Advances in personalized neoantigen vaccines for cancer immunotherapy

Designing of neoepitopes based vaccine against breast cancer using integrated immuno and bioinformatics approach

Cancer is characterized by genetic instability due to accumulation of somatic mutations in the genes which generate neoepitopes (mutated epitopes) for targeting by Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Breast cancer has a high transformation rate with unique composition of mutational burden and neoepitopes load that open a platform to designing a neoepitopes-based vaccine. Neoepitopes-based therapeutic cancer vaccines designed by neoantigens have shown to be feasible, nontoxic, and immunogenic in cancer patients. Stimulation of CTL by neoepitope-based vaccine of self-antigenic proteins plays a key role in distinguishing cancer cells from normal cells and selectively targets only malignant cells. A neoepitopes-based vaccine to combat breast cancer was designed by combining immunology and bioinformatics approaches. The vaccine construct was assembled by the fusion of CTL neoepitopes, helper sequences (used for better separation of the epitopes), and adjuvant together with linkers. The neoepitopes were identified from somatic mutations in the MUC16, TP53, RYR2, F5, DNAH17, ASPM, and ABCA13 self-antigenic proteins. The vaccine construct was undertaken to study the immune simulations (IS), physiochemical characteristics (PP), molecular docking (MD) and simulations, and cloning in appropriate vector. Together, these parameters establish safety, stability, and a strong binding affinity against class I MHC molecules capable of inducing a complete immune response against breast cancer cells.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Extracellular Vesicles and Immune System Function: Exploring Novel Approaches to Colorectal Cancer Immunotherapy

This review explores the emerging role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in modulating immune system function and their application in novel cancer immunotherapy strategies, with a focus on colorectal cancer (CRC). EVs, as carriers of bioactive molecules, have shown potential in enhancing immune responses and overcoming the limitations of traditional therapies. We discuss the biogenesis, types, and functional roles of immune cell-derived EVs, their interactions with cancer cells, and their implications in antitumor immunity. Challenges such as tumor heterogeneity and immune evasion are addressed, alongside the promising therapeutic prospects of EV-based strategies. This comprehensive analysis underscores the transformative potential of EVs in cancer treatment paradigms.

The Value of Microbes in Cancer Neoantigen Immunotherapy

Tumor neoantigens are widely used in cancer immunotherapy, and a growing body of research suggests that microbes play an important role in these neoantigen-based immunotherapeutic processes. The human body and its surrounding environment are filled with a large number of microbes that are in long-term interaction with the organism. The microbiota can modulate our immune system, help activate neoantigen-reactive T cells, and play a great role in the process of targeting tumor neoantigens for therapy. Recent studies have revealed the interconnection between microbes and neoantigens, which can cross-react with each other through molecular mimicry, providing theoretical guidance for more relevant studies. The current applications of microbes in immunotherapy against tumor neoantigens are mainly focused on cancer vaccine development and immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This article summarizes the related fields and suggests the importance of microbes in immunotherapy against neoantigens.

Application prospect of circular RNA-based neoantigen vaccine in tumor immunotherapy

Neoantigen is a protein produced by mutant gene, which is only expressed in tumor cells. It is an ideal target for therapeutic tumor vaccines. Although synthetic long peptide (SLP)-based neoantigen vaccine, DNA-based neoantigen vaccine, and mRNA-based neoantigen vaccine are all in the development stage, they have some inherent shortcomings. Therefore, researchers turned their attention to a new type of "non-coding RNA (ncRNA)", circular RNA (circRNA), for potential better choice. Because of its unique high stability and protein-coding capacity, circRNA is a promising target in the field of neoantigen vaccine. In this paper, we reviewed the feasibility of circRNA encoding neoantigens, summarized the construction process, explained the mechanism of circRNA vaccine in vitro, and discussed the advantages and disadvantages of circRNA vaccine and possible combination with other immunotherapies.

Combination treatment of radiofrequency ablation and peptide neoantigen vaccination: Promising modality for future cancer immunotherapy

Background

The safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen-based peptide vaccine, iNeo-Vac-P01, was reported previously in patients with a variety of cancer types. The current study investigated the synergistic effects of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and neoantigen vaccination in cancer patients and tumor-bearing mice.

Methods

Twenty-eight cancer patients were enrolled in this study, including 10 patients who had received RFA treatment within 6 months before vaccination (Cohort 1), and 18 patients who had not (Cohort 2). Individualized neoantigen peptide vaccines were designed, manufactured, and subcutaneously administrated with GM-CSF as an adjuvant for all patients. Mouse models were employed to validate the synergistic efficacy of combination treatment of RFA and neoantigen vaccination.

Results

Longer median progression free survival (mPFS) and median overall survival (mOS) were observed in patients in Cohort 1 compared to patients in Cohort 2 (4.42 and 20.18 months vs. 2.82 and 10.94 months). The results of ex vivo IFN-γ ELISpot assay showed that patients in Cohort 1 had stronger neoantigen-specific immune responses at baseline and post vaccination. Mice receiving combination treatment of RFA and neoantigen vaccines displayed higher antitumor immune responses than mice receiving single modality. The combination of PD-1 blockage with RFA and neoantigen vaccines further enhanced the antitumor response in mice.

Conclusion

Neoantigen vaccination after local RFA treatment could improve the clinical and immune response among patients of different cancer types. The synergistic antitumor potentials of these two modalities were also validated in mice, and might be further enhanced by immune checkpoint inhibition. The mechanisms of their synergies require further investigation.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT03662815.

The Identification and Clinical Applications of Mutated Antigens in the Era of Immunotherapy

The era of personalized cancer therapy is here. Advances in the field of immunotherapy have paved the way for the development of individualized neoantigen-based therapies that can translate into favorable treatment outcomes and fewer side effects for patients. Addressing challenges related to the identification, access, and clinical application of neoantigens is critical to accelerating the development of individualized immunotherapy for cancer patients.

Neoantigens in precision cancer immunotherapy: from identification to clinical applications

Immunotherapies targeting cancer neoantigens are safe, effective, and precise. Neoantigens can be identified mainly by genomic techniques such as next-generation sequencing and high-throughput single-cell sequencing; proteomic techniques such as mass spectrometry; and bioinformatics tools based on high-throughput sequencing data, mass spectrometry data, and biological databases. Neoantigen-related therapies are widely used in clinical practice and include neoantigen vaccines, neoantigen-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, and neoantigen-pulsed dendritic cells. In addition, neoantigens can be used as biomarkers to assess immunotherapy response, resistance, and prognosis. Therapies based on neoantigens are an important and promising branch of cancer immunotherapy. Unremitting efforts are needed to unravel the comprehensive role of neoantigens in anti-tumor immunity and to extend their clinical application. This review aimed to summarize the progress in neoantigen research and to discuss its opportunities and challenges in precision cancer immunotherapy.

Growth differentiation factor-15 promotes immune escape of ovarian cancer via targeting CD44 in dendritic cells

Immune escape is the main cause of the low response rate to immunotherapy for cancer, including ovarian cancer. Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) inhibits immune cell function. However, only few reports described the mechanism. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of immune escape regulated by GDF-15 in ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer patients and healthy women were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA were performed to measure GDF-15 expression. Immunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry, surface plasmon resonance, and co-immunoprecipitation assay were used to evaluate the interaction between GDF-15 and the surface molecules of DCs. Immunofluorescence analysis, flow cytometry and transwell assay were used to evaluate additional effects of GDF-15 on DCs. The results showed that GDF-15 expression was higher in the ovarian cancer patients compared to that in the healthy women. The TIMER algorithm revealed that highly GDF-15 expression is associated with immune DC infiltration in immunoreactive high-grade serous carcinoma. A further study showed that GDF-15 suppressed DCs maturation, as well as IL-12p40 and TNF-α secretion, the length and number of protrusions and the migration. More importantly, CD44 in the surface of DCs interacted with GDF-15. The overexpression of CD44 in DCs resulted in the suppression of the inhibitory effect of GDF-15 on the length and number of DC synapses. In DCs overexpressing CD44 the inhibition of GDF-15 on the expression of CD11c, CD83 and CD86 was decreased, while in DCs with a knockdown of CD44 the inhibition was further enhanced. Knockdown of CD44 in DCs enhanced the inhibitory effect of GDF-15 on DC migration, while the overexpression of CD44 inhibited the inhibitory effect of GDF-15 on DC migration. In conclusion, the present study suggested that GDF-15 might facilitate ovarian cancer immune escape by interacting with CD44 in DCs to inhibit their function.