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Preclinical full-scale evaluation of dendritic cells transfected with autologous tumor-mRNA for melanoma vaccination

Cancer Gene Therapy volume 12, pages 579–591 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Most cancer vaccines to date have made use of common tumor antigens or allogenic cancer cell lines. The majority of tumor antigens may, however, be unique patient-specific antigens. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells known. The present report is a full-scale preclinical evaluation of autologous DCs transfected with autologous tumor-mRNA (tDCs) for vaccination in malignant melanoma. By using autologous tumor-mRNA, we intend to make the DCs present a broad spectrum of tumor-associated antigens relevant to each individual patient. Previously, we have described effective methods for mRNA-transfection into DCs by square-wave electroporation and for generating large numbers of DCs. Here, we demonstrate the ability of tDCs, made under full-scale vaccine conditions, to generate in vitro T-cell responses specific for antigens encoded by the transfected tumor-mRNA. T-cell proliferation assays demonstrated tDC-specific responses for all six patients tested. Responses were further studied by IFNγ ELISPOT and Bioplex cytokine assays (two patients) and by experiments on isolated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, including HLA-blockage (one patient). Moreover, we describe the results of extensive tumor-RNA analysis using Agilent Bioanalyser, a method that we have implemented in the clinical protocol. Based on this preclinical evaluation, a vaccine trial has been started.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Health (Gene Therapy Fund) and the Norwegian Cancer Society. The authors thank Ms Hege Hammerstad, Ms Inger-Lise Haakensen and Mrs Anne Brunsvig for excellent work on DC generation, and the research nurses Kristin Øwre and Lone Hegg for excellent patient care. We also thank Dr Carrie Grimsrud for helpful contribution on total RNA extraction and Professor Olav Kaalhus for valuable advice on statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section for Immunotherapy, Department of Immunology, Cancer Research Institute, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway

    Jon A Kyte, Stein Sæbøe-Larssen & Gustav Gaudernack

  2. Laboratory for Cellular Therapy, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway

    Gunnar Kvalheim

  3. Department of Clinical Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway

    Steinar Aamdal

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  1. Jon A Kyte
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Correspondence to Jon A Kyte.

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Kyte, J., Kvalheim, G., Aamdal, S. et al. Preclinical full-scale evaluation of dendritic cells transfected with autologous tumor-mRNA for melanoma vaccination. Cancer Gene Ther 12, 579–591 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cgt.7700837

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