DNA fusion-gene vaccination in patients with prostate cancer induces high-frequency CD8(+) T-cell responses and increases PSA doubling time

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2012 Nov;61(11):2161-70. doi: 10.1007/s00262-012-1270-0. Epub 2012 May 22.

Abstract

We report on the immunogenicity and clinical effects in a phase I/II dose escalation trial of a DNA fusion vaccine in patients with prostate cancer. The vaccine encodes a domain (DOM) from fragment C of tetanus toxin linked to an HLA-A2-binding epitope from prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), PSMA(27-35). We evaluated the effect of intramuscular vaccination without or with electroporation (EP) on vaccine potency. Thirty-two HLA-A2(+) patients were vaccinated and monitored for immune and clinical responses for a follow-up period of 72 weeks. At week 24, cross-over to the immunologically more effective delivery modality was permitted; this was shown to be with EP based on early antibody data, and subsequently, 13/15 patients crossed to the +EP arm. Thirty-two HLA-A2(-) control patients were assessed for time to next treatment and overall survival. Vaccination was safe and well tolerated. The vaccine induced DOM-specific CD4(+) and PSMA(27)-specific CD8(+) T cells, which were detectable at significant levels above baseline at the end of the study (p = 0.0223 and p = 0.00248, respectively). Of 30 patients, 29 had a measurable CD4(+) T-cell response and PSMA(27)-specific CD8(+) T cells were detected in 16/30 patients, with or without EP. At week 24, before cross-over, both delivery methods led to increased CD4(+) and CD8(+) vaccine-specific T cells with a trend to a greater effect with EP. PSA doubling time increased significantly from 11.97 months pre-treatment to 16.82 months over the 72-week follow-up (p = 0.0417), with no clear differential effect of EP. The high frequency of immunological responses to DOM-PSMA(27) vaccination and the clinical effects are sufficiently promising to warrant further, randomized testing.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antigens, Surface / therapeutic use*
  • Artificial Gene Fusion
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cancer Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology
  • Electroporation
  • Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II / therapeutic use*
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / analysis
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peptide Fragments / therapeutic use*
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / blood
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Tetanus Toxin / therapeutic use*
  • Vaccines, DNA / administration & dosage*
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Surface
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Tetanus Toxin
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • tetanus toxin fragment C
  • FOLH1 protein, human
  • Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen