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da Luz JCDS, Antunes F, Clavijo-Salomon MA, Signori E, Tessarollo NG, Strauss BE. Clinical Applications and Immunological Aspects of Electroporation-Based Therapies. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:727. [PMID: 34358144 PMCID: PMC8310106 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Reversible electropermeabilization (RE) is an ultrastructural phenomenon that transiently increases the permeability of the cell membrane upon application of electrical pulses. The technique was described in 1972 by Neumann and Rosenheck and is currently used in a variety of applications, from medicine to food processing. In oncology, RE is applied for the intracellular transport of chemotherapeutic drugs as well as the delivery of genetic material in gene therapies and vaccinations. This review summarizes the physical changes of the membrane, the particularities of bleomycin, and the immunological aspects involved in electrochemotherapy and gene electrotransfer, two important EP-based cancer therapies in human and veterinary oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Carlos dos Santos da Luz
- Viral Vector Laboratory, Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-000, Brazil; (J.C.d.S.d.L.); (F.A.); (N.G.T.)
| | - Fernanda Antunes
- Viral Vector Laboratory, Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-000, Brazil; (J.C.d.S.d.L.); (F.A.); (N.G.T.)
| | | | - Emanuela Signori
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, CNR, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Nayara Gusmão Tessarollo
- Viral Vector Laboratory, Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-000, Brazil; (J.C.d.S.d.L.); (F.A.); (N.G.T.)
| | - Bryan E. Strauss
- Viral Vector Laboratory, Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-000, Brazil; (J.C.d.S.d.L.); (F.A.); (N.G.T.)
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Lundstrom K. Impact of a Plasmid DNA-Based Alphavirus Vaccine on Immunization Efficiency. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2197:33-47. [PMID: 32827131 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0872-2_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Alphavirus vectors have been engineered for high-level gene expression relying originally on replication-deficient recombinant particles, more recently designed for plasmid DNA-based administration. As alphavirus-based DNA vectors encode the alphavirus RNA replicon genes, enhanced transgene expression in comparison to conventional DNA plasmids is achieved. Immunization studies with alphavirus-based DNA plasmids have elicited specific antibody production, have generated tumor regression and protection against challenges with infectious agents and tumor cells in various animal models. A limited number of clinical trials have been conducted with alphavirus DNA vectors. Compared to conventional plasmid DNA-based immunization, alphavirus DNA vectors required 1000-fold less DNA to elicit similar immune responses in rodents.
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Lundstrom K. Plasmid DNA-based Alphavirus Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:vaccines7010029. [PMID: 30857255 PMCID: PMC6466081 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses have been engineered as vectors for high-level transgene expression. Originally, alphavirus-based vectors were applied as recombinant replication-deficient particles, subjected to expression studies in mammalian and non-mammalian cell lines, primary cell cultures, and in vivo. However, vector engineering has expanded the application range to plasmid DNA-based delivery and expression. Immunization studies with DNA-based alphavirus vectors have demonstrated tumor regression and protection against challenges with infectious agents and tumor cells in animal tumor models. The presence of the RNA replicon genes responsible for extensive RNA replication in the RNA/DNA layered alphavirus vectors provides superior transgene expression in comparison to conventional plasmid DNA-based expression. Immunization with alphavirus DNA vectors revealed that 1000-fold less DNA was required to elicit similar immune responses compared to conventional plasmid DNA. In addition to DNA-based delivery, immunization with recombinant alphavirus particles and RNA replicons has demonstrated efficacy in providing protection against lethal challenges by infectious agents and tumor cells.
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De Robertis M, Pasquet L, Loiacono L, Bellard E, Messina L, Vaccaro S, Di Pasquale R, Fazio VM, Rols MP, Teissie J, Golzio M, Signori E. In Vivo Evaluation of a New Recombinant Hyaluronidase to Improve Gene Electro-Transfer Protocols for DNA-Based Drug Delivery against Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10110405. [PMID: 30373297 PMCID: PMC6265783 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10110405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccines based on plasmid DNA represent a good therapeutic perspective, despite their low potency. Animal-derived hyaluronidases (Hyals) are employed in oncological clinical practice. Hyal has been also demonstrated to be a good enhancer of intramuscular Gene Electro-Transfer (GET) efficiency in anti-cancer preclinical protocols, with increased transfected cells and higher expression of the encoded genes. Nevertheless, the use of animal-derived Hyals results limited respect to their potentialities, since such preparations could be affected by low purity, variable potency and uncertain safety. To improve the delivery of intramuscular GET-based protocols in mouse, we investigated a new recombinant Hyal, the rHyal-sk, to assess in vivo safety and activity of this treatment at cellular and biochemical levels. We evaluated the cellular events and the inflammation chemical mediators involved at different time points after rHyal-sk administration plus GET. Our results demonstrated the in vivo safety and efficacy of rHyal-sk when injected once intramuscularly in association with GET, with no toxicity, good plasmid in-take ability, useful inflammatory response activation, and low immunogenicity. Following these findings, we would recommend the use of the new rHyal-sk for the delivery of DNA-based vaccines and immunotherapy, as well as into clinical practice, for tumor disease treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela De Robertis
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari "A. Moro", via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy.
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
- CNR-Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Lise Pasquet
- Vaccine Branch, CCR, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP64182, 205 Route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France.
| | - Luisa Loiacono
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
- New Drug Modalities, Drug Safety and Metabolism, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, UK.
| | - Elisabeth Bellard
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP64182, 205 Route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France.
| | - Luciano Messina
- Fidia Farmaceutici S.p.A., Local Unit Fidia Research Sud, Contrada Pizzuta snc, 96017 Noto, Siracusa, Italy.
| | - Susanna Vaccaro
- Fidia Farmaceutici S.p.A., Local Unit Fidia Research Sud, Contrada Pizzuta snc, 96017 Noto, Siracusa, Italy.
| | - Roberta Di Pasquale
- Fidia Farmaceutici S.p.A., Local Unit Fidia Research Sud, Contrada Pizzuta snc, 96017 Noto, Siracusa, Italy.
| | - Vito Michele Fazio
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
- Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Laboratorio di Oncologia, viale dei Cappuccini, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy.
| | - Marie-Pierre Rols
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP64182, 205 Route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France.
| | - Justin Teissie
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP64182, 205 Route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France.
| | - Muriel Golzio
- Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP64182, 205 Route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France.
| | - Emanuela Signori
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
- CNR-Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy.
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Yang J, Li Y, Jin S, Xu J, Wang PC, Liang XJ, Zhang X. Engineered biomaterials for development of nucleic acid vaccines. Biomater Res 2015; 19:5. [PMID: 26331076 PMCID: PMC4552455 DOI: 10.1186/s40824-014-0025-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid vaccines have attracted many attentions since they have presented some superiority over traditional vaccines. However, they could only induce moderate immunogenicity. The route and formulation of nucleic acid vaccines have strong effects on the immune response and efficiency. Numerous biomaterials are used as a tool to enhance the immunogenicity of antigens. They deliver the antigens into the cells through particle- and non-particle-mediated pathway. However, challenges remain due to lack of comprehensive understanding of the actions of these biomaterials as a carrier/adjuvant. Herein, this review focuses on the evolution of biomaterials used for nucleic acid vaccines, discusses the advantages and disadvantages for gene delivery and immunostimulation of variety of structures of the biomaterials, in order to provide new thought on rational design of carrier/adjuvant and better understanding of mechanism of action in both immunostimulatory and delivery methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 PR China
| | - Yan Li
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 PR China ; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 PR China
| | - Shubin Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190 PR China
| | - Jing Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190 PR China
| | - Paul C Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20060 USA
| | - Xing-Jie Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190 PR China
| | - Xin Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 PR China
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Chiarella P, Signori E. Intramuscular DNA vaccination protocols mediated by electric fields. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1121:315-24. [PMID: 24510835 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-9632-8_28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Vaccination is historically one of the most important methods for preventing infectious diseases in humans and animals. New insights in the biology of the immune system allow a more rational design of vaccines, and new vaccination strategies are emerging. DNA vaccines have been proposed as a promising approach for introducing foreign antigens into the host for inducing protective immunity against infectious and cancer diseases. Nevertheless, because of their poor immunogenicity, plasmid DNA vaccination strategies need further implementations. Recent data suggest electrotransfer as a useful tool to improve DNA-based vaccination protocols, being able to stimulate both the humoral and cellular immune responses. In preclinical trials, gene electrotransfer is successfully used in prime-boost combination protocols and its tolerability and safety has been demonstrated also in Phase I clinical trials. In this chapter, we report a short comment supporting electrotransfer as an effective strategy to improve DNA-based vaccination protocols and describe the vaccination procedures by plasmid DNA in combination with electrotransfer and hyaluronidase pretreatment in use in our laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieranna Chiarella
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Experimental Oncology, CNR-IFT, Rome, Italy
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Chiarella P, De Santis S, Fazio VM, Signori E. Hyaluronidase contributes to early inflammatory events induced by electrotransfer in mouse skeletal muscle. Hum Gene Ther 2013; 24:406-16. [PMID: 23360544 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2012.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrotransfer of genes is one of the preferred strategies used to deliver plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle. In our experience, the combination of hyaluronidase (HYA) with electrotransfer (ET) of DNA vaccine enhances transfection of muscular fibers and increases expression of the encoded antigen. However, the contribution of HYA to the inflammatory reaction induced by ET, and its role in supporting ET adjuvancy, has never been investigated. We analyzed the events occurring in the first 2 weeks after electrotransfer to mouse muscle in the presence of HYA, to verify whether HYA contributes to the local inflammatory response induced by ET. Our results demonstrate that HYA amplifies the ET effect in terms of inflammatory cell recruitment enhancing the early release of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-6 cytokines. In contrast, HYA does not induce helper T cell type 1 and 2 cytokine production, confirming that the DNA vaccine is indispensable to induce mediators of antigen-specific immune responses. We observed inflammatory cell migration in the muscle treated with HYA plus ET in a time window between days 4 and 7 after cytokine induction. These observations are important in the choice of prime-boost intervals for optimizing ET-based DNA vaccination protocols. Because HYA contributes to vaccine spread and enhances the proinflammatory effect of ET in muscle we strongly support the use of HYA to potentiate DNA vaccine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieranna Chiarella
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Experimental Oncology, Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy
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The dominant roles of ICAM-1-encoding gene in DNA vaccination against Japanese encephalitis virus are the activation of dendritic cells and enhancement of cellular immunity. Cell Immunol 2013; 281:1-10. [PMID: 23411485 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2013.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2012] [Revised: 01/07/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the cellular immune responses elicited by a plasmid DNA vaccine encoding prM-E protein from the Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus (JEV) with or without various forms of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 gene to maximize the immune responses evoked by the JE DNA vaccine. We observed that co-immunization with the construct containing murine ICAM-1 gene (pICAM-1) resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of CD4(+)T cells, high level of JEV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte response, and high production of T helper 1 (Th1)-type cytokines in splenic T cells. Furthermore, the co-expression of ICAM-1 and DNA immunogens was found to be more effective in generating T cell-mediated immune responses than those induced by immunization with pJME in combination with pICAM-1. Our results suggested that ICAM-1 enhanced T cell receptor signaling and activated Th1 immune responses in the JEV model system by increasing the induction of CD4(+)Th1 cell subset and activating dendritic cells.
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Tolmachov OE. Self-entanglement of long linear DNA vectors using transient non-B-DNA attachment points: a new concept for improvement of non-viral therapeutic gene delivery. Med Hypotheses 2012; 78:632-5. [PMID: 22356834 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2011] [Accepted: 01/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The cell-specific and long-term expression of therapeutic transgenes often requires a full array of native gene control elements including distal enhancers, regulatory introns and chromatin organisation sequences. The delivery of such extended gene expression modules to human cells can be accomplished with non-viral high-molecular-weight DNA vectors, in particular with several classes of linear DNA vectors. All high-molecular-weight DNA vectors are susceptible to damage by shear stress, and while for some of the vectors the harmful impact of shear stress can be minimised through the transformation of the vectors to compact topological configurations by supercoiling and/or knotting, linear DNA vectors with terminal loops or covalently attached terminal proteins cannot be self-compacted in this way. In this case, the only available self-compacting option is self-entangling, which can be defined as the folding of single DNA molecules into a configuration with mutual restriction of molecular motion by the individual segments of bent DNA. A negatively charged phosphate backbone makes DNA self-repulsive, so it is reasonable to assume that a certain number of 'sticky points' dispersed within DNA could facilitate the entangling by bringing DNA segments into proximity and by interfering with the DNA slipping away from the entanglement. I propose that the spontaneous entanglement of vector DNA can be enhanced by the interlacing of the DNA with sites capable of mutual transient attachment through the formation of non-B-DNA forms, such as interacting cruciform structures, inter-segment triplexes, slipped-strand DNA, left-handed duplexes (Z-forms) or G-quadruplexes. It is expected that the non-B-DNA based entanglement of the linear DNA vectors would consist of the initial transient and co-operative non-B-DNA mediated binding events followed by tight self-ensnarement of the vector DNA. Once in the nucleoplasm of the target human cells, the DNA can be disentangled by type II topoisomerases. The technology for such self-entanglement can be an avenue for the improvement of gene delivery with high-molecular-weight naked DNA using therapeutically important methods associated with considerable shear stress. Priority applications include in vivo muscle electroporation and sonoporation for Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, aerosol inhalation to reach the target lung cells of cystic fibrosis patients and bio-ballistic delivery to skin melanomas with the vector DNA adsorbed on gold or tungsten projectiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg E Tolmachov
- Cardiovascular Science, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Hughes HR, Crill WD, Davis BS, Chang GJJ. A West Nile virus CD4 T cell epitope improves the immunogenicity of dengue virus serotype 2 vaccines. Virology 2012; 424:129-37. [PMID: 22244913 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2011.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2011] [Revised: 09/28/2011] [Accepted: 12/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Flaviviruses, such as dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile virus (WNV), are among the most prevalent human disease-causing arboviruses world-wide. As they continue to expand their geographic range, multivalent flavivirus vaccines may become an important public health tool. Here we describe the immune kinetics of WNV DNA vaccination and the identification of a CD4 epitope that increases heterologous flavivirus vaccine immunogenicity. Lethal WNV challenge two days post-vaccination resulted in 90% protection with complete protection by four days, and was temporally associated with a rapid influx of activated CD4 T cells. CD4 T cells from WNV vaccinated mice could be stimulated from epitopic regions in the envelope protein transmembrane domain. Incorporation of this WNV epitope into DENV-2 DNA and virus-like particle vaccines significantly increased neutralizing antibody titers. Incorporating such potent epitopes into multivalent flavivirus vaccines could improve their immunogenicity and may help alleviate concerns of imbalanced immunity in multivalent vaccine approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly R Hughes
- Arboviral Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
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Matijevic M, Hedley ML, Urban RG, Chicz RM, Lajoie C, Luby TM. Immunization with a poly (lactide co-glycolide) encapsulated plasmid DNA expressing antigenic regions of HPV 16 and 18 results in an increase in the precursor frequency of T cells that respond to epitopes from HPV 16, 18, 6 and 11. Cell Immunol 2011; 270:62-9. [PMID: 21550027 PMCID: PMC7094646 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2011.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2010] [Revised: 03/24/2011] [Accepted: 04/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
A phase II trial was conducted in subjects with human papillomavirus (HPV) associated high-grade cervical dysplasia testing the safety and efficacy of a microparticle encapsulated pDNA vaccine. Amolimogene expresses T cell epitopes from E6 and E7 proteins of HPV types 16 and 18. An analysis was performed on a subset of HLA-A2+ subjects to test whether CD8+ T cells specific to HPV 16, 18, 6 and 11 were increased in response to amolimogene immunization. Of the 21 subjects receiving amolimogene, 11 had elevated CD8+ T cell responses to HPV 16 and/or 18 peptides and seven of these also had increases to corresponding HPV 6 and/or 11 peptides. In addition, T cells primed and expanded in vitro with an HPV 18 peptide demonstrated cross-reactivity to the corresponding HPV 11 peptide. These data demonstrate that treatment with amolimogene elicits T cell responses to HPV 16, 18, 6 and 11.
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Signori E, Iurescia S, Massi E, Fioretti D, Chiarella P, De Robertis M, Rinaldi M, Tonon G, Fazio VM. DNA vaccination strategies for anti-tumour effective gene therapy protocols. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2010; 59:1583-91. [PMID: 20390416 PMCID: PMC11030090 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-010-0853-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2010] [Accepted: 03/26/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
After more than 15 years of experimentation, DNA vaccines have become a promising perspective for tumour diseases, and animal models are widely used to study the biological features of human cancer progression and to test the efficacy of vaccination protocols. In recent years, immunisation with naked plasmid DNA encoding tumour-associated antigens or tumour-specific antigens has revealed a number of advantages: antigen-specific DNA vaccination stimulates both cellular and humoral immune responses; multiple or multi-gene vectors encoding several antigens/determinants and immune-modulatory molecules can be delivered as single administration; DNA vaccination does not induce autoimmune disease in normal animals; DNA vaccines based on plasmid vectors can be produced and tested rapidly and economically. However, DNA vaccines have shown low immunogenicity when tested in human clinical trials, and compared with traditional vaccines, they induce weak immune responses. Therefore, the improvement of vaccine efficacy has become a critical goal in the development of effective DNA vaccination protocols for anti-tumour therapy. Several strategies are taken into account for improving the DNA vaccination efficacy, such as antigen optimisation, use of adjuvants and delivery systems like electroporation, co-expression of cytokines and co-stimulatory molecules in the same vector, different vaccination protocols. In this review we discuss how the combination of these approaches may contribute to the development of more effective DNA vaccination protocols for the therapy of lymphoma in a mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Signori
- CNR-Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere100, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Section of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, PRABB, Centre of Integrated Research, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Sandra Iurescia
- CNR-Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Massi
- CNR-Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere100, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Section of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, PRABB, Centre of Integrated Research, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Fioretti
- CNR-Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Pieranna Chiarella
- CNR-Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere100, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Section of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, PRABB, Centre of Integrated Research, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Mariangela De Robertis
- CNR-Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere100, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Section of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, PRABB, Centre of Integrated Research, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Rinaldi
- CNR-Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Tonon
- Bio-ker S.r.l., POLARIS, Località Piscinamanna, 09010 Pula, Cagliari Italy
| | - Vito Michele Fazio
- Section of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, PRABB, Centre of Integrated Research, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
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Ni J, Schirrmacher V, Fournier P. The hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene of Newcastle Disease Virus: a powerful molecular adjuvant for DNA anti-tumor vaccination. Vaccine 2010; 28:6891-900. [PMID: 20709006 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2010] [Revised: 07/07/2010] [Accepted: 08/02/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Plasmid-encoded DNA vaccine is a novel and potentially powerful tool for cancer therapy. Since the strength of immune responses induced by DNA vaccine is usually rather low, a major goal in DNA vaccine development is to enhance vaccine-induced immunity. In this study, we investigated an approach based on the use of a viral surface protein with pleiotropic function as a potential immune enhancer. To this end, we prepared bicistronic DNA plasmids encoding the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein of Newcastle Disease Virus in addition to a tumor target antigen. We demonstrate a higher tumor antigen-specific T cell-mediated immune response and a lower humoral response upon vaccination with a bicistronic DNA plasmid with incorporated HN gene. In a prophylactic immunization tumor model with the surrogate tumor antigen beta-galactosidase (β-gal) and in a therapeutic immunization tumor model with the xenogeneic tumor antigen human Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (hEpCAM), HN gene incorporation into the DNA vaccine led to better survival and tumor regression in mice. There was also cross protection in the therapeutic tumor model against a second challenge by the parental mouse mammary carcinoma cells in mice vaccinated with the bicistronic plasmids. This is the first report describing the HN protein as an immunomodulator for enhanced antigen-specific T cell responses via DNA plasmids. The results show that co-expression of HN with a tumor target antigen through bicistronic vectors ensures precise temporal and spatial co-delivery to direct anti-tumor immune responses preferentially towards Th1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ni
- Tumorimmunology Program, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Li YH, Huang S, Du M, Bian Z, Chen Z, Fan MW. Immunogenic characterization and protection against Streptococcus mutans infection induced by intranasal DNA prime–protein boost immunization. Vaccine 2010; 28:5370-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.04.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2007] [Revised: 04/14/2010] [Accepted: 04/23/2010] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Chiarella P, Massi E, De Robertis M, Sibilio A, Parrella P, Fazio VM, Signori E. Electroporation of skeletal muscle induces danger signal release and antigen-presenting cell recruitment independently of DNA vaccine administration. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2008; 8:1645-57. [DOI: 10.1517/14712598.8.11.1645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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