Improving dendritic cell vaccine immunogenicity by silencing PD-1 ligands using siRNA-lipid nanoparticles combined with antigen mRNA electroporation

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2013 Feb;62(2):285-97. doi: 10.1007/s00262-012-1334-1. Epub 2012 Aug 19.

Abstract

Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccination boosting antigen-specific immunity is being explored for the treatment of cancer and chronic viral infections. Although DC-based immunotherapy can induce immunological responses, its clinical benefit has been limited, indicating that further improvement of DC vaccine potency is essential. In this study, we explored the generation of a clinical-grade applicable DC vaccine with improved immunogenic potential by combining PD-1 ligand siRNA and target antigen mRNA delivery. We demonstrated that PD-L1 and PD-L2 siRNA delivery using DLin-KC2-DMA-containing lipid nanoparticles (LNP) mediated efficient and specific knockdown of PD-L expression on human monocyte-derived DC. The established siRNA-LNP transfection method did not affect DC phenotype or migratory capacity and resulted in acceptable DC viability. Furthermore, we showed that siRNA-LNP transfection can be successfully combined with both target antigen peptide loading and mRNA electroporation. Finally, we demonstrated that these PD-L-silenced DC loaded with antigen mRNA superiorly boost ex vivo antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell responses from transplanted cancer patients. Together, these findings indicate that our PD-L siRNA-LNP-modified DC are attractive cells for clinical-grade production and in vivo application to induce and boost immune responses not only in transplanted cancer patients, but likely also in other settings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cancer Vaccines / genetics*
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Electroporation
  • Gene Silencing*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Lipids / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Nanoparticles
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand 2 Protein / genetics
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand 2 Protein / immunology
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / genetics
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / immunology*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Lipids
  • PDCD1 protein, human
  • PDCD1LG2 protein, human
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand 2 Protein
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering