A tumor-peptide based nanoparticle vaccine elicits efficient tumor growth control in anti-tumor immunotherapy

Recognition of immunoactive oligonucleotides by the immune system, such as Toll-like receptor ligand CpG leads to increased antibody and T cell responses. Systemic application often results in unwanted generalized non-antigen specific activation of the immune system. Nanoparticles are ideal carriers for small and large molecules. Recently, we have demonstrated that calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles functionalized with CpG and viral antigens are able to induce specific T cell immunity that protects mice against viral infection and efficiently reactivates the exhausted CD8+ T cell compartment during chronic retroviral infection. Therefore, CaP nanoparticles are promising vaccine vehicles for therapeutic applications. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential use of these nanoparticles in a murine xenograft colorectal cancer model. Therapeutic vaccination with CaP nanoparticles functionalized with CpG and tumor model antigens increased the frequencies of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in the tumor in a type I interferon (IFN I) dependent manner. This was accompanied with significantly repressed tumor growth in contrast to the systemic administration of soluble CpG and antigens. Combination therapy of CaP nanoparticles and immune checkpoint blocker against PD-L1 further enhanced the cytotoxic CD8+ T cell response and eradicated the tumors. Strikingly, vaccination with CaP nanoparticles functionalized with CpG and the primary tumor cell lysate was also sufficient to control the tumor growth. In conclusion, our results represent a translational approach for the use of CaP nanoparticles as a potent cancer vaccine vehicle.