Open AccessForced co-expression of IL-21 and IL-7 in whole-cell cancer vaccines promotes antitumor immunity
Author(s) -
Yangzhuo Gu,
Cheng Fan,
Ran Lu,
Bin Shao,
Yaxiong Sang,
Qiaorong Huang,
Xue Li,
Meng Wei,
Xianming Mo,
Yuquan Wei
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/srep32351
Subject(s) - adjuvant , effector , cd8 , immune system , memory t cell , immunology , biology , immunity , cytokine , t cell , cytotoxic t cell , interleukin 2 , cancer research , genetics , in vitro
Genetic modification of whole-cell cancer vaccines to augment their efficacies has a history of over two and a half decades. Various genes and gene combinations, targeting different aspects of immune responses have been tested in pursuit of potent adjuvant effects. Here we show that co-expression of two cytokine members of the common cytokine receptor γ-chain family, IL-21 and IL-7, in whole-cell cancer vaccines boosts antitumor immunity in a CD4 + and CD8 + T cell-dependent fashion. It also generates effective immune memory. The vaccine-elicited short-term effects positively correlated with enhanced infiltration of CD4 + and CD8 + effector T cells, and the long-term effects positively correlated with enhanced infiltration of effector memory T cells, especially CD8 + effector memory T cells. Preliminary data suggested that the vaccine exhibited good safety profile in murine models. Taken together, the combination of IL-21 and IL-7 possesses potent adjuvant efficacy in whole-cell vaccines. This finding warrants future development of IL-21 and IL-7 co-expressing whole-cell cancer vaccines and their relevant combinatorial regimens.