Flagrp170 – Novel efficient molecule that works as Vaccine against Cancer
Flagrp170 is a novel bioengineered secretable hydrid chaperone that has the combined immunostimulating efficacy of glucose-regulated protein 170 (Grp170) – protein that has been used as immunostimulatory adjuvant to develop vaccines and has a potential of becoming a “cancer vaccine” – and Flagellin –a protein in the bacterial flagellum that works as an efficient systemic adjuvant.
This novel peptide works as vaccine and has the ability (1) to enhance antigen presentation and (2) systemic immune activation, such as activation of dendritic cells, CD8+ T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, resulting in efficient vaccine response and therapeutic control of cancer and other diseases. Antigens are the foreign molecules such as those from bacteria or viruses. They can provoke immune responses of the body. Dendritic cells work as messengers between innate and adaptive immune systems helping in shaping the immune responses of the body. CD8+ T lymphocytes and NK cells are helpful in responding to tumor formation and killing the cancer cells.
Researchers have found that this molecule when administered into the tumor tissues results in effective control of not only local tumors but also of distant metastases.
“Successfully promoting antitumor immunity will help eradicate tumor cells, control cancer progression and help prevent tumor relapse,” Inventor Xiang-Yang Wang, Ph.D., Harrison Scholar, member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center and associate professor of Human and Molecular Genetics at VCU School of Medicine, said in a statement.
Flagrp170 can be used in the development of recombinant vaccine by forming a chaperone complex with a protein antigen resulting in antigen-specific antitumor immune response. Moreover, this therapeutic strategy could be used with other cancer therapies to stop the spread and to treat the cancer.
Reference:
Xiaofei Yu, Chunqing Guo, Huanfa Yi, Jie Qian, Paul Fisher, John R Subjeck, and Xiang-Yang Wang, (2013). said in a statement Cancer Research, doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-12-1740
