Patient-specific neoantigen-expressing tumor cells (TSNA)

Patient-specific neoantigen-expressing tumor cells are the primary target of personalized cancer immunotherapies, characterized by the presence of unique proteins arising from somatic mutations within a patient's tumor (Nature, 2017, doi:10.1038/nature22991). These neoantigens are not expressed by normal cells, making them ideal targets for the immune system to distinguish between malignant and healthy tissue (Science, 2015, doi:10.1126/science.aaa3801). Because they are derived from random mutations—such as non-synonymous single nucleotide variants, insertions, or deletions—they are highly specific to each individual patient (NEJM, 2019, doi:10.1056/NEJMra1706223). Therapeutic interventions, including personalized mRNA vaccines like mRNA-4157 and adoptive T-cell therapies, are designed to prime or expand the patient's own T cells to recognize these neoepitopes presented on the cell surface via MHC molecules (Cancer Discovery, 2021, doi:10.1158/2159-8290.CD-20-1326). This approach aims to generate a robust and durable anti-tumor immune response while minimizing the risk of systemic toxicity associated with targeting shared self-antigens (Frontiers in Immunology, 2020, doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.01561).

Other names

Tumor-specific neoantigensNeoepitopesSomatic mutation-derived antigensPersonalized tumor antigensTumor-specific antigens (TSAs)

Induction of a polyclonal T-cell response against unique, mutation-derived peptides presented on the surface of tumor cells by MHC molecules, leading to targeted lysis of the malignant cells.