Targeting the intratumoral dendritic cells by the oncolytic adenoviral vaccine expressing RANTES elicits potent antitumor immunity

J Immunother. 2009 Feb-Mar;32(2):145-56. doi: 10.1097/CJI.0b013e318193d31e.

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen (Ag)-presenting cells capable of inducing immune responses to tumor Ags and, therefore, play a central role in the induction of antitumor immunity. There is a large amount of evidence, however, about paucity of tumor-associated DCs and that DCs' immunogenic functions are suppressed in a tumor environment. Here we describe a potent in situ vaccine targeting tumoral DCs in vivo. This vaccine comprised of an oncolytic adenovirus expressing RANTES (regulated upon activation, normally T expressed, and presumably secreted) (Ad-RANTES-E1A), enhanced tumor infiltration, and maturation of Ag-presenting cells in vivo. In this study, we show that intratumoral vaccinations with Ad-RANTES-E1A induced significant primary tumor growth regression and blocked metastasis formation in JC and E.G-7 murine tumor models. This vaccine recruited DCs, macrophages, natural killer cells, and CD8+ T cells to the tumor site, and thus enhanced Ag-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and natural killer cell responses. DCs purified from the Ad-RANTES-E1A-treated E.G-7 tumors secreted significantly higher levels of interferon-gamma and interleukin-12, as compared with control groups and more efficiently enhanced CD8+ T-cell response. This in situ immunization strategy could be a potent antitumor immunotherapy approach for aggressive established tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / genetics
  • Adenoviridae / immunology
  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cancer Vaccines / genetics
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology
  • Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Chemokine CCL5 / genetics*
  • Chemokine CCL5 / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / virology
  • Female
  • Genetic Vectors / immunology
  • Immunotherapy
  • Interferon-gamma / blood
  • Interleukin-12 / blood
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Neoplasms / virology
  • Oncolytic Virotherapy
  • Oncolytic Viruses / genetics
  • Oncolytic Viruses / immunology*
  • Ovalbumin / immunology

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Chemokine CCL5
  • Interleukin-12
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Ovalbumin