Antigen Recognition by TCR Transduced Cells
Professor of Surgery and Microbiology & Immunology Michael I. Nishimura, Ph.D.
Cancer Immunology Program Leader
Hollings Cancer Center
Charleston, USA
Time: 2009, Monday the 16th of March, 14.30
Place: "Auditorium 54 N4", Herlev University Hospital, Herlev Ringvej 75, DK-2730 Herlev
It would be nice to welcome you all
Per thor Straten
Director
Abstract
It has been clearly demonstrated that tumor reactive T cells exist in the peripheral blood and tumor lesions of cancer patients and that cancer vaccines can elevate the frequency of these T cells in the blood of vaccinated patients. However, despite this increase in anti-tumor reactivity in the blood of vaccinated patients, relatively few clinical responses are observed. Given that most cancer vaccines target antigens which are nonmutated normal self proteins expressed by the tumor, the failure to elicit clinically effective anti-tumor immunity may be the result of immunologic tolerance. Therefore, until we can design better treatment strategies capable of eliciting more effective anti-tumor immunity, the promise of immunotherapy for cancer will go unfulfilled.
We have recently described using retroviral vectors containing T cell receptor (TCR) genes to redirect the specificity of normal T cells. This methodology will not only allow us to engineer any patients T cells to recognize the antigen of choice, we can select the TCR used based on its affinity for antigen. Based on a detailed analysis of several TCRs, we have found that it if the correct TCR is identified, it is possible to engineer potent anti-tumor effector cells, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I restricted CD4+ T cells capable of providing T cell help, and T cells capable of reacting with two distinct antigens. We have also devised novel strategies to protect T cells from the host environment and to enhance their ability to recognize antigen. We have also developed a novel preclinical animal model which will enable us to have a better understanding of the biology of TCR transduced T cells and how they differ from normal T cells. It is our belief that a better understanding of the biology of tumor reactive T cells combined with the ability to provide any patient with a source of autologous T cells reactive with one or more antigens expressed by their tumor will hopefully enable more cancer patients to have the opportunity to benefit from immunotherapy.
Download invitation: seminar March 16, 2009 , MS Word, 94 kb
Download abstract: Abstract for seminar March 16, 2009 , RTF, 264 kb
Last update: March 13, 2009
Disclaimer | Top