transfected cells were selected and evaluated for the effects of induced transgene expression on TS mRNA. Induced expression of transfected rTSalpha or rTSalpha-3', but not rTSalphaDelta3' or luciferase, resulted in decreased TS mRNA levels as measured by RPA. These results demonstrated that the antisense region of rTSalpha RNA is necessary and sufficient for this down-regulation of TS mRNA. RPA for TS mRNA also showed the enhanced appearance of two partial-length protected fragments in rTSalpha or rTSalpha-3' transfected cells. RPA stringency evaluations and primer extension assays indicated that TS mRNA is cleaved in vivo in a site-specific manner. These data demonstrate that rTS gene expression likely plays a role in down-regulating TS through a natural RNA-based antisense mechanism.