Rethinking Antigen Source: Cancer Vaccines Based on Whole Tumor Cell/tissue Lysate or Whole Tumor Cell

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapies have improved human health, and one among the important technologies for cancer immunotherapy is cancer vaccine. Antigens are the most important components in cancer vaccines. Generally, antigens in cancer vaccines can be divided into two categories: pre-defined antigens and unidentified antigens. Although, cancer vaccines loaded with predefined antigens are commonly used, cancer vaccine loaded with mixed unidentified antigens, especially whole cancer cells or cancer cell lysates, is a very promising approach, and such vaccine can obviate some limitations in cancer vaccines. Their advantages include, but are not limited to, the inclusion of pan-spectra (all or most kinds of ) antigens, inducing pan-clones specific T cells, and overcoming the heterogeneity of cancer cells. In this review, the recent advances in cancer vaccines based on whole-tumor antigens, either based on whole cancer cells or whole cancer cell lysates, are summarized. In terms of whole cancer cell lysates, the focus is on applying whole water-soluble cell lysates as antigens. Recently, utilizing the whole cancer cell lysates as antigens in cancer vaccines has become feasible. Considering that pre-determined antigen-based cancer vaccines (mainly peptide-based or mRNA-based) have various limitations, developing cancer vaccines based on whole-tumor antigens is a promising alternative.

Recent advances in mRNA‐based vaccine for cancer therapy; bench to bedside

“…Leukemia‐derived DCs and monocyte‐derived DCs (Mo‐DCs) are the two primary DC types used in DC vaccines. Phase I, II, and III clinical trials have investigated DC cancer vaccines because it is feasible to cultivate DCs in enough quantities 20–22 …”

Cancer biotherapy: review and prospect

“…The results have shown that WTCs vaccines are more successful in eliciting immune responses to cell surface antigens than their soluble or split counterparts [ 59 ]. Scientists have explored different approaches to optimize whole-cell vaccines and improve their immunogenicity [ 60 ]. These include using intact tumor cells, which are nonviable but maintain their structure, and tumor cell lysates, which are nonviable and have disrupted structures [ 61 ].…”

Lymph-targeted high-density lipoprotein-mimetic nanovaccine for multi-antigenic personalized cancer immunotherapy

“…Moreover, traditional vaccines elicit humoral immunity, whereas cellular immunity mediated by the CD8 + cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) plays a key role in killing cancer cells for cancer vaccines ( 9 , 10 ). A variety of strategies have been developed to increase the efficacy of the vaccine by application of the whole-tumor lysate ( 11 ), coadministration of antigens with adjuvants ( 12 , 13 ), and formulation in carriers ( 14 ). Nanocarriers are recognized as promising delivery vehicles for cancer vaccines, which facilitate targeted delivery of antigens to essential immune organs and cell types ( 15 – 17 ).…”