Human Papillomavirus–Directed Therapeutics for Human Papillomavirus–Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer

Abstract

Despite the availability of prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, there is a growing incidence of HPV-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HPV-HNSCC) worldwide. The viral etiology of HPV-HNSCC provides an opportunity to develop personalized immune-based therapies, which target the unique viral- or tumor-specific proteins. Novel HPV-targeted immunotherapeutic approaches in clinical development are reviewed. Early results from these trials highlight new opportunities and potential challenges ahead. Immunotherapies for HPV-associated HNSCCs will require a tailored combinatorial approach based on preexisting mechanisms of host immune resistance. As the field continues to identify the relevant HPV types 16 and 18 immunogenic epitopes that are presented by diverse HLA class I alleles, improved HPV-targeted biologics and clinical monitoring tools can be developed and applied to a broader cancer patient population.

Immunoinformatics studies of heat shock proteins 27 and 70: Development of potent therapeutic vaccine constructs against human papillomavirus-related cancers

“…Therapeutic vaccines directed to HPV-associated malignancies should induce a specific cellular immune response against tumor antigens [ 29 ]. Therapeutic vaccines offer treatment and immune enhancement options for individuals already infected with HPV [ 30 ].…”

“…The in silico analysis is an attractive strategy to develop therapeutic vaccines against infectious and non-infectious diseases. Prediction of functional and conserved B- and T-cell epitopes using the immunoinformatics tools could help generation of novel multiepitope constructs stimulating both humoral and cellular immunity [ 29 ]. The studies showed that heat shock proteins can form stable complexes with TAAs in tumor cells, and thus facilitate antigen uptake through HSP receptors by the APCs [ 4 , 31 ].…”