Self-Adjuvanting Cancer Vaccines from Conjugation-Ready Lipid A Analogues and Synthetic Long Peptides

J Med Chem. 2020 Oct 22;63(20):11691-11706. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00851. Epub 2020 Oct 6.

Abstract

Self-adjuvanting vaccines, wherein an antigenic peptide is covalently bound to an immunostimulating agent, have been shown to be promising tools for immunotherapy. Synthetic Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands are ideal adjuvants for covalent linking to peptides or proteins. We here introduce a conjugation-ready TLR4 ligand, CRX-527, a potent powerful lipid A analogue, in the generation of novel conjugate-vaccine modalities. Effective chemistry has been developed for the synthesis of the conjugation-ready ligand as well as the connection of it to the peptide antigen. Different linker systems and connection modes to a model peptide were explored, and in vitro evaluation of the conjugates showed them to be powerful immune-activating agents, significantly more effective than the separate components. Mounting the CRX-527 ligand at the N-terminus of the model peptide antigen delivered a vaccine modality that proved to be potent in activation of dendritic cells, in facilitating antigen presentation, and in initiating specific CD8+ T-cell-mediated killing of antigen-loaded target cells in vivo. Synthetic TLR4 ligands thus show great promise in potentiating the conjugate vaccine platform for application in cancer vaccination.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Animals
  • Cancer Vaccines / chemical synthesis*
  • Cancer Vaccines / chemistry
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Glucosamine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Glucosamine / chemistry
  • Glucosamine / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Ligands
  • Lipid A / analogs & derivatives*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Organophosphorus Compounds / chemistry*
  • Organophosphorus Compounds / immunology
  • Ovalbumin / chemistry*
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / immunology*
  • Vaccines, Conjugate

Substances

  • AGP 527
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Cytokines
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Ligands
  • Lipid A
  • OVA-8
  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Peptide Fragments
  • TLR4 protein, human
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Vaccines, Conjugate
  • Ovalbumin
  • Glucosamine