LMP2-DC Vaccine Elicits Specific EBV-LMP2 Response to Effectively Improve Immunotherapy in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Cancer.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine based on latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2) modified dendritic cells (DCs) that boosts specific responses of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to LMP2 before and after intradermal injection in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODS:

DCs were derived from peripheral blood monocytes of patients with NPC. We prepared LMP2-DCs infected by recombinant adenovirus vector expressing LMP2 (rAd-LMP2). NPC patients were immunized with 2 × 10 5 LMP2-DCs by intradermal injection at week 0 and after the second and fourth weeks. Specific responses to LMP2 were detected by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay at week 0 and at the fifth and eighth weeks. Local clinicians performed the follow-up and tracking of patients.

RESULTS:

We demonstrated that DCs derived from monocytes displayed typical DC morphologies; the expression of LMP2 in the LMP2-DCs vaccine was confirmed by immunocytochemical assay. Twenty-nine patients with NPC were enrolled in this clinical trial. The LMP2-DCs vaccine was well tolerated in all of the patients. Boosted responses to LMP2 peptide sub-pools were observed in 18 of the 29 patients with NPC. The follow-up data of 29 immunized patients from April, 2010 to April 2015 indicated a five-year survival rate of 94.4% in responders and 45.5% in non-responders.

CONCLUSION:

In this pilot study, we demonstrated that the LMP2-DCs vaccine is safe and effective in patients with NPC. Specific CTLs responses to LMP2 play a certain role in controlling and preventing the recurrence and metastasis of NPC, which warrants further clinical testing.

• Authors: Yi Zeng, Yong Feng Si, Gui Ping Lan, Zhan Wang, Ling Zhou, Min Zhong Tang, O Brien Sj, Jiao Lan, Xiang Yang Zhou, Yong Li Wang, Juan Tang, Zhi Xiang Zhou, Hai Jun Du, Hui Lin
• Journal: Biomedical and environmental sciences : BES (Biomed Environ Sci) Vol. 33 Issue 11 Pg. 849-856 (Nov 20 2020) ISSN: 2214-0190 [Electronic] China
• PMID: 33771238 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Cancer Vaccines
• EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus
• Viral Matrix Proteins

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Cancer Vaccines (therapeutic use)
• China
• Dendritic Cells (immunology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunotherapy (methods)
• Injections, Intradermal
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (therapy)
• Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms (therapy)
• T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic (immunology)
• Viral Matrix Proteins (therapeutic use)
• Young Adult