A Great Ape AdV encoding various combinations of known CD4 and CD8 neoantigens was administered prophylactically in the CT26 model. Single CD8 epitopes led to ~50-70% tumor control, and addition of CD4 epitopes improved rejection to ~90%. Rechallenges with CT26 knockouts of targeted CD8 epitopes still promoted partial control, suggesting epitope spreading. In an advanced therapeutic setting, only a “complete” 6-epitope and one of the tested CD4/mono-epitope CD8 vaccines were effective. Elevated tumor expression of this CD8 epitope relative to targets considered more immunogenic in healthy mice suggests a crucial impact of evolving antigen expression levels on vaccine efficacy.
Contributed by Morgan Janes
ABSTRACT: Tumor neoantigens (nAgs) represent a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. The identification of nAgs that can generate T-cell responses and have therapeutic activity has been challenging. Here, we sought to unravel the features of nAgs required to induce tumor rejection. We selected clinically validated Great Ape-derived adenoviral vectors (GAds) as a nAg delivery system for differing numbers and combinations of nAgs. We assessed their immunogenicity and efficacy in murine models of low to high disease burden, comparing multi-epitope versus mono-epitope vaccines. We demonstrated that the breadth of immune response is critical for vaccine efficacy and having multiple immunogenic nAgs encoded in a single vaccine improves efficacy. The contribution of each single neoantigen was examined, leading to the identification of 2 nAgs able to induce CD8+ T cell-mediated tumor rejection. They were both active as individual nAgs in a setting of prophylactic vaccination, although to different extents. However, the efficacy of these single nAgs was lost in a setting of therapeutic vaccination in tumor-bearing mice. The presence of CD4+ T-cell help restored the efficacy for only the most expressed of the two nAgs, demonstrating i) a key role for CD4+ T cells in sustaining CD8+ T-cell responses and ii) the necessity of an efficient recognition of the targeted epitopes on cancer cells by CD8+ T cells for an effective antitumor response. This study provides insight into understanding the determinants of nAgs relevant for effective treatment and highlights features that could contribute to more effective antitumor vaccines.