Novel Antigenic Targets of HPV Therapeutic Vaccines

E5 Oncoprotein: A Key Player in Human Papillomavirus-Positive Head and Neck Cancer Pathogenesis and Therapy Resistance

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the sixth most prevalent type of cancer worldwide and is associated with low five-year survival rates. Alcoholism and smoking are the main risk factors associated with the development of head and neck cancer (HNC). However, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been reported as a significant risk factor, particularly for the oropharyngeal subset. In these cases, patients with HPV-positive HNC exhibit a better clinical prognosis; however, resistance to chemotherapy has been frequently reported. The carcinogenic activity of HPV is related to the viral oncoproteins E5, E6, and E7. E5 has been associated with immune evasion mechanisms and modulation of the tumor microenvironment, which appears to be linked to the virus's resistance to chemotherapeutic treatments. Here, we review the potential of HPV E5 in targeted therapy for HNC and discuss relevant data regarding the activity of this oncoprotein in head and neck carcinogenesis.

Cemiplimab plus peltopepimut-S vaccine in recurrent cervical cancer: A phase 2 clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the clinical benefit of cemiplimab+peltopepimut-S vaccine after disease progression on first-line chemotherapy.

METHODS

This global phase 2 open-label study (NCT04646005) recruited patients with recurrent HPV16+ cervical cancer who had previously experienced disease progression after first-line chemotherapy. Patients received a total of 3 doses of peltopepimut-S vaccine on days 1, 29, and 50 and cemiplimab 350 mg every 3 weeks until disease progression or other reason for early discontinuation. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST version 1.1; secondary endpoints were duration of response (DOR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety.

RESULTS

Of 113 patients enrolled between June 28, 2021 and May 22, 2023, 80.5 % were white, with a median age of 49.0 years, and 58.4 % had an ECOG PS of 0. Median duration of follow-up was 4.9 months. ORR (95 % CI) per investigator assessment was 16.8 % (9.9-23.7). ORR of patients with squamous cell carcinoma by PD-L1 expression in tumor cells was 15.8 % for patients with PD-L1 < 1 % and 24.1 % for patients with PD-L1 ≥ 1 %. Median (95 % CI) DOR was 5.6 (3.5-not estimable) months. Median (95 % CI) OS and PFS were 13.3 (10.8-16.3) months and 3.0 (1.7-4.0) months, respectively. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 92.9 % of patients, the most common being injection-site reaction (38.9 %) and anemia (25.7 %). Six (5.3 %) patients died from a TEAE.

CONCLUSION

Cemiplimab+peltopepimut-S vaccine provides similar benefits to cemiplimab monotherapy; patients with higher PD-L1 expression in tumor cells may be more likely to benefit from treatment.

Investigation of the Potency of KALA and REV Cell-Penetrating Peptides for In Vitro/In Vivo Delivery of an HPV Multiepitope DNA Construct

Developing human papillomavirus (HPV) therapeutic DNA vaccines requires an effective delivery system, such as cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). In the current study, the multiepitope DNA constructs harboring the immunogenic and conserved epitopes of the L1, L2, and E7 proteins of HPV16/18 (pcDNA-L1-L2-E7 and pEGFP-L1-L2-E7) were delivered using KALA and REV CPPs with different properties in vitro and in vivo. Herein, after confirmation of the REV/DNA and KALA/DNA complexes, their stability was investigated against DNase I and serum protease. Then, their entry into HEK-293T eukaryotic cells was analyzed by qualitative and quantitative methods. Finally, anti-tumor effects of the peptide/DNA complexes were investigated in the C57BL/6 mouse model. Based on the obtained data, the REV/DNA and KALA/DNA complexes at the N/P ratio of 5:1 demonstrated successful penetration into HEK-293T cells. Furthermore, in vivo studies represented that the REV/DNA (survival rate: 75%) and KALA/DNA (survival rate: 50%) complexes provided significant protection against C3 tumors in mice. Indeed, REV CPP exhibited a higher survival rate and lower tumor volume than KALA CPP, 50 days after the C3 challenge. These findings represented the potential of KALA and REV CPPs, especially REV, as promising gene delivery systems for developing HPV therapeutic DNA vaccine candidates.

Structural engineering of stabilized, expanded epitope nanoparticle vaccines for HPV

Oncogenic forms of HPV account for 4.5% of the global cancer burden worldwide. This includes cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, and anal cancers, as well as head and neck cancers. As such, there is an urgent need to develop effective therapeutic vaccines to drive the immune system's cellular response against cancer cells. One of the primary goals of cancer vaccination is to increase the potency and diversity of anti-tumor T-cell responses; one strategy to do so involves the delivery of full-length cancer antigens scaffolded onto DNA-launched nanoparticles to improve T-cell priming. We developed a platform, making use of structural prediction algorithms such as AlphaFold2, to design stabilized, more full-length antigens of relevant HPV proteins and then display them on nanoparticles. We demonstrated that many such designs for both the HPV16 E6 and E7 antigens assembled and drove strong CD8+ T-cell responses in mice. We further tested nanoparticles in a genetically diverse, more translationally relevant CD-1 mouse model and demonstrated that both E6 and E7 nanoparticle designs drove a CD8+ biased T-cell response. These findings serve as a proof-of-concept study for nanoparticle antigen design as well as identify new vaccine candidates for HPV-associated cancers.

Structural biology of the human papillomavirus

Human papillomavirus (HPV), known for its oncogenic properties, is the primary cause of cervical cancer and significantly contributes to mortality rates. It also plays a considerable role in the globally rising incidences of head and neck cancers. These cancers pose a substantial health burden worldwide. Current limitations in diagnostic and treatment strategies, along with inadequate coverage of preventive vaccines in low- and middle-income countries, hinder the progress toward the World Health Organization (WHO) HPV prevention and control targets set for 2030. In response to these challenges, extensive research in structural virology has explored the properties of HPV proteins, yielding crucial insights into the mechanisms of HPV infection that are important for the development of prevention and therapeutic strategies. This review highlights recent advances in understanding the structures of HPV proteins and discusses achievements and future opportunities for HPV vaccine development.

Design and antiviral assessment of a panel of fusion proteins targeting human papillomavirus type 16

Cervical cancer ranks as the third most prevalent malignancy in women worldwide. The persistence of Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection stands out as the foremost risk factor for cervical cancer development. Among the numerous HPV subtypes, HPV16 infection emerges as the primary pathogenic determinant of cervical cancer. To date, no specific drugs have been approved. In this study, we engineered two high-affinity fusion protein targeting HPV16 L1 protein based on the alpaca-derived single-domain antibody 2C12 previously obtained in our laboratory. These two fusion proteins exhibited potent neutralizing activity against HPV16 pseudovirus with IC50 values of 7.8 nM and 6.5 nM, respectively. Molecular docking analysis revealed that 2C12 formed ten pairs of hydrogen bonds with HPV16 L1, among which Arg39 and Thr100 established multiple pairs of hydrogen bonds with HPV16 L1, indicating their crucial roles in antigen-antibody binding process. These structural and biological findings underscore the effective binding capacity of these fusion proteins to HPV16, leading to reduced viral load and providing valuable insights into therapeutic antibody and vaccine development against HPV 16 infection.

Recent Advancements in mRNA Vaccines: From Target Selection to Delivery Systems

mRNA vaccines are leading a medical revolution. mRNA technologies utilize the host's own cells as bio-factories to produce proteins that serve as antigens. This revolutionary approach circumvents the complicated processes involved in traditional vaccine production and empowers vaccines with the ability to respond to emerging or mutated infectious diseases rapidly. Additionally, the robust cellular immune response elicited by mRNA vaccines has shown significant promise in cancer treatment. However, the inherent instability of mRNA and the complexity of tumor immunity have limited its broader application. Although the emergence of pseudouridine and ionizable cationic lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) made the clinical application of mRNA possible, there remains substantial potential for further improvement of the immunogenicity of delivered antigens and preventive or therapeutic effects of mRNA technology. Here, we review the latest advancements in mRNA vaccines, including but not limited to target selection and delivery systems. This review offers a multifaceted perspective on this rapidly evolving field.

Current status and future directions for the development of human papillomavirus vaccines

The development of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines has made substantive progress, as represented by the approval of five prophylactic vaccines since 2006. Generally, the deployment of prophylactic HPV vaccines is effective in preventing newly acquired infections and incidences of HPV-related malignancies. However, there is still a long way to go regarding the prevention of all HPV infections and the eradication of established HPV infections, as well as the subsequent progression to cancer. Optimizing prophylactic HPV vaccines by incorporating L1 proteins from more HPV subtypes, exploring adjuvants that reinforce cellular immune responses to eradicate HPV-infected cells, and developing therapeutic HPV vaccines used either alone or in combination with other cancer therapeutic modalities might bring about a new era getting closer to the vision to get rid of HPV infection and related diseases. Herein, we summarize strategies for the development of HPV vaccines, both prophylactic and therapeutic, with an emphasis on the selection of antigens and adjuvants, as well as implications for vaccine efficacy based on preclinical studies and clinical trials. Additionally, we outline current cutting-edge insights on formulation strategies, dosing schedules, and age expansion among HPV vaccine recipients, which might play important roles in addressing barriers to vaccine uptake, such as vaccine hesitancy and vaccine availability.

Single domain antibodies from camelids in the treatment of microbial infections

Infectious diseases continue to pose significant global health challenges. In addition to the enduring burdens of ailments like malaria and HIV, the emergence of nosocomial outbreaks driven by antibiotic-resistant pathogens underscores the ongoing threats. Furthermore, recent infectious disease crises, exemplified by the Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, have intensified the pursuit of more effective and efficient diagnostic and therapeutic solutions. Among the promising options, antibodies have garnered significant attention due to their favorable structural characteristics and versatile applications. Notably, nanobodies (Nbs), the smallest functional single-domain antibodies of heavy-chain only antibodies produced by camelids, exhibit remarkable capabilities in stable antigen binding. They offer unique advantages such as ease of expression and modification and enhanced stability, as well as improved hydrophilicity compared to conventional antibody fragments (antigen-binding fragments (Fab) or single-chain variable fragments (scFv)) that can aggregate due to their low solubility. Nanobodies directly target antigen epitopes or can be engineered into multivalent Nbs and Nb-fusion proteins, expanding their therapeutic potential. This review is dedicated to charting the progress in Nb research, particularly those derived from camelids, and highlighting their diverse applications in treating infectious diseases, spanning both human and animal contexts.

Emerging biomarkers and molecular targets for precision medicine in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer remains a significant global health burden, necessitating innovative approaches for improved diagnostics and personalized treatment strategies. Precision medicine has emerged as a promising paradigm, leveraging biomarkers and molecular targets to tailor therapy to individual patients. This review explores the landscape of emerging biomarkers and molecular targets in cervical cancer, highlighting their potential implications for precision medicine. By integrating these biomarkers into comprehensive diagnostic algorithms, clinicians can identify high-risk patients at an earlier stage, enabling timely intervention and improved patient outcomes. Furthermore, the identification of specific molecular targets has paved the way for the development of targeted therapies aimed at disrupting key pathways implicated in cervical carcinogenesis. In conclusion, the evolving landscape of biomarkers and molecular targets presents exciting opportunities for advancing precision medicine in cervical cancer. By harnessing these insights, clinicians can optimize treatment selection, enhance patient outcomes, and ultimately transform the management of this devastating disease.

Safety, Efficacy, and Immunogenicity of Therapeutic Vaccines for Patients with High-Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN 2/3) Associated with Human Papillomavirus: A Systematic Review

Despite the knowledge that HPV is responsible for high-grade CIN and cervical cancer, little is known about the use of therapeutic vaccines as a treatment. We aimed to synthesize and critically evaluate the evidence from clinical trials on the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of therapeutic vaccines in the treatment of patients with high-grade CIN associated with HPV. A systematic review of clinical trials adhering to the PRISMA 2020 statement in MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, and LILACS was undertaken, with no data or language restrictions. Primary endpoints related to the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of these vaccines were assessed by reviewing the adverse/toxic effects associated with the therapeutic vaccine administration via histopathological regression of the lesion and/or regression of the lesion size and via viral clearance and through the immunological response of individuals who received treatment compared to those who did not or before and after receiving the vaccine, respectively. A total of 1184 studies were identified, and 16 met all the criteria. Overall, the therapeutic vaccines were heterogeneous regarding their formulation, dose, intervention protocol, and routes of administration, making a meta-analysis unfeasible. In most studies (n = 15), the vaccines were safe and well tolerated, with clinical efficacy regarding the lesions and histopathological regression or viral clearance. In addition, eleven studies showed favorable immunological responses against HPV, and seven studies showed a positive correlation between immunogenicity and the clinical response, indicating promising results that should be further investigated. In summary, therapeutic vaccines, although urgently needed to avoid progression of CIN 2/3 patients, still present sparse data, requiring greater investments in a well-designed phase III RCT.

HPV-related diseases in male patients: an underestimated conundrum

PURPOSE

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease, in males and females worldwide. While the role of HPV in female diseases is well known and largely studied, males have negligibly been included in these programs, also because the proportion of women suffering and dying from HPV-related diseases is much larger than men. The aim of this review is to focus on HPV-related diseases in male patients.

METHODS

We performed a literature analysis on the electronic database PubMed. We considered randomized trials, observational and retrospective studies, original articles having as topic the relationship between HPV male infection and the following items: oral, anal penile cancers, warts, condylomas, male infertility, altered sperm parameters, anti-sperm antibodies (ASA). We also included experimental in vitro studies focused on the effects of HPV infection on oocyte fertilization, blastocyst development, and trophoblastic cell invasiveness. In addition, studies describing the adjuvant administration of the HPV vaccination as a possible strategy to promote HPV clearance from semen in infected males were included.

RESULTS

Regarding head and neck HPV-related diseases, the most important non-neoplastic disease is recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Regarding neoplastic diseases, the proportion of head and neck cancers attributable to HPV has increased dramatically worldwide. In addition, nowadays, it is thought that half of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) cases in the United States are caused by infection with high-risk HPV. HPV is noteworthy in andrological practice too. It was described as having a high HPV prevalence, ranging between 50 and 70%, in male penile shaft, glans penis/coronal sulcus, semen as well as in scrotal, perianal, and anal regions. Moreover, in male patients, HPV infection has been associated, among other diseases, with penile cancers. HPV semen infection has been reported in about 10% in men from the general population and about 16% in men with unexplained infertility, although these data seem widely underestimated according to clinical experience. In particular, HPV semen infection seems to be most related to asthenozoospermia and to anti-sperm antibodies (ASAs).

CONCLUSIONS

HPV infection represents a health problem with a detrimental social and public impact. Despite this evidence, little has been done to date to widely promote vaccination among young males.

Preferential Expansion of HPV16 E1-Specific T Cells from Healthy Donors' PBMCs after Ex Vivo Immunization with an E1E2E6E7 Fusion Antigen

Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is responsible for practically all cervical and a high proportion of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. Therapeutic HPV vaccines in clinical development show great promise in improving outcomes for patients who mount an anti-HPV T-cell response; however, far from all patients elicit a sufficient immunological response. This demonstrates a translational gap between animal models and human patients. Here, we investigated the potential of a new assay consisting of co-culturing vaccine-transduced dendritic cells (DCs) with syngeneic, healthy, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to mimic a human in vivo immunization. This new promising human ex vivo PBMC assay was evaluated using an innovative therapeutic adenovirus (Adv)-based HPV vaccine encoding the E1, E2, E6, and E7 HPV16 genes. This new method allowed us to show that vaccine-transduced DCs yielded functional effector T cells and unveiled information on immunohierarchy, showing E1-specific T-cell immunodominance over time. We suggest that this assay can be a valuable translational tool to complement the known animal models, not only for HPV therapeutic vaccines, and supports the use of E1 as an immunotherapeutic target. Nevertheless, the findings reported here need to be validated in a larger number of donors and preferably in patient samples.

Efficacy and safety of therapeutic HPV vaccines to treat CIN 2/CIN 3 lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis of phase II/III clinical trials

OBJECTIVES

We aim to assess the efficacy and safety of therapeutic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to treat cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or 3 (CIN 2/3).

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus and CENTRAL Cochrane were searched up to 31 January 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Phase II/III randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and single-arm studies reporting the efficacy of therapeutic vaccines to achieve regression of CIN 2/3 lesions were included. Studies evaluating only safety and side effects of the vaccine were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two independent reviewers extracted data and evaluated study quality. A random-effect model was used to pool the proportions of regression and/or HPV clearance.

RESULTS

12 trials met the inclusion criteria. Out of 734 women (all studies considered) receiving therapeutic HPV vaccine for CIN 2/3, 414 regressed to normal/CIN 1 with an overall proportion of regression of 0.54 (95% CI 0.39 to 0.69) for vaccinated group; 166 women (from five RCTs) receiving placebo only achieving a pooled normal/CIN 1 regression of 0.27 (95% CI 0.20 to 0.34). When including only the five two-arm studies, the regression proportion for the 410 vaccine group participants was higher than that of the 166 control group participants (relative risk (RR) 1.52; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.04). The pooled proportion of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) clearance was 0.42 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.52) in the vaccine group (six studies with a total of 357 participants) and 0.17 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.26) in the control group (three RCTs with a total of 104 participants). Based on these three RCTs, the hrHPV clearance was significantly higher in the vaccinated group (250 participants) compared with the control group (RR 2.03; 95% CI 1.30 to 3.16). Similar results were found regarding HPV 16/18 clearance. No significant unsolicited adverse events have been consistently reported.

CONCLUSIONS

The efficacy of the therapeutic vaccines in the treatment of CIN 2/3 was modest. Implementation issues such as feasibility, acceptability, adoption and cost-effectiveness need to be further studied.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42022307418.

Immunoinformatics applications in the development of therapeutic vaccines against human papillomavirus-related infections and cervical cancer

The human papillomavirus (HPV) represents the most prevalent sexually transmitted infectious agent worldwide. HPV penetrates the epithelium through microlesions and establishes an infectious focus that can lead to the development of cervical cancer. Prophylactic HPV vaccines are available, but do not affect already-established infections. Using in silico prediction tools is a promising strategy for identifying and selecting vaccine candidate T cell epitopes. An advantage of this strategy is that epitopes can be selected according to the degree of conservation within a group of antigenic proteins. This makes achieving comprehensive genotypic coverage possible with a small set of epitopes. Therefore, this paper revises the general characteristics of HPV biology and the current knowledge on developing therapeutic peptide vaccines against HPV-related infections and cervical cancer.

Efficacy and Synergy with Cisplatin of an Adenovirus Vectored Therapeutic E1E2E6E7 Vaccine against HPV Genome-Positive C3 Cancers in Mice

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are the main cause of cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. As prophylactic vaccines have no curative effect, an efficient therapy would be highly desired. Most therapeutic vaccine candidates target only a small subset of HPV regulatory proteins, namely, E6 and E7, and are therefore restricted in the breadth of their immune response. However, research has suggested E1 and E2 as promising targets to fight HPV+ cancer. Here, we report the design of adenoviral vectors efficiently expressing HPV16 E1 and E2 in addition to transformation-deficient E6 and E7. Vaccination elicited vigorous CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses against all encoded HPV16 proteins in outbred mice and against E1 and E7 in C57BL/6 mice. Therapeutic vaccination of C3 tumor-bearing mice led to significantly reduced tumor growth and enhanced survival for both small and established tumors. Tumor biopsies revealed increased numbers of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells in treated mice. Cisplatin enhanced the effect of therapeutic vaccination, accompanied by enhanced infiltration of dendritic cells into the tumor. CD8+ T cells were identified as effector cells in T-cell depletion assays, seemingly under regulation by FoxP3+CD4+ regulatory T cells. Finally, therapeutic vaccination with Ad-Ii-E1E2E6E7 exhibited significantly enhanced survival compared with vaccination with two peptides each harboring a known E6/E7 epitope. We hypothesize that this difference could be due to the induction of additional T-cell responses against E1. These results support the use of this novel vaccine candidate targeting an extended set of antigens (Ad-Ii-E1E2E6E7), in combination with cisplatin, as an advanced strategy to combat HPV+ cancers.

Updates on HPV Vaccination

Cervical cancer still poses a significant global challenge. Developed countries have mitigated this challenge by the introduction of structured screening programmes and, more recently, the HPV vaccine. Countries that have successfully introduced national HPV vaccination programmes are on course for cervical cancer elimination in a few decades. In developing countries that lack structured screening and HPV vaccination programmes, cervical cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The HPV vaccine is key to addressing the disproportionate distribution of cervical cancer incidence, with much to be gained from increasing vaccine coverage and uptake globally. This review covers the history and science of the HPV vaccine, its efficacy, effectiveness and safety, and some of the considerations and challenges posed to the achievement of global HPV vaccination coverage and the consequent elimination of cervical cancer.

Enhancing the Effect of Nucleic Acid Vaccines in the Treatment of HPV-Related Cancers: An Overview of Delivery Systems

Prophylactic vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) have proven efficacy in those who have not been infected by the virus. However, they do not benefit patients with established tumors. Therefore, the development of therapeutic options for HPV-related malignancies is critical. Third-generation vaccines based on nucleic acids are fast and simple approaches to eliciting adaptive immune responses. However, techniques to boost immunogenicity, reduce degradation, and facilitate their capture by immune cells are frequently required. One option to overcome this constraint is to employ delivery systems that allow selective antigen absorption and help modulate the immune response. This review aimed to discuss the influence of these different systems on the response generated by nucleic acid vaccines. The results indicate that delivery systems based on lipids, polymers, and microorganisms such as yeasts can be used to ensure the stability and transport of nucleic acid vaccines to their respective protein synthesis compartments. Thus, in view of the limitations of nucleic acid-based vaccines, it is important to consider the type of delivery system to be used-due to its impact on the immune response and desired final effect.

DNA and mRNA Vaccines for Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Rationale, Mechanisms, and Progress

Interest in the capabilities of nucleic acid vaccines, (DNA and mRNA vaccines) for both prophylactic and therapeutic uses have greatly increased following the successful deployment of two mRNA and, on a more limited scale, one DNA vaccine for COVID-19. In addition to targeting other pathogens for prophylactic vaccines, efforts are also being made towards using them for therapies for chronic infections and cancer. An examination of past and current successes for such therapies using other technologies with an emphasis on the immunological mechanisms will be provided followed by an assessment of the relevant characteristics of DNA and mRNA vaccines to predict their utility for therapies for chronic viral infections and cancer. Efforts and progress for these targets will be described.

Recurrent or primary metastatic cervical cancer: current and future treatments

Despite screening programs for early detection and the approval of human papillomavirus vaccines, around 6% of women with cervical cancer (CC) are discovered with primary metastatic disease. Moreover, one-third of the patients receiving chemoradiation followed by brachytherapy for locally advanced disease will have a recurrence. At the end, the vast majority of recurrent or metastatic CC not amenable to locoregional treatments are considered incurable disease with very poor prognosis. Historically, cisplatin monotherapy, then a combination of cisplatin and paclitaxel were considered the standard of care. Ten years ago, the addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy demonstrated favorable data in terms of response rate and overall survival. Even with this improvement, novel therapies are needed for the treatment of recurrent CC in first as well as later lines. In the last decades, a better understanding of the interactions between human papillomavirus infection and the host immune system response has focused interest on the use of immunotherapeutic drugs in CC patients. Indeed, immune checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, and others) have recently emerged as novel therapeutic pillars that could provide durable responses with impact on overall survival in patients in the primary (in addition to chemotherapy) or recurrent (monotherapy) settings. Tisotumab vedotin, an antibody-drug conjugate targeting the tissue factor, is another emerging drug. Several trials in monotherapy or in combination with immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or bevacizumab showed very promising results. There is a high need for more potent biomarkers to better accurately determine which patients would receive the greatest benefit from all these aforementioned drugs, but also to identify patients with specific molecular characteristics that could benefit from other targeted therapies. The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network identified several genes significantly mutated, potentially targetable. These molecular data have highlighted the molecular heterogeneity of CC.

The Effectiveness of Therapeutic Vaccines for the Treatment of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia 3: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cervical cancer (CC) is a disease that affects many women worldwide, especially in low-income countries. The human papilloma virus (HPV) is the main causative agent of this disease, with the E6 and E7 oncoproteins being responsible for the development and maintenance of transformed status. In addition, HPV is also responsible for the appearance of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), a pre-neoplastic condition burdened by very high costs for its screening and therapy. So far, only prophylactic vaccines have been approved by regulatory agencies as a means of CC prevention. However, these vaccines cannot treat HPV-positive women. A search was conducted in several databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov) to systematically identify clinical trials involving therapeutic vaccines against CIN 3. Histopathological regression data, immunological parameters, safety, DNA clearance, and vaccine efficacy were considered from each selected study, and from the 102 articles found, 8 were selected based on the defined inclusion criteria. Histopathological regression from CIN 3 to CIN < 1 was 22.1% (95% CI: 0.627−0.967; p-value = 0.024), showing a vaccine efficacy of 23.6% (95% CI; 0.666−0.876; p-value < 0.001). DNA clearance was assessed, and the risk of persistent HPV DNA was 23.2% (95% CI: 0.667−0.885; p-value < 0.001). Regarding immunological parameters, immune responses by specific T-HPV cells were more likely in vaccinated women (95% CI: 1.245−9.162; p-value = 0.017). In short, these studies favored the vaccine group over the placebo group. This work indicated that therapeutic vaccines are efficient in the treatment of CIN 3, even after accounting for publication bias.

Prophylactic and Therapeutic HPV Vaccines: Current Scenario and Perspectives

Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is recognized as the main cause of cervical cancer and other malignant cancers. Although early detection and treatment can be achieved by effective HPV screening methods and surgical procedures, the disease load has not been adequately mitigated yet, especially in the underdeveloped areas. Vaccine, being regarded as a more effective solution, is expected to prevent virus infection and the consequent diseases in the phases of both prevention and treatment. Currently, there are three licensed prophylactic vaccines for L1-VLPs, namely bivalent, quadrivalent and nonavalent vaccine. About 90% of HPV infections have been effectively prevented with the implementation of vaccines worldwide. However, no significant therapeutic effect has been observed on the already existed infections and lesions. Therapeutic vaccine designed for oncoprotein E6/E7 activates cellular immunity rather than focuses on neutralizing antibodies, which is considered as an ideal immune method to eliminate infection. In this review, we elaborate on the classification, mechanism, and clinical effects of HPV vaccines for disease prevention and treatment, in order to make improvements to the current situation of HPV vaccines by provoking new ideas.

The Role of Type-2 Conventional Dendritic Cells in the Regulation of Tumor Immunity

Simple Summary

Recent studies revealed that type-2 conventional dendritic cells (cDC2s) play an important role in antitumor immunity by promoting cytotoxic T-cell responses and helper T-cell differentiation. This review outlines the role of cDC2s in tumor immunity and summarizes the latest progress regarding their potential in cancer vaccination and cDC2-targeted cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract

Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) orchestrate immune responses to cancer and comprise two major subsets: type-1 cDCs (cDC1s) and type-2 cDCs (cDC2s). Compared with cDC1s, which are dedicated to the activation of CD8⁺ T cells, cDC2s are ontogenically and functionally heterogeneous, with their main function being the presentation of exogenous antigens to CD4⁺ T cells for the initiation of T helper cell differentiation. cDC1s play an important role in tumor-specific immune responses through cross-presentation of tumor-derived antigens for the priming of CD8⁺ T cells, whereas little is known of the role of cDC2s in tumor immunity. Recent studies have indicated that human cDC2s can be divided into at least two subsets and have implicated these cells in both anti- and pro-tumoral immune responses. Furthermore, the efficacy of cDC2-based vaccines as well as cDC2-targeted therapeutics has been demonstrated in both mouse models and human patients. Here we summarize current knowledge about the role of cDC2s in tumor immunity and address whether these cells are beneficial in the context of antitumor immune responses.

Therapeutic DNA Vaccines against HPV-Related Malignancies: Promising Leads from Clinical Trials

In 2014 and 2021, two nucleic-acid vaccine candidates named MAV E2 and VGX-3100 completed phase III clinical trials in Mexico and U.S., respectively, for patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). These well-tolerated but still unlicensed vaccines encode distinct HPV antigens (E2 versus E6+E7) to elicit cell-mediated immune responses; their clinical efficacy, as measured by HSIL regression or cure, was modest when compared with placebo or surgery (conization), but both proved highly effective in clearing HPV infection, which should help further optimize strategies for enhancing vaccine immunogenicity, toward an ultimate goal of preventing malignancies in millions of patients who are living with persistent, oncogenic HPV infection but are not expected to benefit from current, prophylactic vaccines. The major roadblocks to a highly efficacious and practical product remain challenging and can be classified into five categories: (i) getting the vaccines into the right cells for efficient expression and presentation of HPV antigens (fusion proteins or epitopes); (ii) having adequate coverage of oncogenic HPV types, beyond the current focus on HPV-16 and -18; (iii) directing immune protection to various epithelial niches, especially anogenital mucosa and upper aerodigestive tract where HPV-transformed cells wreak havoc; (iv) establishing the time window and vaccination regimen, including dosage, interval and even combination therapy, for achieving maximum efficacy; and (v) validating therapeutic efficacy in patients with poor prognosis because of advanced, recurrent or non-resectable malignancies. Overall, the room for improvements is still large enough that continuing efforts for research and development will very likely extend into the next decade.

Efficacy and Safety of Immunotherapy for Cervical Cancer—A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials

Purpose: To systematically review the current body of evidence on the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy for cervical cancer (CC). Material and Methods: Medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science were searched for prospective trials assessing immunotherapy in CC patients in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Full-text articles in English and German reporting outcomes of survival, response rates or safety were eligible. Results: Of 4655 screened studies, 51 were included (immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) n=20; therapeutic vaccines n = 25; adoptive cell transfer therapy n=9). Of these, one qualified as a phase III randomized controlled trial and demonstrated increased overall survival following treatment with pembrolizumab, chemotherapy and bevacizumab. A minority of studies included a control group (n = 7) or more than 50 patients (n = 15). Overall, response rates were low to moderate. No response to ICIs was seen in PD-L1 negative patients. However, few remarkable results were achieved in heavily pretreated patients. There were no safety concerns in any of the included studies. Conclusion: Strong evidence on the efficacy of strategies to treat recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer is currently limited to pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy and bevacizumab, which substantiates an urgent need for large confirmatory trials on alternative immunotherapies. Overall, there is sound evidence on the safety of immunotherapy in CC.