Tumor-associated antigens and patient-specific neoepitopes presented by autologous dendritic cells (DC-TAA/Neoantigen)

This target refers to a personalized immunotherapy platform where a patient's own dendritic cells (DCs) are utilized to present specific tumor markers to the immune system. Tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are proteins overexpressed in cancer cells, while patient-specific neoepitopes are unique peptides resulting from somatic mutations specific to an individual's tumor (Schumacher & Schreiber, 2015, Science). As professional antigen-presenting cells, the autologous DCs are loaded with these antigens ex vivo and re-administered to the patient to trigger a robust, specific T-cell mediated anti-tumor response (Banchereau & Steinman, 1998, Nature). This strategy aims to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and induce long-term immunological memory. Clinical applications have focused on various malignancies, most notably glioblastoma and prostate cancer, with products like DCVax-L and Sipuleucel-T demonstrating the potential for improved survival (Liau et al., 2018, J Transl Med; Kantoff et al., 2010, NEJM). While highly specific, the approach faces challenges regarding the identification of optimal neoepitopes and the logistical demands of personalized manufacturing.

Other names

Personalized dendritic cell vaccineAutologous DC vaccineNeoantigen-pulsed dendritic cellsTumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cellsDC-based immunotherapy

Autologous dendritic cells are harvested from a patient, loaded (pulsed) with tumor-associated antigens or patient-specific neoepitopes ex vivo, and then re-infused to prime and activate tumor-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Banchereau & Steinman, 1998, Nature).