title: In situ conversion of tumors into autologous tumor-associated antigen vaccines by intratumoral injection of α-gal glycolipids.
abstract: The immunogenicity of autologous tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) is markedly increased upon the intratumoral injection of α-gal glycolipids, which insert into tumor cell membranes. The binding of natural anti-Gal antibodies to these glycolipids activates the complement system and recruits antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which internalize anti-Gal-coated tumor cells upon Fc/FcγR interactions. Eventually, TAA-derived peptides presented by APCs activate a T cell-mediated tumor-specific immune response.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgery; University of Massachusetts Medical School; Worcester, MA USA.
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Galili
keywords: anti-Gal; autologous tumor vaccine; cancer immunotherapy; α-gal epitopes