Harnessing the immune system and developing targeted vaccines: overall strategies of leveraging the body’s natural defense mechanisms to enhance cancer treatment

Banday, Abid H.1,2,*

1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

2Department of Chemistry, Islamia College of Science and Commerce, Srinagar, JK, India

*Correspondence to: Abid H. Banday, PhD, abidrrl@gmail.com.

Abstract

The immune system serves as a pivotal defense mechanism against foreign materials and abnormal cells, including cancer. Cancer immunotherapy exploits the immune system’s potential to target and eliminate malignant tumor cells, either through immunization or therapeutic antibodies. The presence of unusual antigens, such as GD2 and ErbB2, provides specific targets for immunotherapy. Next-generation immunotherapy, combining antibodies with immune-stimulatory cytokines, presents a promising avenue to enhance localized immune responses against tumors while minimizing systemic side effects. Challenges in cancer vaccine development include the diversity of tumor cells and their similarity to normal cells. Recent decades have seen significant progress in cancer vaccine development, with US Food and Drug Administration-approved therapeutic vaccines like Sipuleucel-T for prostate cancer and BCG for bladder cancer. However, challenges related to reproducibility and efficacy in cancer subjects persist. The current landscape of cancer treatment is undergoing a transformative shift, with combination therapies incorporating cytokines, tumor-associated antigens, and monoclonal antibodies becoming integral to treatment strategies. This dynamic approach reflects ongoing efforts to overcome challenges in developing effective therapeutic cancer vaccines and underscores the commitment to advancing the field. Advances in genomics allow for the development of personalized cancer vaccines tailored to an individual’s unique tumor profile, addressing the challenge of intratumoral heterogeneity. Combining cancer vaccines with other immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, may enhance the overall anti-cancer immune response. Identifying and targeting neoantigens (mutated proteins specific to cancer cells) offers a more precise and selective approach to cancer vaccine development. These evolving strategies emphasize leveraging the body’s natural defense mechanisms to enhance the overall efficacy of cancer treatment, marking a departure from traditional approaches like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

利用免疫系统开发靶向疫苗：用人体自然防御机制加强癌症治疗的总体策略

摘要

免疫系统是抵御外来物质和异常细胞（包括癌症）的关键防御机制。

癌症免疫疗法利用免疫系统的潜力，通过免疫接种或治疗性抗体来靶向并清除恶性肿瘤细胞。GD2 和 ErbB2 等异常抗原的存在为免疫疗法提供了特异性靶点。新一代免疫疗法将抗体与免疫刺激性细胞因子相结合，为增强局部免疫应答并最大程度地减少全身副作用提供了一种有希望的途径。癌症疫苗研发面临的挑战包括肿瘤细胞的多样性及其与正常细胞的相似性。近几十年来，癌症疫苗研发取得了显著进展，美国食品药品监督管理局批准了用于治疗前列腺癌的Sipuleucel-T疫苗和用于治疗膀胱癌的BCG疫苗。然而，在癌症患者中，与可重复性和有效性相关的挑战依然存在。当前的癌症治疗格局正在发生变革性转变，结合细胞因子、肿瘤相关抗原和单克隆抗体的联合疗法正成为治疗策略不可或缺的一部分。这种动态方法反映了人们在开发有效的治疗性癌症疫苗方面不断克服挑战的努力，并强调了人们致力于推动该领域发展的决心。基因组学的进步使得能够开发针对个体独特肿瘤特征的个性化癌症疫苗，从而应对肿瘤内异质性的挑战。将癌症疫苗与其他免疫疗法（例如免疫检查点抑制剂）相结合，可以增强整体的抗癌免疫反应。识别并靶向肿瘤新抗原（癌细胞特异的突变蛋白）为癌症疫苗研发提供了一种更精准、更具选择性的方法。这些不断发展的策略强调利用人体的天然防御机制来增强癌症治疗的整体疗效，这与手术、化疗和放疗等传统疗法截然不同。