Project description:We report here that a EMMPRINs-specific cancer peptide vaccination, where the peptide was modified and synthesied as a multiple antigenic peptide (MAP), significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastases. Specifically, we describe changes in the gene expression profile as assessed by RNAseq in tumors derived from mice implanted with the colon tumorigenic carcinoma (CT26 cells), and vaccinated with either a control scrambled multiple antigenic peptide (Scr-MAP) or with an epitope-specific EMMPRIN multiple antigenic peptide (designated 161-MAP).
Project description:Interventions: arm1: The right peptides (up to 4 peptides) for vaccination to individual patients will be selected in consideration of the pre-existing host immunity assessed by the titers of anti-peptide IgG before vaccination, and subcutaneously injected with incomplete Freund’s adjuvant every week (3.0 mg/each peptide; 6 times/cycle). Dai-kenchu-to(5 g/time, 3 times/day) will be orally administered from the date of the first vaccination to the date of the sixth vaccination. If the patients want to continue the vaccination after completion of the first cycle of 6 vaccinations, the peptide vaccination will be allowed to continue (every 2-4 weeks).
arm2: The right peptides (up to 4 peptides) for vaccination to individual patients will be selected in consideration of the pre-existing host immunity assessed by the titers of anti-peptide IgG before vaccination, and subcutaneously injected with incomplete Freund’s adjuvant every week (3.0 mg/each peptide; 6 times/cycle). If the patients want to continue the vaccination after completion of the first cycle of 6 vaccinations, the peptide vaccination will be allowed to continue (every 2-4 weeks).
Primary outcome(s): Comparison of immune-enhancing effects (changes in anti-peptide IgG titers in plasma)between two groups.
Study Design: Parallel Randomized
Project description:Recent studies revealed that treatment resistant cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiating cells (CICs) can be targeted by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). CTLs recognize antigenic peptide derived from tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), thus identification of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) expressed in CSCs/CICs is essential. Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) ligandome analysis using mass spectrometry enables analysis of naturally expressed antigenic peptides; however, HLA ligandome analysis requires large scale of sample and it is challenging for CSCs/CICs. In this study, we established novel bladder CSC/CIC model from a bladder cancer cell line UM-UC-3 cells using ALDEFLUOR assay. CSCs/CICs were isolated as aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) high cells and several ALDHhigh clone cells were established. ALDHhigh clone cells were enriched with CSCs/CICs by sphere formation and tumorigenicity in immune deficient mouse. HLA ligandome analysis and gene expression (CAGE) using ALDHhigh clone cells revealed distinctive antigenic peptide repertoire in bladder CSCs/CICs, and we identified GRIK2 derived antigenic peptide is specifically expressed in CSCs/CICs. GRIK2 peptide-specific CTL clone recognized GRIK2-overexpressed UM-UC-3 cells and ALDHhigh clone cells indicating that GRIK2 peptide can be a novel target for bladder CSCs/CICs-targeting immunotherapy.
Project description:The poor prognosis of head and neck cancer (HNC) is associated with metastasis within the lymph nodes (LNs). Herein, the proteome of 140 multisite samples from a 59-HNC patient cohort, including primary and matched LN-negative or -positive tissues, saliva, and blood cells, reveals insights into the biology and potential metastasis biomarkers that may assist in clinical decision-making. Protein profiles are strictly associated with immune modulation across datasets, and this provides the basis for investigating immune markers associated with metastasis. The proteome of LN metastatic cells recapitulates the proteome of the primary tumor sites. Conversely, the LN microenvironment proteome highlights the candidate prognostic markers. By integrating prioritized peptide, protein, and transcript levels with machine learning models, we identified nodal metastasis signatures in blood and saliva. We present a proteomic characterization wiring multiple sites in HNC, thus providing a promising basis for understanding tumoral biology and identifying metastasis-associated signatures.
Project description:To understand why cancer vaccine-induced T cells often fail to eradicate tumors, we studied immune responses in mice vaccinated with gp100 peptide emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA), commonly used in clinical cancer vaccine trials. After gp100 peptide/IFA vaccination, tumor-specific CD8+ T cells (adoptively transferred from gp100-specific TCR-transgenic pmel-1 mice) accumulated not in tumors but at the persisting, antigen-rich vaccination site. Once there, primed T cells became dysfunctional and underwent antigen-driven, IFN-γ and FasL-mediated apoptosis, resulting in systemic hyporesponsiveness to subsequent vaccination. Provision of anti-CD40 antibody, TLR7 agonist and interleukin-2 (covax) reduced T cell apoptosis but did not prevent vaccination site sequestration. A non-persisting vaccine formulation shifted T cell localization towards tumors, inducing superior anti-tumor activity. Short-lived formulation also reduced systemic T cell dysfunction and promoted memory formation, as shown by gene expression profiling and other measures. Persisting peptide/IFA vaccine depots, currently used to vaccinate cancer patients, can induce specific T cell sequestration at vaccination sites followed by dysfunction and deletion; short-lived depot formulations may overcome these limitations and result in greater therapeutic efficacy of peptide-based cancer vaccines. To study the fate of melanoma-specific CD8+ T cells after peptide vaccination, we tracked T cell receptor-transgenic pmel-1 T cells in mice vaccinated with heteroclitic gp100_25-33 peptide emulsified in IFA. Splenic pmel-1 CD8+ T cells were purified at 6 and 21 days after vaccination with either gp100/IFA/covax or gp100/saline/covax, and then their total RNA was extracted and used for comparison by gene expression profiling.
Project description:We investigated changes in the human immune system following vaccination against H1N1 swine flu, to define the healthy immue response to vaccination, and to correlate it to cases of non-response and adverse events. Gene expression was measured twice before and twice after vaccination (week before/on the day of vaccination/one day and week after). Responsiveness to the vaccine was defined as fourfold increase in HAI (hemagglutination inhibition) and NM (neuraminidase inhibition) titers and adverse reaction as a sum of patient reported symptoms, measured n a Likert scale.
Project description:Interventions: Survivin-2B peptide vaccination at a dose of 0.1mg every 2 weeks
Survivin-2B peptide vaccination at a dose of 1.0mg every 2 weeks
Survivin-2B peptide vaccination at a dose of 10mg every 2 weeks
Primary outcome(s): Evaluation of adverse effect
Study Design: Parallel Non-randomized
Project description:To understand why cancer vaccine-induced T cells often fail to eradicate tumors, we studied immune responses in mice vaccinated with gp100 peptide emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA), commonly used in clinical cancer vaccine trials. After gp100 peptide/IFA vaccination, tumor-specific CD8+ T cells (adoptively transferred from gp100-specific TCR-transgenic pmel-1 mice) accumulated not in tumors but at the persisting, antigen-rich vaccination site. Once there, primed T cells became dysfunctional and underwent antigen-driven, IFN-γ and FasL-mediated apoptosis, resulting in systemic hyporesponsiveness to subsequent vaccination. Provision of anti-CD40 antibody, TLR7 agonist and interleukin-2 (covax) reduced T cell apoptosis but did not prevent vaccination site sequestration. A non-persisting vaccine formulation shifted T cell localization towards tumors, inducing superior anti-tumor activity. Short-lived formulation also reduced systemic T cell dysfunction and promoted memory formation, as shown by gene expression profiling and other measures. Persisting peptide/IFA vaccine depots, currently used to vaccinate cancer patients, can induce specific T cell sequestration at vaccination sites followed by dysfunction and deletion; short-lived depot formulations may overcome these limitations and result in greater therapeutic efficacy of peptide-based cancer vaccines.
Project description:Here we report an enzyme-activatable assembled peptide FR17 that can serve as a “flame-retarding blanket” at pre-metastatic niche (PMN) specifically to extinguish the “fire” of tumor-supportive microenvironment adaption. Our experiment demonstrated that the assembled peptide successfully reversed extracellular matrix deposition, vascular leakage and angiogenesis through inhibition on fibroblasts activation in PMN, which suppressed the remodeling of metastasis-supportive host stromal, and further prevented the recruitment of myeloid cells to PMN and then recovered the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Cell transcriptomic analysis of the pulmonary recruited MDSC suggested that FR17 intervention could regulate immune response activation, immune cells chemotaxis and migration pathways. Consequently, FR17 administration effectively inhibited pulmonary PMN formation and postoperative metastasis of melanoma, with only 30% lung-metastasis occurrence was observed for FR17 treated group at the time point when 100% occurrence was observed for the control group and 80% occurrence for anti-PD1 treated group, offering a robust therapeutic strategy against PMN establishing to prevent metastasis.
Project description:Timothy grass (TG) pollen is a common seasonal airborne allergen associated with symptoms ranging from mild rhinitis to severe asthma. The aim of this study was to characterize changes in TG-specific T cell responses as a function of seasonality. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained either during the pollen season or out of season, from allergic individuals and non-allergic controls were stimulated either with TG extract or a pool of previously identified immunodominant antigenic regions. PBMC from in season allergic subjects exhibit higher IL-5 and IL-10 responses compared to out of season donors. In the case of non-allergic subjects, as expected we observed lower IL-5 responses and robust production of IFNγ compared to allergic individuals. Strikingly, non-atopic donors exhibited an opposing pattern with decreased immune reactivity in-season. The broad downregulation in non-allergic donors indicates that healthy individuals are not oblivious to allergen exposure but rather react with an active modulation of the responses following the antigenic stimulus provided during the pollen season. Transcriptomic analysis of allergen-specific T cells defined genes modulated in concomitance with allergen exposure and inhibition of responses in non-allergic donors. Magnitude and functionality of T-helper cell responses differ substantially for in season versus out of season in allergic and non-allergic subjects. The results indicate specific and opposing modulation of immune responses following the antigenic stimulation during the pollen season. This seasonal modulation reflects the enactment of specific molecular programs associated with health and allergic disease.