Abstract CN04-01: Multi-antigen vaccines for cancer prevention

To be effective, vaccines must arm the immune system to target and destroy disease causing agents. In infection, the pathogen has been defined. In cancer, the etiologic agent is generally unknown. Although the specific cause of a cancer may be multifactorial, there are a limited number of genetic alterations that will induce initiation and maintenance of the malignancy. Proteins expressed during the malignant transformation would be excellent targets for a preventative vaccine could they be identified. We have shown overexpression of cancer associated proteins is a potential mechanism by which they become immunogenic. Arming the immune system to eliminate cells that had up regulated proteins related to cancer initiation could protect against the development of invasive malignancy.Recent evidence indicates that Type I immunity, associated with the production of IFN-gamma (g), is needed for cancer eradication. Type I immunity enhances cross priming at the site of cancer initiation by activating local antigen presenting cells (APC) to more efficiently present immunogenic proteins or tumor antigens to T-cells. Cross priming is the primary method by which immunity is generated against cancer as tumor cells do not express the recognition molecules needed for immune activation. IFN-g is primarily secreted by CD4+ T-helper 1 cells (Th1). Vaccine strategies designed to elicit tumor antigen specific Th1 immunity have the potential to generate epitope spreading (a broadening of immunity...
Source: Cancer Prevention Research - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Cancer Prevention Vaccines: Oral Presentations - Invited Abstracts Source Type: research