Editorial Overview Hildegund CJ Ertl and Antonio Lanzavecchia
Editorial Overview Hildegund CJ Ertl and Antonio Lanzavecchia
Editorial Overview Hildegund CJ Ertl and Antonio Lanzavecchia
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Introduction
Editorial overview
Hildegund CJ Ertl and Antonio Lanzavecchia
Current Opinion in Immunology 2010, 22:355357
DOI 10.1016/j.coi.2010.05.001
addresses the mechanisms and role of cross-priming, its specific inflammatory reaction. The number of currently
pharmacological regulation and its recent successful licensed adjuvants is very limited and those that are
application to peptide-based CD8 T cell vaccine that available are no necessarily optimal for a given appli-
showed remarkable clinical efficacy in HPV-associated cation. Recent advances in our understanding of pathways
neoplasias [7]. that regulate activation of cells of the innate immune
system now allow for a more informed approach to
iNKT cell agonists as vaccine adjuvants develop new adjuvants. The chapter of Mbow and col-
Invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT cells) recognize leagues describes already licensed adjuvants as well as
glycolipids presented by the invariant class I like mol- adjuvants based primarily on Toll-like receptor agonists
ecule CD1d [8]. These cells possess effector function and that are undergoing clinical or pre-clinical testing.
represent an abundant source of T cell help that can be
rapidly mobilized in all individuals. Cerundolo and co- References and recommended reading
workers review recent studies that led the ground to the Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of
review, have been highlighted as:
use of iNKT cell ligands as adjuvants capable of enhan-
cing dendritic cell and B cell activation. Microspheres of special interest
of outstanding interest
containing antigen and iNKT cell ligands of appropriate
strength act as effective immunogens by ensuring effec-
tive delivery of antigen and T cell help to antigen specific 1. Knobel DL, Cleaveland S, Coleman PG, Fevre EM, Meltzer MI,
B cells in vivo. Thus iNKT cell agonists represent a new Miranda ME, Shaw A, Zinsstag J, Meslin FX: Re-evaluating the
burden of rabies in Africa and Asia. Bull World Health Organ
class of adjuvants that exploits an abundant population of 2005, 83:360-368.
already activated effector T cells.
2. Buchbinder SP, Mehrotra DV, Duerr A, Fitzgerald DW, Mogg R,
Li D, Gilbert PB, Lama JR, Marmor M, Del Rio C et al.: Efficacy
Summary assessment of a cell-mediated immunity HIV-1 vaccine (the
Step Study): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled,
Rational vaccine design remains a long sought and ambi- test-of-concept trial. Lancet 2008, 372:1881-1893.
tious goal. While animal studies have been extremely
3. Rerks-Ngarm S, Pitisuttithum P, Nitayaphan S, Kaewkungwal J,
important to unravel the fundamental mechanisms that Chiu J, Rerks-Ngarm S, Pitisuttithum P, Paris R, Premsri N,
govern the immune response, we are still facing the chal- Namwat C et al.: Vaccination with ALVAC and AIDSVAX to
prevent HIV-1 infection in Thailand. N Engl J Med 2009,
lenge of understanding the human immune system in its 361:2209-2220.
complexity and genetic heterogeneity and in unraveling
4. Bejon P, Lusingu J, Olotu A, Leach A, Lievens M, Vekemans J,
the sophisticated escape mechanism used by human patho- Mshamu S, Lang T, Gould J, Dubois MC et al.: Efficacy of RTS, S/
gens. In spite of obvious limitations in human experimen- AS01E vaccine against malaria in children 5 to 17 months of
age. N Engl J Med 2008, 359:2521-2532.
tations and clinical trial, the twenty first century
vaccinologists can take advantage of new tools and exper- 5. Rosenberg SA, Restifo NP, Yang JC, Morgan RA, Dudley ME:
Adoptive cell transfer: a clinical path to effective cancer
imental approaches to identify the mechanisms of protec- immunotherapy. Nat Rev Cancer 2008, 8(April (4)):299-308
tion as well as the antigens that are target of protective Review.
responses. The formulation of these antigens together with 6. Kenter GG, Welters MJ, Valentijn AR, Lowik MJ, Berends-van der
new adjuvants capable of eliciting strong and durable Meer DM, Vloon AP, Essahsah F, Fathers LM, Offringa R,
Drijfhout JW et al.: Vaccination against HPV-16 oncoproteins
immune responses of the appropriate class will be the basis for vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. N Engl J Med 2009,
for the design of a panoply of vaccines that will be able to 361:1838-1847.
deal effectively with a variety of threats to human health. 7. Freeman GJ, Wherry EJ, Ahmed R, Sharpe AH: Reinvigorating
exhausted HIV-specific T cells via PD-1-PD-1 ligand blockade.
J Exp Med 2006, 203:2223-2227.
New adjuvants
8. Salio M, Silk JD, Cerundolo V: Recent advances in processing
The immunogenicity of vaccines can be augmented by and presentation of CD1 bound lipid antigens. Curr Opin
the addition of adjuvants that in general initiate a non- Immunol 2010, 22:81-88.