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ABSTRACT: Immunization route may be pivotal for tissue-specific localization of the effector T cell response (Sandoval et al., this issue).
Science translational medicine 02/2013; 5(172):172fs4. · 7.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We have recently reported that the intravaginal instillation of synthetic Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) or TLR9 agonists after a subcutaneous vaccination against human papillomavirus E7 highly increases (~5-fold) the number of vaccine-specific CD8+ T cells in the genital mucosa of mice, without affecting E7-specific systemic responses. Here, we show that the instillation of live attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium similarly, though more efficiently (~15- fold), increases both E7-specific and total CD8+ T cells in the genital mucosa. Cancer immunotherapeutic strategies combining vaccination with local immunostimulation with live bacteria deserve further investigations.
Oncoimmunology. 01/2013; 2(1):e22944.
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ABSTRACT: To gain further insights into the role of T lymphocytes in immune responses against bladder tumors, we developed a method that monitors the presence of functional antigen-specific T cells in the urine of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients. As relatively few immune cells can usually be recovered from urine, we examined different isolation/amplification protocols and took advantage of patients treated with weekly intravesical instillations of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, resulting in large amounts of immune cells into urine. Our findings demonstrate that, upon in vitro amplification, antigen-specific T cells can be detected by an interferon γ (IFNγ)-specific ELISPOT assay.
Oncoimmunology. 08/2012; 1(5):694-698.
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ABSTRACT: The 26th annual meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer took place in Bethesda on November 4 to 6, 2011 and was organized by Charles G. Drake (Johns Hopkins University) Dolores J. Schendel (Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health Institute of Molecular Immunology), Jeffrey Schlom (National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health), and Jedd D. Wolchok (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center). It was an event marked by a number of extraordinary circumstances: it attracted a record attendance of 805 participants from 24 different countries. The gathering came in the wake of great as well as very sad news for the tumor immunology community. Good news included the approval of anti-CTLA-4 as a therapy for metastatic melanoma in April and the announcement in early October of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine awarded to pioneering studies in the field of immunology. Indeed, one part of the prize went to Dr. Bruce Beutler, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA and Dr. Jules Hoffman, Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, Strasbourg, France, for their discoveries in innate immunity and the other part to Dr. Ralph Steinman, The Rockfeller University, New York, for his discovery of dendritic cells. Sad news was the losses of two giants in the field. Jürg Tschopp of the University of Lausanne in March and Ralph Steinman, who passed away just three days before his Nobel Prize announcement. The loss of these two charismatic scientific leaders was particularly sad for the Annual Meeting as both J. Tschopp and R. Steinman were confirmed speakers at this meeting: the former to deliver the keynote lecture and the latter as recipient of the Richard V. Smalley prize.
Journal of Translational Medicine 05/2012; 10:105. · 3.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Tumor-regressions following tumor-associated-antigen vaccination in animal models contrast with the limited clinical outcomes in cancer patients. Most animal studies however used subcutaneous-tumor-models and questions arise as whether these are relevant for tumors growing in mucosae; whether specific mucosal-homing instructions are required; and how this may be influenced by the tumor.
Oncoimmunology. 03/2012; 1(2):242-243.
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ABSTRACT: The available virus-like particle (VLP)-based prophylactic vaccines against specific human papillomavirus (HPV) types afford close to 100% protection against the type-associated lesions and disease. Based on papillomavirus animal models, it is likely that protection against genital lesions in humans is mediated by HPV type-restricted neutralizing antibodies that transudate or exudate at the sites of genital infection. However, a correlate of protection was not established in the clinical trials because few disease cases occurred, and true incident infection could not be reliably distinguished from the emergence or reactivation of prevalent infection. In addition, the current assays for measuring vaccine-induced antibodies, even the gold standard HPV pseudovirion (PsV) in vitro neutralization assay, may not be sensitive enough to measure the minimum level of antibodies needed for protection. Here, we characterize the recently developed model of genital challenge with HPV PsV and determine the minimal amounts of VLP-induced neutralizing antibodies that can afford protection from genital infection in vivo after transfer into recipient mice. Our data show that serum antibody levels >100-fold lower than those detectable by in vitro PsV neutralization assays are sufficient to confer protection against an HPV PsV genital infection in this model. The results clearly demonstrate that, remarkably, the in vivo assay is substantially more sensitive than in vitro PsV neutralization and thus may be better suited for studies to establish correlates of protection.
Journal of Virology 12/2011; 85(24):13253-9. · 5.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer results from infection with high-risk type human papillomaviruses (HPV). Therapeutic vaccines aiming at controlling existing genital HPV infections and associated lesions are usually tested in mice with HPV-expressing tumor cells subcutaneously implanted into their flank. However, effective vaccine-induced regression of these ectopic tumors strongly contrasts with the poor clinical results of these vaccines produced in patients with HPV-associated genital neoplasia. To assess HPV therapeutic vaccines in a more relevant setting, we have, here, established an orthotopic mouse model where tumors in the genital mucosa (GM) develop after an intravaginal instillation of HPV16 E6/E7-expressing tumor cells transduced with a luciferase-encoding lentiviral vector for in vivo imaging of tumor growth. Tumor take was 80-90% after nonoxynol-9 induced damage of the epithelium. Tumors remained localized in the genital tract, and histological analysis showed that most tumors grew within the squamous epithelium of the vaginal wall. Those tumors induced (i) E7-specific CD8 T cells restricted to the GM and draining lymph nodes, in agreement with their mucosal location and (ii) high Foxp3+ CD4+ infiltrates, similarly to those found in natural non-regressing HPV lesions. This novel genital HPV-tumor model by requiring GM homing of vaccine-induced immune responses able to overcome local immuno-suppression may be more representative of the situation occurring in patients upon therapeutic vaccination.
International Journal of Cancer 05/2011; 128(9):2105-13. · 5.44 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer is a public health concern as it represents the second cause of cancer death in women worldwide. High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the etiologic agents, and HPV E6 and/or E7 oncogene-specific therapeutic vaccines are under development to treat HPV-related lesions in women. Whether the use of mucosal routes of immunization may be preferable for inducing cell-mediated immune responses able to eradicate genital tumors is still debated because of the uniqueness of the female genital mucosa (GM) and the limited experimentation. Here, we compared the protective activity resulting from immunization of mice via intranasal (i.n.), intravaginal (IVAG) or subcutaneous (s.c.) routes with an adjuvanted HPV type 16 E7 polypeptide vaccine. Our data show that s.c. and i.n. immunizations elicited similar frequencies and avidity of TetE71CD81 and E7-specific Interferon-gamma-secreting cells in the GM, whereas slightly lower immune responses were induced by IVAG immunization. In a novel orthotopic murine model, both s.c. and i.n. immunizations allowed for complete long-term protection against genital E7-expressing tumor challenge. However, only s.c. immunization induced complete regression of already established genital tumors. This suggests that the higher E7-specific systemic response observed after s.c. immunization may contribute to the regression of growing genital tumors, whereas local immune responses may be sufficient to impede genital challenges. Thus, our data show that for an efficiently adjuvanted protein-based vaccine, parenteral vaccination route is superior to mucosal vaccination route for inducing regression of established genital tumors in a murine model of HPV-associated genital cancer.
International Journal of Cancer 02/2011; 129(3):762-72. · 5.44 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer, the second leading cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide, results from infection with a subset of human papillomaviruses (HPV), HPV-16 being the most prevalent type. The available prophylactic vaccines are an effective strategy to prevent this cancer in the long term. However, they only target 70-80% of all cervical cancers and cannot control existing HPV infections and associated lesions. Therapeutic vaccines are thus necessary for women who cannot benefit from prophylactic vaccination. Induction of protective immune responses in the genital mucosa (GM) may be crucial for efficacy of HPV therapeutic vaccines. We report here that mice that received a single subcutaneous (s.c.) vaccination of an adjuvanted long synthetic HPV16 E7(1-98) polypeptide showed induction of 100% tumor protection against s.c. TC-1 tumors and that tumor regression was mainly provided by CD8 T cells. In vivo cytotoxic assay revealed high E7-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes activity in spleen and in genital draining lymph nodes (LN), and E7-specific CD8 T cells could be detected in GM by tetramer staining. More importantly, high-avidity E7-specific INF-gamma secreting CD8 T cells were induced not only in blood, spleen and LN but also in GM of vaccinated mice, thus providing evidence that a parenteral vaccination may be sufficient to provide regression of genital tumors. In addition, there was no correlation between the responses measured in blood with those measured in GM, highlighting the necessity and relevance to determine the immune responses in the mucosa where HPV-tumors reside.
International Journal of Cancer 10/2009; 126(10):2469-78. · 5.44 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection of particular interest because of its high prevalence rate and strong causal association with cervical cancer. Two prophylactic vaccines have been developed and different countries have made or will soon make recommendations for the vaccination of girls. Even if there is a consensus to recommend a vaccination before the beginning of sexual activity, there are, however, large discrepancies between countries concerning the perceived usefulness of a catch-up procedure and of boosters. The main objective of this article is to simulate the impact on different vaccination policies upon the mid- and long-term HPV 16/18 age-specific infection rates.
We developed an epidemiological model based on the susceptible-infective-recovered approach using Swiss data. The mid- and long-term impact of different vaccination scenarios was then compared.
The generalization of a catch-up procedure is always beneficial, whatever its extent. Moreover, pending on the length of the protection offered by the vaccine, boosters will also be very useful.
To be really effective, a vaccination campaign against HPV infection should at least include a catch-up to early reach a drop in HPV 16/18 prevalence, and maybe boosters. Otherwise, the protection insured for women in their 20s could be lower than expected, resulting in higher risks to later develop cervical cancer.
International Journal of Public Health 10/2009; 55(1):25-34. · 2.54 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines based on L1 virus-like particle (VLP) can prevent genital HPV infection and associated lesions after three intramuscular injections. Needle-free administration might facilitate vaccine implementation, especially in developing countries. Here we have investigated rectal and vaginal administration of HPV16 L1 VLPs in mice and their ability to induce anti-VLP and HPV16-neutralizing antibodies in serum and in genital, rectal and oral secretions. Rectal and vaginal immunizations were not effective in the absence of adjuvant. Cholera toxin was able to enhance systemic and mucosal anti-VLPs responses after rectal immunization, but not after vaginal immunization. Rectal immunization with Resiquimod and to a lesser extent Imiquimod, but not monophosphoryl lipid A, induced anti-HPV16 VLP antibodies in serum and secretions. Vaginal immunization was immunogenic only if administered in mice treated with nonoxynol-9, a disrupter of the cervico-vaginal epithelium. Our findings show that rectal and vaginal administration of VLPs can induce significant HPV16-neutralizing antibody levels in secretions, despite the fact that low titers are induced in serum. Imidazoquinolines, largely used to treat genital and anal warts, and nonoxonol-9, used as genital microbicide/spermicide were identified as adjuvants that could be safely used by the rectal or vaginal route, respectively.
Vaccine 05/2009; 27(17):2326-34. · 3.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) L1 virus like particle (VLP) vaccines have been shown, in large clinical trials, to be very immunogenic, well-tolerated and highly efficacious against genital disease caused by the vaccine HPV types. However these vaccines, at the present, protect against only two of the 15 oncogenic genital HPV types, they are expensive, delivered by intramuscular injection and require a cold chain. The challenges are to develop cheap, thermo-stable vaccines that can be delivered by non-injectable methods that provide long term (decades) protection at mucosal surfaces to most, if not all, oncogenic HPV types that is as good as the current VLP vaccines. Current approaches include L1 capsomers, L2 protein and peptides, delivery via recombinant L1 bacterial and viral vectors and large-scale VLP production in plants. Rational design and successful development of such vaccines will be based on an understanding of the immune response, and particularly the 'cross talk' between the innate and adaptive responses. This will be central in the development of adjuvants and vaccine formulations that induce the response to provide effective protection.
Vaccine 09/2008; 26 Suppl 10:K62-7. · 3.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, is the consequence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Toward the development of therapeutic vaccines that can induce both innate and adaptive mucosal immune responses, we analyzed intravaginal (ivag) vaccine delivery of live attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium expressing HPV16L1 as a model antigen. Innate immune responses were examined in cervicovaginal tissues by determining gene expression patterns by microarray analysis using nylon membranes imprinted with cDNA fragments coding for inflammation-associated genes. At 24 h, a wide range of genes, including those for chemokines and Th1- and Th2-type cytokine and chemokine receptors were up-regulated in mice ivag immunized with Salmonella compared to control mice. However, the majority of transcripts returned to their steady-state levels 1 week after immunization, suggesting a transient inflammatory response. Indeed, cervicovaginal histology of immunized mice showed a massive, but transient, infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils, while T cells were still increased after 7 days. Ivag immunization also induced humoral and antitumor immune responses, i.e., serum and vaginal anti-HPV16VLP antibody titers similar to those induced by oral immunization, and significant protection in tumor protection experiments using HPV16-expressing C3 tumor cells. These results show that ivag immunization with live attenuated Salmonella expressing HPV16 antigens modulates the local mucosal gene expression pattern into a transient proinflammatory profile, elicits strong systemic and mucosal immunity against HPV16, and confers protection against HPV16 tumor cells subcutaneously implanted in mice. Examination of the efficacy with which ivag HPV16E7E6 Salmonella induces regression of tumors located in cervicovaginal tissue is warranted.
Infection and immunity 06/2008; 76(5):1940-51. · 4.21 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Monitoring of T-cell responses in genital mucosa has remained a major challenge because of the absence of lymphoid aggregates and the low abundance of T cells. Here we have adapted to genital tissue a sensitive real-time reverse transcription-PCR (TaqMan) method to measure induction of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) mRNA transcription after 3 h of antigen-specific activation of CD8 T cells. For this purpose, we vaccinated C57BL/6 mice subcutaneously with human papillomavirus type 16 L1 virus-like particles and monitored the induction of CD8 T cells specific to the L1(165-173) H-2D(b)-restricted epitope. Comparison of the responses induced in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and lymph nodes (LN) by L1-specific IFN-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot assay and TaqMan determination of the relative increase in L1-specific IFN-gamma mRNA induction normalized to the content of CD8b mRNA showed a significant correlation, despite the difference in the readouts. Most of the cervicovaginal tissues could be analyzed by the TaqMan method if normalization to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA was used and a significant L1-specific IFN-gamma induction was found in one-third of the immunized mice. This local response did not correlate with the immune responses measured in the periphery, with the exception of the sacral LN, an LN draining the genital mucosa, where a significant correlation was found. Our data show that the TaqMan method is sensitive enough to detect antigen-specific CD8 T-cell responses in the genital mucosa of individual mice, and this may contribute to elaborate effective vaccines against genital pathogens.
Clinical and vaccine immunology: CVI 06/2008; 15(5):757-64. · 2.37 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines based on L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) can prevent HPV-induced genital neoplasias, the precursors of cervical cancer. However, most cervical cancers occur in developing countries, where the implementation of expensive vaccines requiring multiple injections will be difficult. A live Salmonella-based vaccine could be a lower-cost alternative. We previously demonstrated that high HPV type 16 (HPV16)-neutralizing titers are induced after a single oral immunization of mice with attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains expressing a codon-optimized version of HPV16 L1 (L1S). To allow the testing of this type of vaccine in women, we constructed a new L1-expressing plasmid, kanL1S, and tested kanL1S recombinants of three Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi vaccine strains shown to be safe in humans, i.e., Ty21a, the actual licensed typhoid vaccine, and two highly immunogenic typhoid vaccine candidates, Ty800 and CVD908-htrA. In an intranasal mouse model of Salmonella serovar Typhi infection, Ty21a kanL1S was unique in inducing HPV16-neutralizing antibodies in serum and genital secretions, while anti-Salmonella responses were similar to those against the parental Ty21a vaccine. Electron microscopy examination of Ty21a kanL1S lysates showed that L1 assembled in capsomers and capsomer aggregates but not well-ordered VLPs. Comparison to the neutralizing antibody response induced by purified HPV16 L1 VLP immunizations in mice suggests that Ty21a kanL1S may be an effective prophylactic HPV vaccine. Ty21a has been widely used against typhoid fever in humans with a remarkable safety record. These finds encourage clinical testing of Ty21a kanL1S as a combined typhoid fever/cervical cancer vaccine with the potential for worldwide application.
Clinical and Vaccine Immunology 11/2007; 14(10):1285-95. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer results from cervical infection by human papillomaviruses (HPV), especially HPV16. Intramuscular administrations of HPV16 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines have been shown to induce strong neutralizing antibody responses and protect women against genital HPV16 infection and associated lesions. However, an alternative route of administration that avoids parenteral injection might facilitate vaccine implementation, particularly in developing countries which account for the majority of the worldwide cases of cervical cancer. In addition, inducing mucosal immunity could partially overcome the substantial variation in HPV16 antibodies at the cervix seen in ovulating women. Aerosol vaccination with HPV16 VLPs was previously shown to be immunogenic in mice and in women. Here, we examine whether exposure to other respiratory viral antigens may interfere with the HPV16 VLP-specific humoral response and whether two known mucosal adjuvants, CpG oligodeoxynucleotides and a natural non-toxic Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (HLT), can enhance the immunogenicity of airway immunization (nasal or aerosol-like) of mice with HPV16 VLPs. Our data show that HLT can significantly improve anti-VLP humoral responses in serum and mucosal secretions, as well as VLP-specific proliferative responses and IFN-gamma production by CD8 T cells, and that recent exposure to influenza surface antigens can diminish mucosal, but not systemic, antibody responses to the VLPs.
Antiviral Research 11/2007; 76(1):75-85. · 4.30 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines based on intramuscular injection of non-infectious L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) are undergoing intense clinical evaluation. As documented in preceding chapters of this monograph, clinical trials of these vaccines have demonstrated their safety and high efficacy at preventing type-specific persistent cervical HPV infection and the development of type-specific cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) cervical neoplasia. There is widespread optimism that VLP vaccines will become commercially available within the next few years. The prospects for development of alternative HPV vaccines must be considered in light of the likelihood that a safe and effective prophylactic HPV vaccine will soon be available. Three questions need to be addressed: (1) Is there sufficient need for a second generation vaccine? (2) Are there sufficiently attractive candidates for clinical trials? (3) Is there a realistic development/commercialization path?
Vaccine 09/2006; 24 Suppl 3:S3/147-53. · 3.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer results from cervical infection by human papillomaviruses (HPV), especially HPV16. Previous studies have shown that intramuscular vaccination of women with an HPV16 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine induced a strong IgG response and protected against genital HPV16 infection. However, an alternative route of administration that avoids parenteral injection while inducing mucosal immunity might facilitate vaccine implementation in some settings, and partially overcome the substantial variation in HPV16 antibodies at the cervix seen in ovulating women. In this study, women were vaccinated with escalating doses of HPV16L1 VLPs via nasal nebulisation, bronchial aerosolisation, or a combination of intramuscular and aerosol vaccination. The alternative routes of vaccination were well tolerated and many of the volunteers who received aerosol vaccinations exhibited serum antibody titers that were comparable to those induced by intramuscular vaccination. A mucosal immune response was induced by aerosol vaccination as demonstrated by the induction of anti-HPV16 VLP IgA secreting cells in PBMC and SIgA in secretions. Our data suggest that aerosol administration of HPV VLPs may represent a potential alternative to parenteral injection.
Vaccine 06/2005; 23(28):3634-41. · 3.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Many cancers arise in epithelial mucosa. These mucosal surfaces are characterized by the induction of divergent immune responses, as they are both the main portal of entry for pathogens and a large niche of commensal bacteria and tolerized antigens. In addition, mucosa located in different anatomical sites harbor distinct typical features. Exploiting the different requirements for inducing an effective immune response at mucosal sites might help to define new immunotherapeutic approaches against epithelial cancers, at least in the case of differentiated tumors that have retained their mucosal characteristics.
Current Opinion in Immunology 05/2005; 17(2):175-9. · 9.52 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer results from cervical infection by human papillomaviruses (HPVs), especially HPV16. An effective vaccine against these HPVs is expected to have a dramatic impact on the incidence of this cancer and its precursor lesions. The leading candidate, a subunit prophylactic HPV virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine, can protect women from HPV infection. An alternative improved vaccine that avoids parenteral injection, that is efficient with a single dose, and that induces mucosal immunity might greatly facilitate vaccine implementation in different settings. In this study, we have constructed a new generation of recombinant Salmonella organisms that assemble HPV16 VLPs and induce high titers of neutralizing antibodies in mice after a single nasal or oral immunization with live bacteria. This was achieved through the expression of a HPV16 L1 capsid gene whose codon usage was optimized to fit with the most frequently used codons in Salmonella. Interestingly, the high immunogenicity of the new recombinant bacteria did not correlate with an increased expression of L1 VLPs but with a greater stability of the L1-expressing plasmid in vitro and in vivo in absence of antibiotic selection. Anti-HPV16 humoral and neutralizing responses were also observed with different Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains whose attenuating deletions have already been shown to be safe after oral vaccination of humans. Thus, our findings are a promising improvement toward a vaccine strain that could be tested in human volunteers.
Journal of Virology 01/2005; 78(23):12901-9. · 5.40 Impact Factor
