Fundamental research on effecitive whole-tumor-cell vaccine

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K07286
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 50020:Tumor diagnostics and therapeutics-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: WADA Haruka 北海道大学, 遺伝子病制御研究所, 准教授 (70392181)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: がん細胞ワクチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have found that a sub-strain of 4T1 (4T1-S), which was discovered by chance, produces a remarkable vaccine effect after X-irradiation. We investigated whether the vaccine response factors could be selected by comparable analysis of gene expression between 4T1-S and its parent strain, 4T1-A, and whether the ineffective vaccine could be converted to an effective vaccine. We found 15 factors that were highly expressed after X-irradiation in the vaccine effective strain. The top three genes were transfected into 4T1-A and the vaccine effect was analyzed, and the effect was enhanced. On the other hand, when the top 3 genes were introduced into CT26 cells with weak vaccine effect and vaccine experiments were performed, complete vaccine effect was observed in all individuals. Therefore, it is clear that the introduction of only the top three genes is effective for the the vaccine effect in some cancer types and individuals.

Free Research Field

腫瘍免疫

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

がん細胞ワクチンは抗原同定の必要がなく、理論上はすべての患者に有効な可能性のあるワクチンであるため期待は非常に大きかった。しかしがん細胞ワクチンは有効性に乏しく、現在では着目されることはほとんどなくなっている。この状況下、我々はワクチン有効である4T1-S、4T1-Aの発見と解析により、無効ワクチン細胞を有効化する因子を同定した点で学術的意義がある。同定した因子を元に全がん細胞ワクチンを開発できれば、再発予防療法の選択肢が広がることとなる。従ってがん患者にとって福音となり、社会的にも意義がある。