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Avogadri F, Zappasodi R, Yang A, Budhu S, Malandro N, Hirschhorn-Cymerman D, Tiwari S, Maughan MF, Olmsted R, Wolchok JD, Merghoub T. Combination of alphavirus replicon particle-based vaccination with immunomodulatory antibodies: therapeutic activity in the B16 melanoma mouse model and immune correlates. Cancer Immunol Res 2014; 2:448-58. [PMID: 24795357 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-13-0220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Induction of potent immune responses to self-antigens remains a major challenge in tumor immunology. We have shown that a vaccine based on alphavirus replicon particles (VRP) activates strong cellular and humoral immunity to tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP2) melanoma antigen, providing prophylactic and therapeutic effects in stringent mouse models. Here, we report that the immunogenicity and efficacy of this vaccine is increased in combination with either antagonist anti-CTL antigen-4 (CTLA-4) or agonist anti-glucocorticoid-induced TNF family-related gene (GITR) immunomodulatory monoclonal antibodies (mAb). In the challenging therapeutic setting, VRP-TRP2 plus anti-GITR or anti-CTLA-4 mAb induced complete tumor regression in 90% and 50% of mice, respectively. These mAbs had similar adjuvant effects in priming an adaptive immune response against the vaccine-encoded antigen, augmenting, respectively, approximately 4- and 2-fold the TRP2-specific CD8(+) T-cell response and circulating Abs, compared with the vaccine alone. Furthermore, while both mAbs increased the frequency of tumor-infiltrating CD8(+) T cells, anti-CTLA-4 mAb also increased the quantity of intratumor CD4(+)Foxp3(-) T cells expressing the negative costimulatory molecule programmed death-1 (PD-1). Concurrent GITR expression on these cells suggests that they might be controlled by anti-GITR mAbs, thus potentially explaining their differential accumulation under the two treatment conditions. These findings indicate that combining immunomodulatory mAbs with alphavirus-based anticancer vaccines can provide therapeutic antitumor immune responses in a stringent mouse model, suggesting potential utility in clinical trials. They also indicate that tumor-infiltrating CD4(+)Foxp3(-)PD-1(+) T cells may affect the outcome of immunomodulatory treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Avogadri
- Authors' Affiliations: AlphaVax, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
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Bernstein DI, Reap EA, Katen K, Watson A, Smith K, Norberg P, Olmsted RA, Hoeper A, Morris J, Negri S, Maughan MF, Chulay JD. Randomized, double-blind, Phase 1 trial of an alphavirus replicon vaccine for cytomegalovirus in CMV seronegative adult volunteers. Vaccine 2009; 28:484-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.09.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2009] [Revised: 09/21/2009] [Accepted: 09/30/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Durso RJ, Andjelic S, Gardner JP, Margitich DJ, Donovan GP, Arrigale RR, Wang X, Maughan MF, Talarico TL, Olmsted RA, Heston WDW, Maddon PJ, Olson WC. A Novel Alphavirus Vaccine Encoding Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Elicits Potent Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses. Clin Cancer Res 2007; 13:3999-4008. [PMID: 17606734 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-06-2202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an attractive target for active immunotherapy. Alphavirus vaccines have shown promise in eliciting immunity to tumor antigens. This study investigated the immunogenicity of alphavirus vaccine replicon particles (VRP) that encode PSMA (PSMA-VRP). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Cells were infected with PSMA-VRP and evaluated for PSMA expression and folate hydrolase activity. Mice were immunized s.c. with PSMA-VRP or purified PSMA protein. Sera, splenocytes, and purified T cells were evaluated for the magnitude, durability, and epitope specificity of the anti-PSMA response. Antibodies were measured by flow cytometry, and cellular responses were measured by IFN-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot and chromium release assays. Cellular responses in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were mapped using overlapping 15-mer PSMA peptides. A Good Laboratory Practice-compliant toxicology study was conducted in rabbits. RESULTS PSMA-VRP directed high-level expression of active PSMA. Robust T-cell and B-cell responses were elicited by a single injection of 2 x 10(5) infectious units, and responses were boosted following repeat immunizations. Anti-PSMA responses were detected following three immunizations with 10(2) infectious units and increased with increasing dose. PSMA-VRP was more immunogenic than adjuvanted PSMA protein. Responses to PSMA-VRP were characterized by Th-1 cytokines, potent CTL activity, and IgG2a/IgG2b antibodies. T-cell responses in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were directed toward different PSMA peptides. Immunogenic doses of PSMA-VRP were well tolerated in mice and rabbits. CONCLUSIONS PSMA-VRP elicited potent cellular and humoral immunity in mice, and specific anti-PSMA responses were boosted on repeat dosing. PSMA-VRP represents a promising approach for immunotherapy of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Durso
- Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
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Goldberg SM, Bartido SM, Gardner JP, Guevara-Patiño JA, Montgomery SC, Perales MA, Maughan MF, Dempsey J, Donovan GP, Olson WC, Houghton AN, Wolchok JD. Comparison of two cancer vaccines targeting tyrosinase: plasmid DNA and recombinant alphavirus replicon particles. Clin Cancer Res 2006; 11:8114-21. [PMID: 16299244 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-05-1410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Immunization of mice with xenogeneic DNA encoding human tyrosinase-related proteins 1 and 2 breaks tolerance to these self-antigens and leads to tumor rejection. Viral vectors used alone or in heterologous DNA prime/viral boost combinations have shown improved responses to certain infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to compare viral and plasmid DNA in combination vaccination strategies in the context of a tumor antigen. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Using tyrosinase as a prototypical differentiation antigen, we determined the optimal regimen for immunization with plasmid DNA. Then, using propagation-incompetent alphavirus vectors (virus-like replicon particles, VRP) encoding tyrosinase, we tested different combinations of priming with DNA or VRP followed by boosting with VRP. We subsequently followed antibody production, T-cell response, and tumor rejection. RESULTS T-cell responses to newly identified mouse tyrosinase epitopes were generated in mice immunized with plasmid DNA encoding human (xenogeneic) tyrosinase. In contrast, when VRP encoding either mouse or human tyrosinase were used as single agents, antibody and T-cell responses and a significant delay in tumor growth in vivo were observed. Similarly, a heterologous vaccine regimen using DNA prime and VRP boost showed a markedly stronger response than DNA vaccination alone. CONCLUSIONS Alphavirus replicon particle vectors encoding the melanoma antigen tyrosinase (self or xenogeneic) induce immune responses and tumor protection when administered either alone or in the heterologous DNA prime/VRP boost approaches that are superior to the use of plasmid DNA alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacie M Goldberg
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
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Wang X, Wang JP, Maughan MF, Lachman LB. Alphavirus replicon particles containing the gene for HER2/neu inhibit breast cancer growth and tumorigenesis. Breast Cancer Res 2004; 7:R145-55. [PMID: 15642163 PMCID: PMC1064108 DOI: 10.1186/bcr962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2004] [Revised: 09/09/2004] [Accepted: 10/13/2004] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Overexpression of the HER2/neu gene in breast cancer is associated with an increased incidence of metastatic disease and with a poor prognosis. Although passive immunotherapy with the humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) has shown some effect, a vaccine capable of inducing T-cell and humoral immunity could be more effective. Methods Virus-like replicon particles (VRP) of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus containing the gene for HER2/neu (VRP-neu) were tested by an active immunotherapeutic approach in tumor prevention models and in a metastasis prevention model. Results VRP-neu prevented or significantly inhibited the growth of HER2/neu-expressing murine breast cancer cells injected either into mammary tissue or intravenously. Vaccination with VRP-neu completely prevented tumor formation in and death of MMTV-c-neu transgenic mice, and resulted in high levels of neu-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes and serum IgG. Conclusion On the basis of these findings, clinical testing of this vaccine in patients with HER2/neu+ breast cancer is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jian-Ping Wang
- Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Lawrence B Lachman
- Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Eralp Y, Wang X, Wang JP, Maughan MF, Polo JM, Lachman LB. Doxorubicin and paclitaxel enhance the antitumor efficacy of vaccines directed against HER 2/neu in a murine mammary carcinoma model. Breast Cancer Res 2004; 6:R275-83. [PMID: 15217493 PMCID: PMC468620 DOI: 10.1186/bcr787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2004] [Revised: 02/26/2004] [Accepted: 03/11/2004] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The purpose of the present study was to determine whether cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents administered prior to immunotherapy with gene vaccines could augment the efficacy of the vaccines. Methods Mice were injected in the mammary fat pad with an aggressive breast tumor cell line that expresses HER2/neu. The mice were treated 3 days later with a noncurative dose of either doxorubicin or paclitaxel, and the following day with a gene vaccine to HER2/neu. Two more doses of vaccine were given 14 days apart. Two types of gene vaccines were tested: a plasmid vaccine encoding a self-replicating RNA (replicon) of Sindbis virus (SINCP), in which the viral structural proteins were replaced by the gene for neu; and a viral replicon particle derived from an attenuated strain of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, containing a replicon RNA in which the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus structural proteins were replaced by the gene for neu. Results Neither vaccination alone nor chemotherapy alone significantly reduced the growth of the mammary carcinoma. In contrast, chemotherapy followed by vaccination reduced tumor growth by a small, but significant amount. Antigen-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes were induced by the combined treatment, indicating that the control of tumor growth was most probably due to an immunological mechanism. The results demonstrated that doxorubicin and paclitaxel, commonly used chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of breast cancer, when used at immunomodulating doses augmented the antitumor efficacy of gene vaccines directed against HER2/neu. Conclusions The combination of chemotherapeutic agents plus vaccine immunotherapy may induce a tumor-specific immune response that could be beneficial for the adjuvant treatment of patients with minimal residual disease. The regimen warrants further evaluation in a clinical setting.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, Neoplasm/therapeutic use
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Breast Neoplasms/immunology
- Breast Neoplasms/therapy
- Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use
- Carcinoma/drug therapy
- Carcinoma/immunology
- Carcinoma/therapy
- Cell Line
- Combined Modality Therapy/methods
- Combined Modality Therapy/trends
- Disease Models, Animal
- Doxorubicin/administration & dosage
- Doxorubicin/therapeutic use
- Drug Administration Schedule
- Epitopes/physiology
- Female
- Humans
- Interferon-gamma/metabolism
- Lymphocyte Activation/physiology
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/drug therapy
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/immunology
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/therapy
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Paclitaxel/administration & dosage
- Paclitaxel/therapeutic use
- Receptor, ErbB-2/therapeutic use
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/physiology
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/physiology
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/therapeutic use
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesim Eralp
- Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Current address: University of Istanbul, Institute of Oncology, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jian-Ping Wang
- Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - John M Polo
- Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, California, USA
| | - Lawrence B Lachman
- Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Williamson C, Morris L, Maughan MF, Ping LH, Dryga SA, Thomas R, Reap EA, Cilliers T, van Harmelen J, Pascual A, Ramjee G, Gray G, Johnston R, Karim SA, Swanstrom R. Characterization and selection of HIV-1 subtype C isolates for use in vaccine development. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2003; 19:133-44. [PMID: 12639249 DOI: 10.1089/088922203762688649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 genetic diversity among circulating strains presents a major challenge for HIV-1 vaccine development, particularly for developing countries where less sequence information is available. To identify representative viruses for inclusion in candidate vaccines targeted for South Africa, we applied an efficient sequence survey strategy to samples from recently and chronically infected persons residing in potential vaccine trial sites. All 111 sequences were subtype C, including 30 partial gag, 26 partial pol, 27 V2-V3 env, and 28 V5-partial gp41 sequences. Of the 10 viruses cultured from recently infected individuals, 9 were R5 and 1 was R5X4. Two isolates, Du151 and Du422, collected within 2 months of infection, were selected as vaccine strains on the basis of their amino acid similarity to a derived South African consensus sequence The selection of recently transmitted R5 isolates for vaccine design may provide an advantage in a subtype C R5-dominant epidemic. The full-length Du422 gag and Du151 pol and env genes were cloned into the Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) replicon particle (VRP) expression system. Du422 Gag protein expressed from the VRP accumulated to a high level and was immunogenic as demonstrated by cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in mice vaccinated with gag-VRPs. Optimization of codon use for VRP expression in human cells did not enhance expression of the gag gene. The cloned Du151 env gene encoded a functional protein as demonstrated by fusion of VRP-infected cells with cells expressing CD4 and CCR5. Genes identified in this study have been incorporated into the VEE VRP candidate vaccines targeted for clinical trial in South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Williamson
- Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa 7925.
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Abstract
A functional Nef protein is crucial in vivo for viral replication leading to pathogenesis in SIV-infected macaques. Moreover, a full-length Nef protein is required for optimal virus replication in primary cells, and both HIV and SIV Nef proteins enhance virion infectivity. Enhanced infectivity may result in part from the ability of Nef to incorporate cellular kinases into virions. In two previous reports, we compared in vitro kinase profiles of SIV recombinant clones that express nef genes derived either from the prototypic lymphocyte-tropic SIVmac239, clone SIV/Fr-2, or from our neurovirulent clone SIV/17E-Fr. While the SIV/Fr-2 Nef protein associated with the previously described PAK-related kinase and an unidentified serine kinase present in a Nef-associated kinase complex (NAKC), SIV/17E-Fr Nef was found to associate with a novel serine kinase activity that was biochemically distinct from both PAK and NAKC. Interestingly, while both Nef proteins were incorporated into virus particles, Nef-associated kinase activity was detected only in virions containing the SIV/17E-Fr Nef protein. Because sequence analysis identified only five amino acids that differed between the Nef proteins of SIV/Fr-2 and SIV/17E-Fr, we were able to evaluate the contribution of each amino acid to Nef-associated kinase activity as well as virus infectivity by constructing a panel of SIV clones containing individual reversions of each differing amino acid in SIV/17E-Fr Nef to the corresponding amino acid in SIV/Fr-2 Nef. In this report, we identify previously uncharacterized amino acids in the N terminus and the conserved core domain of Nef that are essential for the detection of Nef/kinase interactions as well as Nef phosphorylation during SIV infection. Further, via a novel infectivity assay recently developed in our laboratory that utilizes CEMX174 reporter cells stably expressing an SIV/LTR-luciferase construct, we find no direct correlation between specific Nef kinase associations and enhanced virion infectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Barber
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
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Roos JW, Maughan MF, Liao Z, Hildreth JE, Clements JE. LuSIV cells: a reporter cell line for the detection and quantitation of a single cycle of HIV and SIV replication. Virology 2000; 273:307-15. [PMID: 10915601 DOI: 10.1006/viro.2000.0431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A single cycle of viral replication is the time required for a virus to enter the host cell, replicate its genome, and produce infectious progeny virions. The primate lentiviruses, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), require on average 24 h to complete one cycle of replication. We have now developed and characterized a reporter assay system in CEMx174 cells for the quantitative measurement of HIV/SIV infection within a single replication cycle. The SIV(mac)239 LTR (-225 --> +149) was cloned upstream of the firefly luciferase reporter gene and this reporter plasmid is maintained in CEMx174 cells under stable selection. This cell line, designated LuSIV, is highly sensitive to infection by primary and laboratory strains of HIV/SIV, resulting in Tat-mediated expression of luciferase, which correlates with viral infectivity. Furthermore, manipulation of LuSIV cells for the detection of luciferase activity is easy to perform and requires a minimal amount of time as compared to current HIV/SIV detection systems. The LuSIV system is a powerful tool for the analysis of HIV/SIV infection that provides a unique assay system that can detect virus replication prior to 24 h and does not require virus to spread from cell to cell. Thus these cells can be used for the study of replication-deficient viruses and the high throughput screening of antivirals, or other inhibitors of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- J W Roos
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
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