Cutting Edge - Liposomal Formulation of a Self Lymphoma Antigen Induces Potent Protective Antitumor Immunity

We developed a liposome carrier for a model nonimmunogenic, self Ag. This carrier reproducibly converted lymphoma Ig into a potent tumor rejection Ag in mice, A single immunization induced protection against challenges representing 20 to 100 times the minimum lethal dose of parental tumor, This protective effect required minimal amounts of incorporated Ag and IL-2 and elicited specific Abs (compared with free Ag or liposomal control Ig which did not elicit any specific Abs); depletion experiments demonstrated a requirement for effector CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, Head-to-head comparisons, indicating superior potency and induction of specific T cell activation, distinguished liposomal from prototype, carrier-conjugated Ag. These results provide a strategy for formulating weak tumor or other clinically important Ags into vaccines. [References: 27]

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