Immunomodulatory vaccine demonstrates therapeutic efficacy across cancer types.
Tiyun Han, Guilai Liu, Chenyi Bao, Jian Zong, Caiyi Fei, Jing Li, Shi Xu, Qingbo Ma, Yingjuan Qian
Abstract
Open AccessImmunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment (TME) profoundly inhibits anti-tumor immunity, presenting a formidable challenge in cancer therapeutics. Despite this recognized obstacle, multi-targeted immunomodulatory strategies remain elusive. Here we developed a novel mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) vaccine designed to reprogram key cellular mediators of immune suppression within the TME, including C-C motif chemokine ligand 22 (CCL22), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), Galectin-3, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), and arginase 1 (ARG1). This immunomodulatory vaccine was evaluated in a cohort of canines with spontaneous neoplasms, encompassing adrenal, hepatic, perianal, vulvar, and pulmonary malignancies. The vaccine demonstrated good tolerability, with only mild adverse events (Grade 1 anorexia, chills, and fatigue) observed in 25% of subjects (2/8). Remarkably, 75% of treated animals (6/8) achieved stable disease, with the median progression-free interval not yet reached a median follow-up of 168 days post-treatment initiation. Two dogs experienced disease progression. The overall disease control rate was 75%. In addition, vaccine administration reversed hematological and biochemical abnormalities and alleviated paraneoplastic syndromes associated with these malignancies. These findings demonstrate that our mRNA-LNP vaccine effectively exerts anti-tumor effects across various cancer types, offering a promising strategy for enhancing anti-tumor immunity in both veterinary and human oncology.