In Vivo targeting of dendritic cells with artificial adjuvant vector cells (aAVC) as a novel cancer immunotherapy

Abstract

An ideal cancer vaccine would inhibit tumor cells by inducing both innate and adaptive immunity, allowing for specific and long-term cancer immunosurveillance. Dendritic cells (DCs) and invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are excellent targets for this type of tumor immunotherapy development. DCs are innate immune cells that initiate and shape adaptive immunity through naïve T cell priming and chemokine/cytokine secretion, while iNKT cells induce the maturation of endogenous DCs in situ, thereby linking innate and adaptive immunity. Our laboratory has established a unique method of targeting in vivo DCs using a cell vector system comprised of glycolipid-loaded, mRNA-transfected allogeneic cells. These cells provide iNKT cell activation, DC maturation, and tumor-specific T cell immunity. This unique tool could prove clinically beneficial in the development of immunotherapies against malignant and infectious diseases.