title: Induction of an antigen cascade by diversified subcutaneous/intratumoral vaccination is associated with antitumor responses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer vaccines targeting tumor-associated antigens are being investigated for the therapy of tumors. Numerous strategies, including the direct intratumoral (i.t.) vaccination route, have been examined. For tumors expressing carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a model tumor-associated antigen, we previously designed poxviral vectors that contain the transgenes for CEA and a triad of T-cell costimulatory molecules, B7-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, (ICAM-1), and leukocyte function associated antigen-3 (LFA-3) (CEA/TRICOM). Two types of poxvirus vectors were developed: replication-competent recombinant vaccinia and replication-defective recombinant fowlpox. We have shown previously that a vaccine regimen composed of priming mice s.c. with recombinant vaccinia-CEA/TRICOM and boosting i.t. with recombinant fowlpox-CEA/TRICOM was superior to priming and boosting vaccinations using the conventional s.c. route in inducing T-cell responses specific for CEA. These studies also showed that CEA was needed to be present both in the vaccine and in the tumor for therapeutic effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine specific immune responses associated with vaccination-mediated tumor regression, CEA-transgenic mice bearing CEA(+) tumors were vaccinated with the CEA/TRICOM s.c./i.t. regimen, and T-cell immune responses were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In CEA(+) tumor-bearing mice vaccinated with the CEA/TRICOM s.c./i.t. regimen, T-cell responses could be detected not only to CEA encoded in vaccine vectors but also to other antigens expressed on the tumor itself: wild-type p53 and an endogenous retroviral epitope of gp70. Moreover, the magnitude of CD8(+) T-cell immune responses to gp70 was far greater than that induced to CEA or p53. Finally, the predominant T-cell population infiltrating the regressing CEA(+) tumor after therapy was specific for gp70.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These studies show that the breadth and magnitude of antitumor immune cascades to multiple antigens could be critical in the therapy of established tumors.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute/NIH, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 93042, USA.
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kudo-Saito
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schlom
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hodge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011212:Poxviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014611:Vaccination; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D016207:Cytokines; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins