Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Based Tumor Vaccines

Sloan-Kettering Institute For Cancer Res, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), composed entirely of carbon are extraordinary nanostructures wherein all the atoms are surface atoms (diameter approximately 1-2 nm by 10-1000 nm long). Only recently has there been attention paid to the feasibility of SWNTs as scaffolding materials in diagnostics and therapeutics. Due to their high aspect ratio, great flexibility and immunological stealthy nature, functionalized SWNT can be considered a promising carrier system for the delivery of candidate vaccine antigens. The use of SWNT in biological systems poses a number of challenging hurdles such as their solubility, difficulties with purification and quantitation, and their ability to interact with live cells. The specific aims within this proposal will address these issues and gain a better understanding of the interaction of the immune system with functionalized SWNT In vitro and in vivo. The preliminary data presented below suggest that MHC-associated peptides that have been covalently attached to SWNTs are able to stimulate a strong T cell response, providing the basis for which to believe that the development of a SWNT based peptide vaccine may result in activation of a long lasting cellular immune response. The development of novel vaccine strategies such as this is critical to the advancement of the next generation of immunotherapies against cancer.