title: Chitosan gel vaccine protects against tumour growth in an intracaecal mouse model of cancer by modulating systemic immune responses.
abstract: Vaccination generating a robust memory population of CD8+T cells may provide protection against cancer. However, immune therapies for cancer are influenced by the local tumour immune microenvironment. An infiltrate of T cells into tumours of people with colorectal cancer has proven to be a significant indicator of good prognosis.
  
  
  
  We used an intracaecal mouse model of cancer to determine whether a protective immune response against a mucosal gut tumour could be generated using a systemic intervention. We investigated the generation of murine memory CD8+T cells using a sustained antigen release vaccine vehicle (chitosan gel; Gel + OVA) containing the model antigen ovalbumin, chitosan gel alone (Gel) or conventional dendritic cell vaccination (DC + OVA) using the same protein antigen.
  
  
  
  Following vaccination with Gel + OVA, CD8+T cell memory populations specific for ovalbumin protein were detected. Only vaccination with Gel + OVA gave decreased tumour burden compared to unvaccinated or DC + OVA-vaccinated mice in the intracaecal cancer challenge model.
  
  
  
  These results indicate that subcutaneous vaccination with Gel + OVA generates a population of functional CD8+memory T cells in lymphoid tissue able to protect against intracaecal tumour challenge. Vaccination with chitosan gel may be valuable in anti-cancer treatment at both peripheral and mucosal sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Highton
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Girardin
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Georgia M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hook
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand. roslyn.kemp@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Roslyn A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kemp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D063646:Carcinogenesis; D002432:Cecum / Q000276:immunology*; D048708:Cell Growth Processes; D048271:Chitosan / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005782:Gels / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D005782:Gels; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Caecum; Colon cancer; IFN-γ; T cells; Tumour; Vaccination