title: Vaccines based on abnormal self-antigens as tumor-associated antigens: immune regulation.
abstract: Abnormal expression of "self" antigens on tumors compared with normal cells provides opportunities and challenges for development of cancer vaccines. We review recent work in pre-clinical transgenic mouse models and in clinical trials that has elucidated multiple regulatory mechanisms that interfere with the induction of effective immunity. We discuss these as being either part of the normal function of the immune system or being driven by the tumor microenvironment. Collectively this work shows that it is possible to design vaccines based on tumor-associated antigens and elicit effective immunity against abnormal expression of these antigens on tumors without causing autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, E1044, Biomedical Science Tower, 200 Lothrop St., Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: Olivera J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Finn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001324:Autoantigens; D019496:Cancer Vaccines