Source
Medical Department, The Tumor Hospital Affiliated Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Immunotherapy is emerging as a major player in the current standard of care for aggressive cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Newcastle disease virus with its tumor-specific replicative and oncolytic abilities is a promising immunotherapeutic candidate. A DNA vaccine expressing the major immunogenic hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein of this virus has shown promising results as an immunotherapeutic agent.
METHODS:
In the present study, three different DNA vaccine constructs encoding differentially targeted HN proteins (cytoplasmic or Cy-HN, secreted or Sc-HN and membrane-anchored or M-HN) were generated to evaluate their anti-tumor effect in vitro and in vivo.
RESULTS:
Although all three DNA constructs elicited an immune response, tumor-bearing mice intratumorally injected with M-HN demonstrated a significantly better anti-tumor effect than those injected with Cy-HN or Sc-HN. We also showed that this anti-tumor effect was mediated by higher lymphocyte proliferative response and CTL activity in mice intratumorally injected with M-HN.
CONCLUSION:
The membrane-anchored form of the HN protein appears to be an ideal candidate to develop as an immunotherapeutic agent for NSCLC.