Tumor cell lysates as immunogenic sources for cancer vaccine design

Abstract

Autologous dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are a promising immunologicaltool for cancer therapy. These stimulate the antitumorresponse and immunological memory generation.Nevertheless, many patients remain refractory to DCapproaches. Antigen (Ag) delivery to DCs is relevant tovaccine success, and antigen peptides, tumor-associatedproteins, tumor cells, autologous tumor lysates, and tumor-derived mRNA have been tested as Ag sources. Recently, DCsloaded with allogeneic tumor cell lysates were used to inducea potent immunological response. This strategy provides areproducible pool of almost all potential Ags suitable forpatient use, independent of MHC haplotypes or autologoustumor tissue availability. However, optimizing autologoustumor cell lysate preparation is crucial to enhancing efficacy.This review considers the role of cancer cell-derived lysates asa relevant source of antigens and as an activating factor forexvivotherapeutic DCs capable of responding to neoplasticcells. These promising therapies are associated with theprolonged survival of advanced cancer patients.