Design of Lentivirus Based Vaccines for Cancer

Lentiviral vectors (LVs) have been identified as potentially more effective and safer alternative delivery vehicles. LVs are now in use in clinical trials for many different types of inherited and acquired disorders, including cancer. Creative Biolabs is a world leader in the field of cancer vaccine development. With our extensive experience and advanced platform, we are therefore confident in offering the best development services for lentivirus-based vaccines. We guarantee the finest results for our customers all over the world.

Lentivirus

Lentivirus is a genus of retroviruses that cause chronic and deadly diseases characterized by long incubation periods, in the human and other mammalian species. Lentiviruses can integrate a significant amount of viral RNA into the DNA of the host cell and can efficiently infect nondividing cells, so they are one of the most efficient methods of gene delivery. Lentiviruses can become endogenous (ERV), integrating their genome into the host germline genome, so that the virus is henceforth inherited by the host's descendants.

Fig.1 The structure of a typical lentiviral vector. (Wikipedia)

Lentivirus Based Vaccines for Cancer

Recombinant LVs have seen increased use in gene therapy and cancer immunotherapy protocols over the past few years. Their effective and stable transduction abilities, as well as their capacity to infect nondividing cells, set LVs apart from other integrating viral systems. While safety (primarily insertional mutagenesis) is still an area of concern, LVs are already being used for a range of cancer treatments including, but not limited to, DC and cancer-cell.

• Dendritic cell vaccines. LVs have unique qualities that may make them an attractive viral vector system to transduce DCs for vaccines. They are capable of providing stable gene transfer in both dividing and nondividing cells and have a low genotoxicity quotient.
• Tumor cell vaccines. Many LV whole-cell anticancer vaccines have been developed and tested in the clinic. For example, AML cells transduced with CD80 and GM-CSF, an inflammatory cytokine that stimulates macrophage production and DC infiltration. This caused DCs to present antigens and, in turn, caused T-cell expansion and an antitumor response.
• Artificial APCs. Artificial APCs (aAPCs) are another form of cancer immunotherapy that can take advantage of the effectiveness of LV-mediated transgene delivery. These aAPCs are used to enhance the ex vivo expansion of T cells. aAPCs work in general by expressing co-stimulatory domains and TAAs on the surface of cells or on magnetic beads. LVs can be used to turn leukemia cells into aAPCs by transducing them to engineer expression of co-stimulatory molecules or cytokines.

Creative Biolabs is a leader in the field of vaccine development and has focused on the cancer vaccines for years. We have experienced experts and advanced platforms that are able to provide excellent services. If you are interested in our services, please contact us for more details.

Reference

1. Oldham, RA. (2015). "Lentiviral vectors in cancer immunotherapy." Immunotherapy 7(3), 271-284.

All of our products can only be used for research purposes. These vaccine ingredients CANNOT be used directly on humans or animals.