Immunization with short peptide particles reveals a functional CD8 T-cell neoepitope in a murine renal carcinoma model.

Background: Induction of CD8 T cells that recognize immunogenic, mutated protein fragments in the context of major histocompatibility class I (MHC-I) is a pressing challenge for cancer vaccine development.

Methods: Using the commonly used murine renal adenocarcinoma RENCA cancer model, MHC-I restricted neoepitopes are predicted following next-generation sequencing. Candidate neoepitopes are screened in mice using a potent cancer vaccine adjuvant system that converts short peptides into immunogenic nanoparticles. An identified functional neoepitope vaccine is then tested in various therapeutic experimental tumor settings.

Results: Conversion of 20 short MHC-I restricted neoepitope candidates into immunogenic nanoparticles results in antitumor responses with multivalent vaccination. Only a single neoepitope candidate, Nesprin-2 L4492R (Nes2LR), induced functional responses but still did so when included within 20-plex or 60-plex particles. Immunization with the short Nes2LR neoepitope with the immunogenic particle-inducing vaccine adjuvant prevented tumor growth at doses multiple orders of magnitude less than with other vaccine adjuvants, which were ineffective. Nes2LR vaccination inhibited or eradicated disease in subcutaneous, experimental lung metastasis and orthotopic tumor models, synergizing with immune checkpoint blockade.

Conclusion: These findings establish the feasibility of using short, MHC-I-restricted neoepitopes for straightforward immunization with multivalent or validated neoepitopes to induce cytotoxic CD8 T cells. Furthermore, the Nes2LR neoepitope could be useful for preclinical studies involving renal cell carcinoma immunotherapy.