Idiotype-pulsed dendritic cell vaccination for B-cell lymphoma: clinical and immune responses in 35 patients

JM Timmerman, DK Czerwinski… - Blood, The Journal …, 2002 - ashpublications.org
JM Timmerman, DK Czerwinski, TA Davis, FJ Hsu, C Benike, ZM Hao, B Taidi, R Rajapaksa…
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2002ashpublications.org
Tumor-specific clonal immunoglobulin expressed by B-cell lymphomas (idiotype [Id]) can
serve as a target for active immunotherapy. We have previously described the vaccination of
4 patients with follicular lymphoma using dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with tumor-derived Id
protein and now report on 35 patients treated using this approach. Among 10 initial patients
with measurable lymphoma, 8 mounted T-cell proliferative anti-Id responses, and 4 had
clinical responses—2 complete responses (CRs)(progression-free [PF] for 44 and 57 …
Tumor-specific clonal immunoglobulin expressed by B-cell lymphomas (idiotype [Id]) can serve as a target for active immunotherapy. We have previously described the vaccination of 4 patients with follicular lymphoma using dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with tumor-derived Id protein and now report on 35 patients treated using this approach. Among 10 initial patients with measurable lymphoma, 8 mounted T-cell proliferative anti-Id responses, and 4 had clinical responses—2 complete responses (CRs) (progression-free [PF] for 44 and 57 months after vaccination), 1 partial response (PR) (PF for 12 months), and 1 molecular response (PF for 75+ months). Subsequently, 25 additional patients were vaccinated after first chemotherapy, and 15 of 23 (65%) who completed the vaccination schedule mounted T-cell or humoral anti-Id responses. Induction of high-titer immunoglobulin G anti-Id antibodies required coupling of Id to the immunogenic carrier protein keyhole limpet hemocyanin (Id-KLH). These antibodies could bind to and induce tyrosine phosphorylation in autologous tumor cells. Among 18 patients with residual tumor at the time of vaccination, 4 (22%) had tumor regression, and 16 of 23 patients (70%) remain without tumor progression at a median of 43 months after chemotherapy. Six patients with disease progression after primary DC vaccination received booster injections of Id-KLH protein, and tumor regression was observed in 3 of them (2 CRs and 1 PR). We conclude that Id-pulsed DC vaccination can induce T-cell and humoral anti-Id immune responses and durable tumor regression. Subsequent boosting with Id-KLH can lead to tumor regression despite apparent resistance to the primary DC vaccine.
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