Regulation of tumor immunity by tumor/dendritic cell fusions

Clin Dev Immunol. 2010:2010:516768. doi: 10.1155/2010/516768. Epub 2010 Oct 26.

Abstract

The goal of cancer vaccines is to induce antitumor immunity that ultimately will reduce tumor burden in tumor environment. Several strategies involving dendritic cells- (DCs)- based vaccine incorporating different tumor-associated antigens to induce antitumor immune responses against tumors have been tested in clinical trials worldwide. Although DCs-based vaccine such as fusions of whole tumor cells and DCs has been proven to be clinically safe and is efficient to enhance antitumor immune responses for inducing effective immune response and for breaking T-cell tolerance to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), only a limited success has occurred in clinical trials. This paper reviews tumor immune escape and current strategies employed in the field of tumor/DC fusions vaccine aimed at enhancing activation of TAAs-specific cytotoxic T cells in tumor microenvironment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Cancer Vaccines*
  • Cell Fusion / methods
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Activation*
  • Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology*
  • Tumor Escape / immunology
  • Tumor Microenvironment / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Cancer Vaccines