Tumour-associated antigens: considerations for their use in tumour immunotherapy

Abstract

Since their discovery, tumour-associated antigens (TAA) have provided highly inviting targets for cancer therapy, especially immunotherapy. Evidence now points to their involvement in the malignant phenotype of transformed cells and heightens their importance for being targeted by different treatments. TAA vary in their nature and pattern of expression and this influences the way therapy is directed towards them. While large numbers of these antigens have been isolated from solid tumours, fewer are linked with haematological malignancies. Those TAA found in this latter group of cancers, referred to as leukaemia-associated antigens (LAA), also appear to have significant potential for promoting the malignant phenotype and have been described in detail in terms of expression and therapy. Interestingly, the action of some of LAA in blood cancers, which are stem cell derived, could act as model for solid tumours, which are increasingly thought to be also derived from a cancer stem cell origin. In this review, TAA and their use in immunotherapy will be discussed. The nature and expression of these antigens will be described together with the events that provide tumours, including haematological cancers, with the ability to avoid immune deletion.

Recombinant Attenuated Salmonella enterica as a Delivery System of Heterologous Molecules in Cancer Therapy

“…Tumors possess the ability to use proteins to promote cell transformation and tumorigenesis in order to establish a malignant phenotype; these molecules are known as Tumor-Associated Antigens (TAA) or Tumor-Specific Antigens (TSA), many of which are immunogenic and can be recognized by lymphocytes [ 185 ]. Considering Salmonella enteric a’s tropism for the tumor microenvironment and antigen-presenting cells (APC), various TAA/TSA have been coupled with Salmonella enterica proteins for transportation to the APC, and thus induce an antitumor immune response [ 7 , 10 , 186 ].…”

Salmonella Typhimurium as a potential anticancer agent: A Review

“…52,53 S. Typhimurium has been utilized as a delivery system of tumour-associated antigen or tumour-specific antigen. 54 Expression and release of tumour-associated antigen or tumour-specific antigen through type I and type III secretion systems of S. Typhimurium has the role of inducing a specific immune response against the tumour, considering the great tropism of S. Typhimurium for antigen-presenting cells. 55 Salmonella can cause formation of gap junctions (Cx43) between dendritic cells of the immune system and melanoma cells.…”

Active‐specific immunotherapy of human cancers with the heat shock protein Gp96—revisited

“…A few years later, the first tumor-associated antigen (TAA) recognized by cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in humans was characterized by van der Bruggen et al, 17 leading to the discovery of a multitude of antigens allocated into various families. [18][19][20][21] The realization that human cancers express TAAs stimulated research for the development of immunotherapies with the aim of achieving regression of established tumors.…”