Immunotherapy for malignant glioma: current approaches and future directions

Abstract

Traditional therapies for the treatment of malignant glioma have failed to make appreciable gains regarding patient outcome in the last decade. Therefore, immunotherapeutic approaches have become increasingly popular in the treatment of this cancer. This article reviews general immunology of the central nervous system and the immunobiology of malignant glioma to provide a foundation for understanding the rationale behind current glioma immunotherapies. A review of currently implemented immunological treatments is then provided with special attention paid to the use of vaccines, gene therapy, cytokines, dendritic cells and viruses. Insights into future and developing avenues of glioma immunotherapy, such as novel delivery systems, are also discussed.

Clinical Application of a Dendritic Cell Vaccine Raised Against Heat-Shocked Glioblastoma

“…DCs can induce tumor antigenspecific immune response, decrease tumor immune tolerance, overcome and reverse immune suppression, modulate immune function in patients with glioma, and terminate low immunoreactivity in patients. Thanks to the remarkable ability of DCs to elicit an immune response, DC therapy is becoming a new promising tumor immunotherapy [18] This study investigated the safety and efficacy of autologous DC vaccination immunotherapy of glioblastoma by comparing the immune function, tumor control rate, survival time, survival rate, and recurrence time of patients. Furthermore, the quality of life and the incidence of adverse events were analyzed in the patient groups.…”

“…Antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cells are important in antitumor immunity. DCs are able to activate naive T-cells in the body as antigen-presenting cells and play a central role initiating, modulating, and maintaining the immune response [18]. DCs can induce tumor antigenspecific immune response, decrease tumor immune tolerance, overcome and reverse immune suppression, modulate immune function in patients with glioma, and terminate low immunoreactivity in patients.…”

DC vaccination with anti-CD25 treatment leads to long-term immunity against experimental glioma

“…[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Immunotherapeutic approaches for malignant glioma are currently under investigation by our group [14][15][16] and others. 17,18 Results of in vitro experiments 19,20 and animal studies, 21 together with pilot data from clinical trials, [14][15][16] are very promising, although it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions.…”

“…2,3 Hence, immunotherapy based on immunization with tumor antigen (Ag)-loaded dendritic cells (DCs) as professional Ag-presenting cells (APCs) represents a promising strategy in the multimodal treatment for different types of cancer, 4,5 including malignant glioma. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Immunotherapeutic approaches for malignant glioma are currently under investigation by our group [14][15][16] and others. 17,18 Results of in vitro experiments 19,20 and animal studies, 21 together with pilot data from clinical trials, [14][15][16] are very promising, although it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions.…”

Serum IgE, Tumor Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression, and Inherited Polymorphisms Associated with Glioma Survival

“…Immunotherapies are being intensely studied in attempts to improve brain tumor survival (12)(13)(14)(15). That some brain tumors can depress the immune system has been known for some time (16,17).…”