Polysialic Acid Vaccines

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 polysialic acid based cancer vaccines. We guarantee the finest results for our customers all over the world.

Polysialic Acids on Human Cells

Polysialic Acid (PSA) is an oncofetal antigen. The “embryonic” form of neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) is expressed on the cell surface of a number of important tumors such as on Wilms’ tumor, small cell lung cancer, neuroblastomas, and rhabdomyosarcoma. Several monoclonal antibodies, including mAb 735 and NP-4, recognize these long polysialic acid chains and have allowed characterization of this potential antigen in both normal and malignant tissue. Also, because of the established influence of PSA on cell migration, it has been closely associated with tumor metastasis.

Fig.1 Structures of polysialic acid antigens.

Polysialic Acid Based Cancer Vaccines

Carbohydrates are the most abundantly expressed antigens on the surfaces of most tumors and some success has been reported in creating cancer vaccines based on these antigens, but the approach is not without its problems. This is due to the fact that cancer cells fail to produce saccharide markers that distinguish them from normal cells. Glycoconjugate vaccines based on the above saccharide antigens are therefore poorly immunogenic. Although the use of PSA-protein conjugate vaccines as cancer therapeutic agents has not yet been reported, it is likely that they will be no exception to the rule, since vaccines of this type have failed to produce an immune response adequate to protect against bacteria that express PSA.

A novel strategy for overcoming immune tolerance to PSA and thus to facilitate the immune targeting of tumor cells is to modify its structure on the surfaces of tumor cells. This was achieved by the biochemical engineering of surface PSA by exposing the cells to a chemically modified sialic acid precursor (NPr Man). The significance of such immunotherapeutic procedure cannot be underestimated, because of the importance of its being able to control metastasis during cancer treatment. The procedure also has the advantage of being selective, because although NPrMan can be taken up and randomly expressed in the sialooligosaccharides of both normal and cancer cells, NPr PSA can be specifically immunotargeted. In addition, while being overexpressed on cancer cells, PSA is only found in a few discrete adult tissues.

Creative Biolabs is developing a range of polysialic acid based cancer vaccines including:

• Wilms’ Tumor (Nephroblastoma)
• Small Cell Lung Cancer
• Neuroendocrine Tumors: Neuroblastoma, Carcinoid
• Rhabdomyosarcoma

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.

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