Description:
Reference #: 01197
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for nanoparticle delivery tools (microRNA transfection) that enhance the efficacy of dendritic cell vaccines for cancer.
Background:
In anti-tumor immunity, dendritic cells (DCs) capture, process, and present tumor antigens to T cells, initiating a tumoricidal response. However, DCs are often dysfunctional due to their exposure to the tumor microenvironment (TME) as a result, dendritic cell vaccines developed for many cancers including breast cancer as immunotherapies have been ineffective. However, microRNA-155 (miR-155) has been shown to play critical roles in immunity. In the process of the development of this technology, the role of miR-155 in DC function in the context of breast cancer was examined/tested to determine if manipulation of miR-155 expression in DCs could alter the efficacy of DC-based immunotherapy for breast cancer.
Invention Description:
It was determined that in the expression of microRNA-155 in tumors is decreased, accompanied by the inability to trigger effective anti-tumor immunity. When dendritic cells are forced to overexpress microRNA-155, they displayed significantly enhanced efficacy in suppressing tumor growth and metastasis.
Potential Applications:
Using viral transduction, dendritic cells can be forced to overexpress microRNA-155. The vaccine generated using these dendritic cells will display high anti-tumor efficacy. The dendritic vaccines engineered in this manner can be used as effective immunotherapies for breast cancer and other cancers.
Advantages and Benefits:
There is no effective dendritic cell vaccine for breast cancer. A vaccine generated by forcing dendritic cell to overexpress microRNA-155 will fill this void.