Development of new immunotherapy for resistant ovarian cancer to immunecheckpoint blockade therapy

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H06881
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: National Cancer Center Japan
• Principal Investigator: IWAMA Tatsuaki 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 先端医療開発センター, 研究員 (90757600)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-08-28 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 婦人科 / 外科 / がん / 免疫 / ワクチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although vaccine-induced glypican-3 (GPC3)-peptide-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were often tumor reactive in vitro and were correlated with overall survival, no complete response was observed. In the current study, we synthesized liposome-coupled GPC3-derived CTL epitope peptide (pGPC3-lipsome) and investigated its antitumor potential. Vaccination with pGPC3-liposome induced peptide-specific CTLs at a lower dose than conventional peptide vaccine emulsified in incomplete Freund’s adjuvant. Coupling of pGPC3 to liposomes was essential for effective priming of GPC3-specific CTLs. In addition, immunization with pGPC3-liposome inhibited GPC3-expressing tumor growth. Thus, vaccination with tumor-associated antigen-derived epitope peptides coupled to the surfaces of liposomes may be a novel therapeutic strategy for cancer.

Free Research Field

免疫学