Dendritic cell-based tumor vaccine for cervical cancer I: in vitro stimulation with recombinant protein-pulsed dendritic cells induces specific T cells to HPV16 E7 or HPV18 E7.

Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and 18 are the most prevalent genotypes in cervical cancers. The viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 are considered to be tumor-specific targets for immunotherapy. HPV E7 antigen-loaded dendritic cells (DC) were evaluated as cellular tumor vaccine.

Identification of a naturally processed HLA-A*0201 HPV18 E7 T cell epitope by tumor cell mediated in vitro vaccination.

Immunotherapy of HPV-associated disease such as cervical cancer is moving from preclinical investigation to clinical trials. The viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 are ideal target antigens because their expression is mandatory in HPV-transformed tumor cells. T cells are the most important effector cells for therapeutic vaccination strategies.