UCLA researchers have enhanced immunotherapy for malignant gliomas by combining a dendritic cell vaccine with poly-ICLC, showing promising improvements in immune response and potential for increased survival rates, paving the way for more effective treatments.
The dendritic cell vaccine, pioneered at UCLA, uses a person’s own white blood cells to help activate the immune system to fight cancer. Dendritic cells typically alert the immune system when it detects a foreign invader.The vaccine works by combining brain tumor protein antigens derived from surgically removed tumors with dendritic immune cells generated from the patient’s own blood.
The team specifically looked at two different TLR agonists — poly-ICLC and resiquimod — to see which one would be safer and more effective in combination with the vaccine. They discovered that poly-ICLC demonstrated superior effectiveness, triggering a stronger immune response compared to resiquimod or the vaccine alone. The researchers observed a marked increase in the activity of interferon genes and substantial alterations in immune cell behavior, indicative of enhanced antitumor activity.
Patients who show no or low interferon response after the therapy could be directed toward other treatments or clinical trials more quickly, saving valuable time in their fight against this aggressive form of brain cancer.
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