Animal models of human-derived cancer vaccines.
Preclinical cancer vaccine studies must address vaccine safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy, as well as mechanism of vaccine action. Animal models of vaccines employing human tumor-associated antigen or epitopes (TAA, TAE) differ fundamentally from those employing tumor-specific antigens or epitopes (TSA, TSE). TSA and TSE vaccines will most likely demonstrate similar toxicity, immunogenicity, and efficacy in both tumor-bearing animals and patients. In contrast, TAA/TAE immunizations may have to overcome a host's immunological tolerance to TAA/TAE expressed not only on tumor, but also on normal tissues; immunity to TAA/TAE will potentially target normal tissues and thus may induce autoimmunity. Various experimental models for human-derived TAA/TAE vaccines have been developed. These models include transgenic mice, mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), and non-human primates. Recently, unique animal models of TAA/TAE cancer vaccines have been developed, taking advantage of the discovery of animal tissue antigens with significant sequence homologies to human TAA/TAE. These models mimic perhaps most closely the situation in cancer patients.
D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic