Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cancer vaccine (iPSC-based cancer vaccine) (iPSC vaccine)

The 'Cancer stem cell and oncofetal antigen repertoire presented by iPSC-derived whole-cell vaccine' refers to a complex therapeutic platform rather than a single molecular target. This approach leverages the biological phenomenon where induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and cancer cells share a similar gene expression profile, particularly regarding developmental or 'oncofetal' antigens that are typically absent in healthy adult tissues. By administering irradiated or inactivated iPSCs as a whole-cell vaccine, the immune system is exposed to a diverse array of these shared antigens, including those associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs). This broad exposure aims to generate a robust, polyvalent immune response involving both T-cells and B-cells to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that this strategy can provide protective and therapeutic benefits across various cancer types by preventing tumor escape through antigen loss. However, the primary clinical challenges involve ensuring the complete loss of pluripotency in the vaccine product to avoid teratoma formation and monitoring for potential autoimmune reactions against endogenous stem cell populations (Kooreman et al., 2018, Cell Stem Cell; Ouyang et al., 2021, Journal of Hematology & Oncology).

Other names

iPSC-derived whole-cell vaccineOncofetal antigen repertoireStem cell-based cancer vaccineiPSC-based immunotherapy

The vaccine utilizes the transcriptomic overlap between pluripotent stem cells and malignant cells to present a broad repertoire of shared oncofetal and cancer stem cell antigens to the host immune system, thereby priming a polyvalent anti-tumor response.