Exploiting dendritic cells for cancer immunotherapy: genetic modification of dendritic cells.
Dendritic cells (DCs) are pivotal regulators of immune reactivity and immune tolerance. The observation that DCs can recruit naive T cells has invigorated cancer immunology and led to the proposal of DCs as the basis for vaccines designed for the treatment of cancer. Designing effective strategies to load DCs with antigens is a challenging field of research. The successful realization of gene transfer to DCs will be highly dependent on the employed vector system. Here, we review various viral and non-viral gene transfer systems, and discuss their distinct characteristics and possible advantages and disadvantages in respect to their use in DC-based immunotherapy.
Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Physiology and Immunology, Medical School of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
Karine
K
Breckpot
Carlo
C
Heirman
Bart
B
Neyns
Kris
K
Thielemans
D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics
D019496:Cancer Vaccines