Figure Tumor rejection antigens are specific to individual tumors
Mice immunized with an irradiated tumor and challenged with viable cells of the same tumor can, in some cases, reject a lethal dose of that tumor (left panels). This is the result of an immune response to tumor rejection antigens. If the immunized mice are challenged with viable cells of a different tumor, there is no protection and the mice die (right panels).
多年前的動物模型已經發展到臨床試驗。UPenn 和Novartis 正在做這方麵的臨床試驗。做法是把病人的癌細胞取出來,用輻射滅活,再注射到病人體內(腹部的脂肪中)。滅活的癌細胞依然可以觸發免疫反應。激活後的免疫係統可以攻擊原發的癌細胞。
幾個變種:(1)與分子免疫療法聯用(PD-1,CTLA4)。(2)對滅活的癌細胞進一步處理再注入體內。
GVAX is portfolio of irradiated tumor cell lines that have been engineered to recruit immune cells by expressing GM-CSF, the most potent immune cell recruitment factor. GVAX vaccines are well suited for combination therapy because (a) they present numerous antigens to the immune system, thereby enabling a broad-based immune response and (b) have a well-established, favorable safety profile demonstrated in multiple clinical trials.