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Wang R, Huang H, Yu C, Li X, Wang Y, Xie L. Current status and future directions for the development of human papillomavirus vaccines. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1362770. [PMID: 38983849 PMCID: PMC11231394 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1362770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines has made substantive progress, as represented by the approval of five prophylactic vaccines since 2006. Generally, the deployment of prophylactic HPV vaccines is effective in preventing newly acquired infections and incidences of HPV-related malignancies. However, there is still a long way to go regarding the prevention of all HPV infections and the eradication of established HPV infections, as well as the subsequent progression to cancer. Optimizing prophylactic HPV vaccines by incorporating L1 proteins from more HPV subtypes, exploring adjuvants that reinforce cellular immune responses to eradicate HPV-infected cells, and developing therapeutic HPV vaccines used either alone or in combination with other cancer therapeutic modalities might bring about a new era getting closer to the vision to get rid of HPV infection and related diseases. Herein, we summarize strategies for the development of HPV vaccines, both prophylactic and therapeutic, with an emphasis on the selection of antigens and adjuvants, as well as implications for vaccine efficacy based on preclinical studies and clinical trials. Additionally, we outline current cutting-edge insights on formulation strategies, dosing schedules, and age expansion among HPV vaccine recipients, which might play important roles in addressing barriers to vaccine uptake, such as vaccine hesitancy and vaccine availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Protein and Antibody, Sinocelltech Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Hongpeng Huang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Protein and Antibody, Sinocelltech Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Chulin Yu
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Protein and Antibody, Sinocelltech Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Xuefeng Li
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Protein and Antibody, Sinocelltech Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Protein and Antibody, Sinocelltech Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Liangzhi Xie
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Protein and Antibody, Sinocelltech Ltd., Beijing, China
- Cell Culture Engineering Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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2
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De Greve H, Fioravanti A. Single domain antibodies from camelids in the treatment of microbial infections. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1334829. [PMID: 38827746 PMCID: PMC11140111 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1334829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases continue to pose significant global health challenges. In addition to the enduring burdens of ailments like malaria and HIV, the emergence of nosocomial outbreaks driven by antibiotic-resistant pathogens underscores the ongoing threats. Furthermore, recent infectious disease crises, exemplified by the Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, have intensified the pursuit of more effective and efficient diagnostic and therapeutic solutions. Among the promising options, antibodies have garnered significant attention due to their favorable structural characteristics and versatile applications. Notably, nanobodies (Nbs), the smallest functional single-domain antibodies of heavy-chain only antibodies produced by camelids, exhibit remarkable capabilities in stable antigen binding. They offer unique advantages such as ease of expression and modification and enhanced stability, as well as improved hydrophilicity compared to conventional antibody fragments (antigen-binding fragments (Fab) or single-chain variable fragments (scFv)) that can aggregate due to their low solubility. Nanobodies directly target antigen epitopes or can be engineered into multivalent Nbs and Nb-fusion proteins, expanding their therapeutic potential. This review is dedicated to charting the progress in Nb research, particularly those derived from camelids, and highlighting their diverse applications in treating infectious diseases, spanning both human and animal contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri De Greve
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Antonella Fioravanti
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Fondazione ParSeC – Parco delle Scienze e della Cultura, Prato, Italy
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3
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Garg P, Krishna M, Subbalakshmi AR, Ramisetty S, Mohanty A, Kulkarni P, Horne D, Salgia R, Singhal SS. Emerging biomarkers and molecular targets for precision medicine in cervical cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189106. [PMID: 38701936 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189106] [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] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Cervical cancer remains a significant global health burden, necessitating innovative approaches for improved diagnostics and personalized treatment strategies. Precision medicine has emerged as a promising paradigm, leveraging biomarkers and molecular targets to tailor therapy to individual patients. This review explores the landscape of emerging biomarkers and molecular targets in cervical cancer, highlighting their potential implications for precision medicine. By integrating these biomarkers into comprehensive diagnostic algorithms, clinicians can identify high-risk patients at an earlier stage, enabling timely intervention and improved patient outcomes. Furthermore, the identification of specific molecular targets has paved the way for the development of targeted therapies aimed at disrupting key pathways implicated in cervical carcinogenesis. In conclusion, the evolving landscape of biomarkers and molecular targets presents exciting opportunities for advancing precision medicine in cervical cancer. By harnessing these insights, clinicians can optimize treatment selection, enhance patient outcomes, and ultimately transform the management of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Garg
- Department of Chemistry, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh 281406, India
| | - Madhu Krishna
- Departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Ayalur Raghu Subbalakshmi
- Departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Sravani Ramisetty
- Departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Atish Mohanty
- Departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Prakash Kulkarni
- Departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - David Horne
- Departments of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Sharad S Singhal
- Departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
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4
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Gonçalves CA, Pereira-da-Silva G, Silveira RCCP, Mayer PCM, Zilly A, Lopes-Júnior LC. Safety, Efficacy, and Immunogenicity of Therapeutic Vaccines for Patients with High-Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN 2/3) Associated with Human Papillomavirus: A Systematic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:672. [PMID: 38339423 PMCID: PMC10854525 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the knowledge that HPV is responsible for high-grade CIN and cervical cancer, little is known about the use of therapeutic vaccines as a treatment. We aimed to synthesize and critically evaluate the evidence from clinical trials on the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of therapeutic vaccines in the treatment of patients with high-grade CIN associated with HPV. A systematic review of clinical trials adhering to the PRISMA 2020 statement in MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, and LILACS was undertaken, with no data or language restrictions. Primary endpoints related to the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of these vaccines were assessed by reviewing the adverse/toxic effects associated with the therapeutic vaccine administration via histopathological regression of the lesion and/or regression of the lesion size and via viral clearance and through the immunological response of individuals who received treatment compared to those who did not or before and after receiving the vaccine, respectively. A total of 1184 studies were identified, and 16 met all the criteria. Overall, the therapeutic vaccines were heterogeneous regarding their formulation, dose, intervention protocol, and routes of administration, making a meta-analysis unfeasible. In most studies (n = 15), the vaccines were safe and well tolerated, with clinical efficacy regarding the lesions and histopathological regression or viral clearance. In addition, eleven studies showed favorable immunological responses against HPV, and seven studies showed a positive correlation between immunogenicity and the clinical response, indicating promising results that should be further investigated. In summary, therapeutic vaccines, although urgently needed to avoid progression of CIN 2/3 patients, still present sparse data, requiring greater investments in a well-designed phase III RCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Amélia Gonçalves
- Maternal-Infant and Public Health Nursing Department, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto School of Nursing, Campus Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil; (C.A.G.)
| | - Gabriela Pereira-da-Silva
- Maternal-Infant and Public Health Nursing Department, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto School of Nursing, Campus Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil; (C.A.G.)
| | - Renata Cristina Campos Pereira Silveira
- Maternal-Infant and Public Health Nursing Department, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto School of Nursing, Campus Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil; (C.A.G.)
| | | | - Adriana Zilly
- Center for Education, Literature and Health, State University of West of Parana, Cascavel 85819-110, Brazil
| | - Luís Carlos Lopes-Júnior
- Health Sciences Center, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo (UFES), Av. Marechal Campos, 1468—Maruípe, Vitoria 29043-900, Brazil
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5
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Garolla A, Graziani A, Grande G, Ortolani C, Ferlin A. HPV-related diseases in male patients: an underestimated conundrum. J Endocrinol Invest 2024; 47:261-274. [PMID: 37770654 PMCID: PMC10859347 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02192-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease, in males and females worldwide. While the role of HPV in female diseases is well known and largely studied, males have negligibly been included in these programs, also because the proportion of women suffering and dying from HPV-related diseases is much larger than men. The aim of this review is to focus on HPV-related diseases in male patients. METHODS We performed a literature analysis on the electronic database PubMed. We considered randomized trials, observational and retrospective studies, original articles having as topic the relationship between HPV male infection and the following items: oral, anal penile cancers, warts, condylomas, male infertility, altered sperm parameters, anti-sperm antibodies (ASA). We also included experimental in vitro studies focused on the effects of HPV infection on oocyte fertilization, blastocyst development, and trophoblastic cell invasiveness. In addition, studies describing the adjuvant administration of the HPV vaccination as a possible strategy to promote HPV clearance from semen in infected males were included. RESULTS Regarding head and neck HPV-related diseases, the most important non-neoplastic disease is recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Regarding neoplastic diseases, the proportion of head and neck cancers attributable to HPV has increased dramatically worldwide. In addition, nowadays, it is thought that half of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) cases in the United States are caused by infection with high-risk HPV. HPV is noteworthy in andrological practice too. It was described as having a high HPV prevalence, ranging between 50 and 70%, in male penile shaft, glans penis/coronal sulcus, semen as well as in scrotal, perianal, and anal regions. Moreover, in male patients, HPV infection has been associated, among other diseases, with penile cancers. HPV semen infection has been reported in about 10% in men from the general population and about 16% in men with unexplained infertility, although these data seem widely underestimated according to clinical experience. In particular, HPV semen infection seems to be most related to asthenozoospermia and to anti-sperm antibodies (ASAs). CONCLUSIONS HPV infection represents a health problem with a detrimental social and public impact. Despite this evidence, little has been done to date to widely promote vaccination among young males.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Garolla
- Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
| | - A Graziani
- Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - G Grande
- Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - C Ortolani
- Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - A Ferlin
- Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
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Daradoumis J, Müller MD, Neckermann P, Asbach B, Schrödel S, Thirion C, Wagner R, thor Straten P, Holst PJ, Boilesen D. Preferential Expansion of HPV16 E1-Specific T Cells from Healthy Donors' PBMCs after Ex Vivo Immunization with an E1E2E6E7 Fusion Antigen. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5863. [PMID: 38136407 PMCID: PMC10741473 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is responsible for practically all cervical and a high proportion of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. Therapeutic HPV vaccines in clinical development show great promise in improving outcomes for patients who mount an anti-HPV T-cell response; however, far from all patients elicit a sufficient immunological response. This demonstrates a translational gap between animal models and human patients. Here, we investigated the potential of a new assay consisting of co-culturing vaccine-transduced dendritic cells (DCs) with syngeneic, healthy, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to mimic a human in vivo immunization. This new promising human ex vivo PBMC assay was evaluated using an innovative therapeutic adenovirus (Adv)-based HPV vaccine encoding the E1, E2, E6, and E7 HPV16 genes. This new method allowed us to show that vaccine-transduced DCs yielded functional effector T cells and unveiled information on immunohierarchy, showing E1-specific T-cell immunodominance over time. We suggest that this assay can be a valuable translational tool to complement the known animal models, not only for HPV therapeutic vaccines, and supports the use of E1 as an immunotherapeutic target. Nevertheless, the findings reported here need to be validated in a larger number of donors and preferably in patient samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Daradoumis
- InProTher ApS, Bioinnovation Institute, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.D.M.); (P.J.H.)
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mikkel Dons Müller
- InProTher ApS, Bioinnovation Institute, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.D.M.); (P.J.H.)
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick Neckermann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology & Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Benedikt Asbach
- Institute of Medical Microbiology & Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Ralf Wagner
- Institute of Medical Microbiology & Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Per thor Straten
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2730 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Johannes Holst
- InProTher ApS, Bioinnovation Institute, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.D.M.); (P.J.H.)
| | - Ditte Boilesen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Loma Therapeutics ApS, Bioinnovation Institute, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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7
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Ibrahim Khalil A, Zhang L, Muwonge R, Sauvaget C, Basu P. Efficacy and safety of therapeutic HPV vaccines to treat CIN 2/CIN 3 lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis of phase II/III clinical trials. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e069616. [PMID: 37879679 PMCID: PMC10603536 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aim to assess the efficacy and safety of therapeutic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to treat cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or 3 (CIN 2/3). DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations. DATA SOURCES PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus and CENTRAL Cochrane were searched up to 31 January 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Phase II/III randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and single-arm studies reporting the efficacy of therapeutic vaccines to achieve regression of CIN 2/3 lesions were included. Studies evaluating only safety and side effects of the vaccine were excluded. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Two independent reviewers extracted data and evaluated study quality. A random-effect model was used to pool the proportions of regression and/or HPV clearance. RESULTS 12 trials met the inclusion criteria. Out of 734 women (all studies considered) receiving therapeutic HPV vaccine for CIN 2/3, 414 regressed to normal/CIN 1 with an overall proportion of regression of 0.54 (95% CI 0.39 to 0.69) for vaccinated group; 166 women (from five RCTs) receiving placebo only achieving a pooled normal/CIN 1 regression of 0.27 (95% CI 0.20 to 0.34). When including only the five two-arm studies, the regression proportion for the 410 vaccine group participants was higher than that of the 166 control group participants (relative risk (RR) 1.52; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.04). The pooled proportion of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) clearance was 0.42 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.52) in the vaccine group (six studies with a total of 357 participants) and 0.17 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.26) in the control group (three RCTs with a total of 104 participants). Based on these three RCTs, the hrHPV clearance was significantly higher in the vaccinated group (250 participants) compared with the control group (RR 2.03; 95% CI 1.30 to 3.16). Similar results were found regarding HPV 16/18 clearance. No significant unsolicited adverse events have been consistently reported. CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of the therapeutic vaccines in the treatment of CIN 2/3 was modest. Implementation issues such as feasibility, acceptability, adoption and cost-effectiveness need to be further studied. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42022307418.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Li Zhang
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - Richard Muwonge
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France
| | | | - Partha Basu
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France
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8
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Matos AS, Invenção MDCV, Moura IAD, Freitas ACD, Batista MVDA. Immunoinformatics applications in the development of therapeutic vaccines against human papillomavirus-related infections and cervical cancer. Rev Med Virol 2023; 33:e2463. [PMID: 37291746 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2463] [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] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The human papillomavirus (HPV) represents the most prevalent sexually transmitted infectious agent worldwide. HPV penetrates the epithelium through microlesions and establishes an infectious focus that can lead to the development of cervical cancer. Prophylactic HPV vaccines are available, but do not affect already-established infections. Using in silico prediction tools is a promising strategy for identifying and selecting vaccine candidate T cell epitopes. An advantage of this strategy is that epitopes can be selected according to the degree of conservation within a group of antigenic proteins. This makes achieving comprehensive genotypic coverage possible with a small set of epitopes. Therefore, this paper revises the general characteristics of HPV biology and the current knowledge on developing therapeutic peptide vaccines against HPV-related infections and cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Santos Matos
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology (GMBio), Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, Sao Cristovao, Brazil
| | - Maria da Conceição Viana Invenção
- Laboratory of Molecular Studies and Experimental Therapy (LEMTE), Department of Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Ingrid Andrêssa de Moura
- Laboratory of Molecular Studies and Experimental Therapy (LEMTE), Department of Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Antonio Carlos de Freitas
- Laboratory of Molecular Studies and Experimental Therapy (LEMTE), Department of Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius de Aragão Batista
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology (GMBio), Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, Sao Cristovao, Brazil
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Boilesen DR, Neckermann P, Willert T, Müller MD, Schrödel S, Pertl C, Thirion C, Asbach B, Wagner R, Holst PJ. Efficacy and Synergy with Cisplatin of an Adenovirus Vectored Therapeutic E1E2E6E7 Vaccine against HPV Genome-Positive C3 Cancers in Mice. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:261-275. [PMID: 36534088 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-22-0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are the main cause of cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. As prophylactic vaccines have no curative effect, an efficient therapy would be highly desired. Most therapeutic vaccine candidates target only a small subset of HPV regulatory proteins, namely, E6 and E7, and are therefore restricted in the breadth of their immune response. However, research has suggested E1 and E2 as promising targets to fight HPV+ cancer. Here, we report the design of adenoviral vectors efficiently expressing HPV16 E1 and E2 in addition to transformation-deficient E6 and E7. Vaccination elicited vigorous CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses against all encoded HPV16 proteins in outbred mice and against E1 and E7 in C57BL/6 mice. Therapeutic vaccination of C3 tumor-bearing mice led to significantly reduced tumor growth and enhanced survival for both small and established tumors. Tumor biopsies revealed increased numbers of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells in treated mice. Cisplatin enhanced the effect of therapeutic vaccination, accompanied by enhanced infiltration of dendritic cells into the tumor. CD8+ T cells were identified as effector cells in T-cell depletion assays, seemingly under regulation by FoxP3+CD4+ regulatory T cells. Finally, therapeutic vaccination with Ad-Ii-E1E2E6E7 exhibited significantly enhanced survival compared with vaccination with two peptides each harboring a known E6/E7 epitope. We hypothesize that this difference could be due to the induction of additional T-cell responses against E1. These results support the use of this novel vaccine candidate targeting an extended set of antigens (Ad-Ii-E1E2E6E7), in combination with cisplatin, as an advanced strategy to combat HPV+ cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ditte Rahbæk Boilesen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, The Panum Institute, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,InProTher ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick Neckermann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Mikkel Dons Müller
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, The Panum Institute, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,InProTher ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Benedikt Asbach
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Wagner
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Peter Johannes Holst
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, The Panum Institute, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,InProTher ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
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10
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Illah O, Olaitan A. Updates on HPV Vaccination. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13020243. [PMID: 36673053 PMCID: PMC9857409 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13020243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer still poses a significant global challenge. Developed countries have mitigated this challenge by the introduction of structured screening programmes and, more recently, the HPV vaccine. Countries that have successfully introduced national HPV vaccination programmes are on course for cervical cancer elimination in a few decades. In developing countries that lack structured screening and HPV vaccination programmes, cervical cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The HPV vaccine is key to addressing the disproportionate distribution of cervical cancer incidence, with much to be gained from increasing vaccine coverage and uptake globally. This review covers the history and science of the HPV vaccine, its efficacy, effectiveness and safety, and some of the considerations and challenges posed to the achievement of global HPV vaccination coverage and the consequent elimination of cervical cancer.
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11
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Enhancing the Effect of Nucleic Acid Vaccines in the Treatment of HPV-Related Cancers: An Overview of Delivery Systems. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121444. [PMID: 36558778 PMCID: PMC9781236 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Prophylactic vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) have proven efficacy in those who have not been infected by the virus. However, they do not benefit patients with established tumors. Therefore, the development of therapeutic options for HPV-related malignancies is critical. Third-generation vaccines based on nucleic acids are fast and simple approaches to eliciting adaptive immune responses. However, techniques to boost immunogenicity, reduce degradation, and facilitate their capture by immune cells are frequently required. One option to overcome this constraint is to employ delivery systems that allow selective antigen absorption and help modulate the immune response. This review aimed to discuss the influence of these different systems on the response generated by nucleic acid vaccines. The results indicate that delivery systems based on lipids, polymers, and microorganisms such as yeasts can be used to ensure the stability and transport of nucleic acid vaccines to their respective protein synthesis compartments. Thus, in view of the limitations of nucleic acid-based vaccines, it is important to consider the type of delivery system to be used-due to its impact on the immune response and desired final effect.
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Liu MA. DNA and mRNA Vaccines for Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Rationale, Mechanisms, and Progress. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235874. [PMID: 36497356 PMCID: PMC9740312 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in the capabilities of nucleic acid vaccines, (DNA and mRNA vaccines) for both prophylactic and therapeutic uses have greatly increased following the successful deployment of two mRNA and, on a more limited scale, one DNA vaccine for COVID-19. In addition to targeting other pathogens for prophylactic vaccines, efforts are also being made towards using them for therapies for chronic infections and cancer. An examination of past and current successes for such therapies using other technologies with an emphasis on the immunological mechanisms will be provided followed by an assessment of the relevant characteristics of DNA and mRNA vaccines to predict their utility for therapies for chronic viral infections and cancer. Efforts and progress for these targets will be described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A. Liu
- ProTherImmune, 3656 Happy Valley Road, Lafayette, CA 94549, USA; ; Tel.: +1-925-299-2959
- Department of Medicine at Solna, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
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Ventura C, Luís Â, Soares CP, Venuti A, Paolini F, Pereira L, Sousa Â. The Effectiveness of Therapeutic Vaccines for the Treatment of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia 3: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091560. [PMID: 36146638 PMCID: PMC9500864 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) is a disease that affects many women worldwide, especially in low-income countries. The human papilloma virus (HPV) is the main causative agent of this disease, with the E6 and E7 oncoproteins being responsible for the development and maintenance of transformed status. In addition, HPV is also responsible for the appearance of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), a pre-neoplastic condition burdened by very high costs for its screening and therapy. So far, only prophylactic vaccines have been approved by regulatory agencies as a means of CC prevention. However, these vaccines cannot treat HPV-positive women. A search was conducted in several databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov) to systematically identify clinical trials involving therapeutic vaccines against CIN 3. Histopathological regression data, immunological parameters, safety, DNA clearance, and vaccine efficacy were considered from each selected study, and from the 102 articles found, 8 were selected based on the defined inclusion criteria. Histopathological regression from CIN 3 to CIN < 1 was 22.1% (95% CI: 0.627−0.967; p-value = 0.024), showing a vaccine efficacy of 23.6% (95% CI; 0.666−0.876; p-value < 0.001). DNA clearance was assessed, and the risk of persistent HPV DNA was 23.2% (95% CI: 0.667−0.885; p-value < 0.001). Regarding immunological parameters, immune responses by specific T-HPV cells were more likely in vaccinated women (95% CI: 1.245−9.162; p-value = 0.017). In short, these studies favored the vaccine group over the placebo group. This work indicated that therapeutic vaccines are efficient in the treatment of CIN 3, even after accounting for publication bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy Ventura
- CICS-UBI–Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Ângelo Luís
- CICS-UBI–Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
- Grupo de Revisões Sistemáticas (GRUBI), Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Christiane P. Soares
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Campus Ville, Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil
| | - Aldo Venuti
- HPV-UNIT-UOSD Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Paolini
- HPV-UNIT-UOSD Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Luísa Pereira
- Grupo de Revisões Sistemáticas (GRUBI), Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
- CMA-UBI-Centro de Matemática e Aplicações, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-001 Covilhã, Portugal
- C4-UBI, Cloud Computing Competence Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-284 Covilhã, Portugal
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (Â.S.); Tel.: +351-275-329-052 (L.P. & Â.S.)
| | - Ângela Sousa
- CICS-UBI–Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (Â.S.); Tel.: +351-275-329-052 (L.P. & Â.S.)
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14
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Gennigens C, Jerusalem G, Lapaille L, De Cuypere M, Streel S, Kridelka F, Ray-Coquard I. Recurrent or primary metastatic cervical cancer: current and future treatments. ESMO Open 2022; 7:100579. [PMID: 36108558 PMCID: PMC9588874 DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2022.100579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite screening programs for early detection and the approval of human papillomavirus vaccines, around 6% of women with cervical cancer (CC) are discovered with primary metastatic disease. Moreover, one-third of the patients receiving chemoradiation followed by brachytherapy for locally advanced disease will have a recurrence. At the end, the vast majority of recurrent or metastatic CC not amenable to locoregional treatments are considered incurable disease with very poor prognosis. Historically, cisplatin monotherapy, then a combination of cisplatin and paclitaxel were considered the standard of care. Ten years ago, the addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy demonstrated favorable data in terms of response rate and overall survival. Even with this improvement, novel therapies are needed for the treatment of recurrent CC in first as well as later lines. In the last decades, a better understanding of the interactions between human papillomavirus infection and the host immune system response has focused interest on the use of immunotherapeutic drugs in CC patients. Indeed, immune checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, and others) have recently emerged as novel therapeutic pillars that could provide durable responses with impact on overall survival in patients in the primary (in addition to chemotherapy) or recurrent (monotherapy) settings. Tisotumab vedotin, an antibody–drug conjugate targeting the tissue factor, is another emerging drug. Several trials in monotherapy or in combination with immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or bevacizumab showed very promising results. There is a high need for more potent biomarkers to better accurately determine which patients would receive the greatest benefit from all these aforementioned drugs, but also to identify patients with specific molecular characteristics that could benefit from other targeted therapies. The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network identified several genes significantly mutated, potentially targetable. These molecular data have highlighted the molecular heterogeneity of CC. The majority of recurrent or metastatic CCs are considered incurable disease. Combination of chemotherapy with bevacizumab and pembrolizumab (PD-L1 CPS ≥1) is the new standard of care in first line. Tisotumab vedotin, an antibody–drug conjugate targeting the tissue factor, is another emerging drug. Need for more potent biomarkers to accurately determine which patients would receive the greatest benefit from these drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Gennigens
- Department of Medical Oncology, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium.
| | - G Jerusalem
- Department of Medical Oncology, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium; Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - L Lapaille
- Department of Medical Oncology, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - M De Cuypere
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - S Streel
- Department of Medical Oncology, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - F Kridelka
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - I Ray-Coquard
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
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Mo Y, Ma J, Zhang H, Shen J, Chen J, Hong J, Xu Y, Qian C. Prophylactic and Therapeutic HPV Vaccines: Current Scenario and Perspectives. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:909223. [PMID: 35860379 PMCID: PMC9289603 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.909223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is recognized as the main cause of cervical cancer and other malignant cancers. Although early detection and treatment can be achieved by effective HPV screening methods and surgical procedures, the disease load has not been adequately mitigated yet, especially in the underdeveloped areas. Vaccine, being regarded as a more effective solution, is expected to prevent virus infection and the consequent diseases in the phases of both prevention and treatment. Currently, there are three licensed prophylactic vaccines for L1-VLPs, namely bivalent, quadrivalent and nonavalent vaccine. About 90% of HPV infections have been effectively prevented with the implementation of vaccines worldwide. However, no significant therapeutic effect has been observed on the already existed infections and lesions. Therapeutic vaccine designed for oncoprotein E6/E7 activates cellular immunity rather than focuses on neutralizing antibodies, which is considered as an ideal immune method to eliminate infection. In this review, we elaborate on the classification, mechanism, and clinical effects of HPV vaccines for disease prevention and treatment, in order to make improvements to the current situation of HPV vaccines by provoking new ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yicheng Mo
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiabing Ma
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Hongtao Zhang
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Junjie Shen
- IND Center, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Chen
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Juan Hong
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yanmin Xu
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Yanmin Xu, ; Cheng Qian,
| | - Cheng Qian
- Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Yanmin Xu, ; Cheng Qian,
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The Role of Type-2 Conventional Dendritic Cells in the Regulation of Tumor Immunity. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081976. [PMID: 35454882 PMCID: PMC9028336 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Recent studies revealed that type-2 conventional dendritic cells (cDC2s) play an important role in antitumor immunity by promoting cytotoxic T-cell responses and helper T-cell differentiation. This review outlines the role of cDC2s in tumor immunity and summarizes the latest progress regarding their potential in cancer vaccination and cDC2-targeted cancer immunotherapy. Abstract Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) orchestrate immune responses to cancer and comprise two major subsets: type-1 cDCs (cDC1s) and type-2 cDCs (cDC2s). Compared with cDC1s, which are dedicated to the activation of CD8+ T cells, cDC2s are ontogenically and functionally heterogeneous, with their main function being the presentation of exogenous antigens to CD4+ T cells for the initiation of T helper cell differentiation. cDC1s play an important role in tumor-specific immune responses through cross-presentation of tumor-derived antigens for the priming of CD8+ T cells, whereas little is known of the role of cDC2s in tumor immunity. Recent studies have indicated that human cDC2s can be divided into at least two subsets and have implicated these cells in both anti- and pro-tumoral immune responses. Furthermore, the efficacy of cDC2-based vaccines as well as cDC2-targeted therapeutics has been demonstrated in both mouse models and human patients. Here we summarize current knowledge about the role of cDC2s in tumor immunity and address whether these cells are beneficial in the context of antitumor immune responses.
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Tang J, Li M, Zhao C, Shen D, Liu L, Zhang X, Wei L. Therapeutic DNA Vaccines against HPV-Related Malignancies: Promising Leads from Clinical Trials. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020239. [PMID: 35215833 PMCID: PMC8874761 DOI: 10.3390/v14020239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2014 and 2021, two nucleic-acid vaccine candidates named MAV E2 and VGX-3100 completed phase III clinical trials in Mexico and U.S., respectively, for patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). These well-tolerated but still unlicensed vaccines encode distinct HPV antigens (E2 versus E6+E7) to elicit cell-mediated immune responses; their clinical efficacy, as measured by HSIL regression or cure, was modest when compared with placebo or surgery (conization), but both proved highly effective in clearing HPV infection, which should help further optimize strategies for enhancing vaccine immunogenicity, toward an ultimate goal of preventing malignancies in millions of patients who are living with persistent, oncogenic HPV infection but are not expected to benefit from current, prophylactic vaccines. The major roadblocks to a highly efficacious and practical product remain challenging and can be classified into five categories: (i) getting the vaccines into the right cells for efficient expression and presentation of HPV antigens (fusion proteins or epitopes); (ii) having adequate coverage of oncogenic HPV types, beyond the current focus on HPV-16 and -18; (iii) directing immune protection to various epithelial niches, especially anogenital mucosa and upper aerodigestive tract where HPV-transformed cells wreak havoc; (iv) establishing the time window and vaccination regimen, including dosage, interval and even combination therapy, for achieving maximum efficacy; and (v) validating therapeutic efficacy in patients with poor prognosis because of advanced, recurrent or non-resectable malignancies. Overall, the room for improvements is still large enough that continuing efforts for research and development will very likely extend into the next decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Tang
- Aeonvital Biomedical Research Institute, Beijing 102208, China; (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Correspondence: or
| | - Mingzhu Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100033, China; (M.L.); (C.Z.); (D.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Chao Zhao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100033, China; (M.L.); (C.Z.); (D.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Danhua Shen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100033, China; (M.L.); (C.Z.); (D.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Lei Liu
- Aeonvital Biomedical Research Institute, Beijing 102208, China; (L.L.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xiujun Zhang
- Aeonvital Biomedical Research Institute, Beijing 102208, China; (L.L.); (X.Z.)
| | - Lihui Wei
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100033, China; (M.L.); (C.Z.); (D.S.); (L.W.)
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18
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Schmidt MW, Battista MJ, Schmidt M, Garcia M, Siepmann T, Hasenburg A, Anic K. Efficacy and Safety of Immunotherapy for Cervical Cancer—A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14020441. [PMID: 35053603 PMCID: PMC8773848 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To systematically review the current body of evidence on the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy for cervical cancer (CC). Material and Methods: Medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science were searched for prospective trials assessing immunotherapy in CC patients in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Full-text articles in English and German reporting outcomes of survival, response rates or safety were eligible. Results: Of 4655 screened studies, 51 were included (immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) n=20; therapeutic vaccines n = 25; adoptive cell transfer therapy n=9). Of these, one qualified as a phase III randomized controlled trial and demonstrated increased overall survival following treatment with pembrolizumab, chemotherapy and bevacizumab. A minority of studies included a control group (n = 7) or more than 50 patients (n = 15). Overall, response rates were low to moderate. No response to ICIs was seen in PD-L1 negative patients. However, few remarkable results were achieved in heavily pretreated patients. There were no safety concerns in any of the included studies. Conclusion: Strong evidence on the efficacy of strategies to treat recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer is currently limited to pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy and bevacizumab, which substantiates an urgent need for large confirmatory trials on alternative immunotherapies. Overall, there is sound evidence on the safety of immunotherapy in CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona W. Schmidt
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
- Division of Health Care Sciences Center for Clinical Research and Management Education Dresden, Dresden International University, 01067 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.); (T.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-6131-17-0
| | - Marco J. Battista
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
| | - Marcus Schmidt
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
| | - Monique Garcia
- Division of Health Care Sciences Center for Clinical Research and Management Education Dresden, Dresden International University, 01067 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.); (T.S.)
- Department of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (PUC MG), Betim 32604-115, Brazil
| | - Timo Siepmann
- Division of Health Care Sciences Center for Clinical Research and Management Education Dresden, Dresden International University, 01067 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.); (T.S.)
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Annette Hasenburg
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
| | - Katharina Anic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (M.J.B.); (M.S.); (A.H.); (K.A.)
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