Radiotherapy and MVA-MUC1-IL-2 vaccine act synergistically for inducing specific immunity to MUC-1 tumor antigen.

Background: We previously demonstrated that tumor irradiation potentiates cancer vaccines using genetic modification of tumor cells in murine tumor models. To investigate whether tumor irradiation augments the immune response to MUC1 tumor antigen, we have tested the efficacy of tumor irradiation combined with an MVA-MUC1-IL2 cancer vaccine (Transgene TG4010) for murine renal adenocarcinoma (Renca) cells transfected with MUC1.

Methods: Established subcutaneous Renca-MUC1 tumors were treated with 8 Gy radiation on day 11 and peritumoral injections of MVA-MUC1-IL2 vector on day 12 and 17, or using a reverse sequence of vaccine followed by radiation.

Therapeutic effects of anti-CD115 monoclonal antibody in mouse cancer models through dual inhibition of tumor-associated macrophages and osteoclasts.

Tumor progression is promoted by Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) and metastasis-induced bone destruction by osteoclasts. Both myeloid cell types depend on the CD115-CSF-1 pathway for their differentiation and function. We used 3 different mouse cancer models to study the effects of targeting cancer host myeloid cells with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) capable of blocking CSF-1 binding to murine CD115.

Intralesional adenovirus-mediated interleukin-2 gene transfer for advanced solid cancers and melanoma.

Numerous preclinical and clinical studies have shown that interleukin-2 (IL-2) induces regression of metastatic tumors. We have conducted a phase I/II, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalating study to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and biological effects of repeated intratumoral injections of adenovirus-IL-2 (TG1024) in patients with advanced solid tumors and melanoma. Thirty five patients (twenty-five with metastatic melanoma and ten with other solid tumors) were treated in eight successive cohorts at dose levels ranging from 3 x 10(8) to 3 x 10(11) viral particles (vp).

Gene-based vaccines and immunotherapeutics.

DNA vaccines, comprised of plasmid DNA encoding proteins from pathogens, allergens, and tumors, are being evaluated as prophylactic vaccines and therapeutic treatments for infectious diseases, allergies, and cancer; plasmids encoding normal human proteins are likewise being tested as vaccines and treatments for autoimmune diseases. Examples of in vivo prophylaxis and immunotherapy, based on different types of immune responses (humoral and cellular), in a variety of disease models and under evaluation in early phase human clinical trials are presented. Viral vectors continue to show better levels of expression than those achieved by DNA plasmid vectors.

Adenovirus-mediated intralesional interferon-gamma gene transfer induces tumor regressions in cutaneous lymphomas.

Primary cutaneous lymphomas have been successfully treated with interferons (IFNs), counterbalancing the T-helper 2 (Th2)-skewing state. We undertook a phase 1, open-label, dose-escalating trial of repeated intratumoral administration of TG1042 in patients with advanced primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) and multilesional cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (CBCLs). TG1042 is a third-generation, nonreplicating human adenovirus vector containing a human IFN-gamma cDNA insert.

Tumor irradiation followed by intratumoral cytokine gene therapy for murine renal adenocarcinoma.

To circumvent the toxicity caused by systemic injection of cytokines, cytokine cDNA genes encoding the human interleukin IL-2 cDNA (Ad-IL-2) and murine interferon IFN-gamma gene (Ad- IFN-gamma) were inserted into adenoviral vectors. These constructs were used for intratumoral gene therapy of murine renal adenocarcinoma Renca tumors. Treatment with three doses of Ad-IL-2 or Ad- IFN-gamma, given a day apart, was more effective than single-dose gene therapy.

Efficient secretion of the model antigen M6-gp41E in Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB 8826.

Four Lactobacillus strains (Lb. plantarum NCIMB 8826, Lb. paracasei LbTGS1.