A vaccine for skin cancer? Tel Aviv researchers say they have developed one

By Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman

August 5, 2019 18:41 

 

 

So far, the approach has been tested and proven effective in preventing the development of melanoma in mouse models. 

 Nano-vaccine mechanism of action: following injection, the nano-vaccine internalizes into immune cells leading to activation of T cells to recognize and attack melanoma.. (photo credit: PROF. SATCHI-FAINARO) 

Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers say they have developed a novel nano-vaccine for melanoma, the most aggressive type of skin cancer.

“The war against cancer in general, and melanoma in particular, has advanced over the years through a variety of treatment modalities, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy,” according to Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, chairwoman of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and head of the Laboratory for Cancer Research and Nanomedicine at Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine.

 

“But the vaccine approach, which has proven so effective against various viral diseases, has not materialized yet against cancer,” she said. “In our study, we have shown that it is possible to produce an effective nano-vaccine against melanoma and to sensitize the immune system to immunotherapies.”
 

Satchi-Fainaro led the study, working with Prof. Helena Florindo of the University of Lisbon while she was on sabbatical at Satchi-Fainaro’s lab at TAU; it was conducted by Dr. Anna Scomparin and Dr. João Conniot.

The focus of the research is a nano-particle that serves as the basis for the new vaccine. So far, the approach has been tested and proven effective in preventing the development of melanoma in mouse models, and in treating primary tumors and metastases that result from melanoma.
 

Melanoma develops when unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells – most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds – triggers genetic defects that lead them to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors.
 

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, an estimated 192,310 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States this year. The majority are black or brown, but they can also be skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white.
 

“The idea is not to find a way to encourage people to get tanned without worrying about it if they were vaccinated,” warned Satchi-Fainaro. “We tested two scenarios: one of prevention, which is intended toward sub-populations at risk, such as those that already had a primary melanoma that was resected. We hope that the vaccine will prevent recurrence and metastasis.
 

“The second scenario was an intervention study where the mice already had melanoma and we treated them with a combination of the vaccine and immunotherapy,” she continued. “Here we showed that the vaccine augmented the anticancer effect of the immunotherapy by inhibiting tumor growth and prolonging overall survival.”
 

Specifically, the researchers harnessed tiny particles, about 170 nanometers in size, made of a biodegradable polymer. Within each particle, they “packed” two peptides – short chains of amino acids that are expressed in melanoma cells. They then injected the nano-particles (or “nano-vaccines”) into a mouse model bearing melanoma.
 

The nano-particles stimulated the immune system of the mice, and the immune cells learned to identify and attack cells containing the melanoma cells.

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