HLA Class II Antigen Presentation in Prostate Cancer Cells: A Novel Approachto Prostate Tumor Immunotherapy

摘要

Prostate cancer is a deadly disease that is in drastic need of new treatment strategies for late stage and metastaticprostate cancer. Immunotherapy has emerged as a viable option to fill this void. Clinical trials have been conductedthat induce tumor clearance through cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activation, these studies have had mixed outcomeswith the overlying problem being the lack of a complete immune response with sustained killing and the formation of tumorspecific memory cells. To overcome this, we have outlined the need for activating the HLA class II pathway in inducinga sustained CD8+ T cell response and the development of effective memory. We have also discussed the ability ofprostate cancer cells to express stable HLA class II molecules that can be manipulated for tumor antigen (Ag) processingand presentation. This review also sets to outline new directions that exist for the use of class II-restricted Ags/peptides indevising cancer vaccines as well as combined chemoimmunotherapy. A better understanding of these concepts will improvefuture cancer vaccine studies and further the field of cancer immunobiology