Prostaglandin E in a TLR3- and 7/8-agonist-based DC maturation cocktail generates mature, cytokine-producing, migratory DCs but impairs antigen cross-presentation to CD8 T cells.

Mature dendritic cells (DCs) represent cellular adjuvants for optimal antigen presentation in cancer vaccines. Recently, a combination of prostaglandin E (PGE) with Toll-like receptor agonists (TLR-P) was proposed as a new standard to generate superior cytokine-producing DCs with high migratory capacity. Here, we compare TLR-P DCs with conventional DCs matured only with the proinflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-1ß (CDCs), focussing on the interaction of resulting DCs with CD8 T-cells.

High-grade glioma associated immunosuppression does not prevent immune responses induced by therapeutic vaccines in combination with T depletion.

High-grade gliomas (HGG) exert systemic immunosuppression, which is of particular importance as immunotherapeutic strategies such as therapeutic vaccines are increasingly used to treat HGGs. In a first cohort of 61 HGG patients we evaluated a panel of 30 hematological and 34 plasma biomarkers. Then, we investigated in a second cohort of 11 relapsed HGG patients receiving immunomodulation with metronomic cyclophosphamide upfront to a DC-based vaccine whether immune abnormalities persisted and whether they hampered induction of IFNγ T-cell responses.

Tumor antigen-specific T cells for immune monitoring of dendritic cell-treated glioblastoma patients.

Background Aims: CD8(+) T cells are part of the adaptive immune system and, as such, are responsible for the elimination of tumor cells. Dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) that activate CD8(+) T cells. Effector CD8(+) T cells in turn mediate the active immunotherapeutic response of DC vaccination against the aggressive glioblastoma (GBM).

Immunotherapy in atypical teratoid-rhabdoid tumors: Data from a survey of the HGG-Immuno Group.

Background Aims: Atypical rhabdoid/teratoid tumors (AT/RT) are the most common brain tumors in infants and associated with a dismal prognosis. Although intensification of first-line therapy has resulted in improvement of overall survival, novel treatment strategies are needed. Because immunotherapy has resulted in remarkable results in several adult tumor entities, incorporation of immunotherapy into AT/RT treatment offers a novel alternative.