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01-12-2020 | Melanoma | Original Article

Anti-tumor efficacy of plasmid encoding emm55 in a murine melanoma model

Authors: Brittany L. Bunch, Krithika N. Kodumudi, Ellen Scott, Jennifer Morse, Amy Mackay Weber, Anders E. Berglund, Shari Pilon-Thomas, Joseph Markowitz

Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy | Issue 12/2020

Abstract

Emm55 is a bacterial gene derived from Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) that was cloned into a plasmid DNA vaccine (pAc/emm55). In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor efficacy of pAc/emm55 in a B16 murine melanoma model. Intralesional (IL) injections of pAc/emm55 significantly delayed tumor growth compared to the pAc/Empty group. There was a significant increase in the CD8⁺ T cells infiltrating into the tumors after pAc/emm55 treatment compared to the control group. In addition, we observed that IL injection of pAc/emm55 increased antigen-specific T cell infiltration into tumors. Depletion of CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ T cells abrogated the anti-tumor effect of pAc/emm55. Combination treatment of IL injection of pAc/emm55 with anti-PD-1 antibody significantly delayed tumor growth compared to either monotherapy. pAc/emm55 treatment combined with PD-1 blockade enhanced anti-tumor immune response and improved systemic anti-tumor immunity. Together, these strategies may lead to improvements in the treatment of patients with melanoma.

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Title: Anti-tumor efficacy of plasmid encoding emm55 in a murine melanoma model
Authors: Brittany L. Bunch
Krithika N. Kodumudi
Ellen Scott
Jennifer Morse
Amy Mackay Weber
Anders E. Berglund
Shari Pilon-Thomas
Joseph Markowitz
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: Melanoma
Melanoma
Streptococci
Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy / Issue 12/2020
Print ISSN: 0340-7004
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0851
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-020-02634-4

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