title: Progress in the development of immunotherapy of cancer using ex vivo-generated dendritic cells expressing multiple tumor antigen epitopes.
abstract: Immunotherapy with tumor-associated antigen-pulsed, ex vivo-generated dendritic cells (DCs) is a promising approach for the treatment of cancer that has shown efficacy in animal models and is now being tested in the clinic. The majority of studies performed to date make use of a single tumor-associated epitope. However, because of the high rate of mutation in tumor cells allowing for loss of expression of a single antigen, it is likely that use of multiple antigenic epitopes will induce a broader, longer-lasting, and effective tumor-specific immune response. Multiple vehicles for loading DCs with multiple antigenic epitopes are under investigation to determine the most effective method for vaccination, with many of these methods showing promise. These loading methods, as well as other critical considerations for making DC vaccination as efficacious as possible, are discussed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-2821, USA.
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Markiewicz
authors.forename: W Martin
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Kast
mesh_terms: D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000637:transplantation; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D000939:Epitopes; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D019444:Vaccines, DNA