Chemo-immunotherapy of breast cancer using vesiculated α-tocopheryl succinate in combination with dendritic cell vaccination

Abstract: In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of vesiculated α-tocopheryl succinate (Vα-TOS) in combination with non-antigen pulsed, nonmatured dendritic cells (nmDC) to treat pre-established tumors of the highly metastatic murine mammary cancer cell line 4T1. We demonstrated that Vα-TOS in combination with non-antigen pulsed nmDC significantly inhibits the growth of established tumors in vivo and prolongs survival of treated mice. In addition, when initiated after resection of the established primary tumor, the combination treatment dramatically inhibits residual metastatic disease. The clinical response achieved with the combination therapy was correlated with increased interferon-γ and interleukin-4 (IL-4) production by splenic lymphocytes and draining lymph node cells. Interestingly, when used in combination with Vα-TOS, nmDC were as effective as tumor necrosis factor-α matured DC at inhibiting the growth of pre-established tumors. Vα-TOS-induced cellular factors collected by high-speed centrifug...