MHC class II-transduced tumor cells originating in the immune-privileged eye prime and boost CD4(+) T lymphocytes that cross-react with primary and metastatic uveal melanoma cells.

Uveal melanoma, the most common malignancy of the eye, has a 50% rate of liver metastases among patients with large primary tumors. Several therapies prolong survival of metastatic patients; however, none are curative and no patients survive. Therefore, we are exploring immunotherapy as an alternative or adjunctive treatment. Uveal melanoma may be particularly appropriate for immunotherapy because primary tumors arise in an immune-privileged site and may express antigens to which the host is not tolerized. We are developing MHC class II (MHC II)-matched allogeneic, cell-based uveal melanoma vaccines that activate CD4(+) T lymphocytes, which are key cells for optimizing CD8(+) T-cell immunity, facilitating immune memory, and preventing tolerance. Our previous studies showed that tumor cells genetically modified to express costimulatory and MHC II molecules syngeneic to the recipient are potent inducers of antitumor immunity. Because the MHC II-matched allogeneic vaccines do not express the accessory molecule, Invariant chain, they present MHC II-restricted peptides derived from endogenously encoded tumor antigens. We now report that MHC II-matched allogeneic vaccines, prepared from primary uveal melanomas that arise in the immune-privileged eye, prime and boost IFNgamma-secreting CD4(+) T cells from the peripheral blood of either healthy donors or uveal melanoma patients that cross-react with primary uveal melanomas from other patients and metastatic tumors. In contrast, vaccines prepared from metastatic cells in the liver are less effective at activating CD4(+) T cells, suggesting that tumor cells originating in immune-privileged sites may have enhanced capacity for inducing antitumor immunity and for serving as immunotherapeutic agents.