title: Induction of MAGE-A3 and HPV-16 immunity by Trojan vaccines in patients with head and neck carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We performed a pilot study using Trojan vaccines in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). These vaccines are composed of HLA-I and HLA-II restricted melanoma antigen E (MAGE)-A3 or human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 derived peptides, joined by furin-cleavable linkers, and linked to a "penetrin" peptide sequence derived from HIV-TAT. Thirty-one patients with SCCHN were screened for the trial and 5 were enrolled.
  
  
  METHODS
  Enrolled patients were treated with 300 μg of Trojan peptide supplemented with Montanide and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) at 4-week intervals for up to 4 injections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following vaccination, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 4 of 5 patients recognized both the full Trojan constructs and constituent HLA-II peptides, whereas responses to HLA-I restricted peptides were less pronounced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This treatment regimen seems to have acceptable toxicity and elicits measurable systemic immune responses against HLA-II restricted epitopes in a subset of patients with advanced SCCHN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Erlangen, Nuremburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Caroline J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Voskens
authors.forename: Duane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sewell
authors.forename: Ronna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hertzano
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeSanto
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rollins
authors.forename: Myounghee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Mohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suntharalingam
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gastman
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.forename: Changwan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cullen
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Celis
authors.forename: Dean
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Strome
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D005260:Female; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D000939:Epitopes; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; C524866:HLA-A*02 antigen; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; C072013:MAGEA3 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma