What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to develop a novel multi-epitope peptide vaccine to improve treatment outcomes for lung cancer.

November 25, 2025

The Article Precision Immunotherapy for NSCLC: Multi-epitope Peptide Vaccine Targeting VEGF-A, TGF-β and MAGE-A3 Increases Antitumor Key Cytokine Balance

Key Points

This research aims to develop a novel multi-epitope peptide vaccine to improve treatment outcomes for lung cancer.
Developed a multi-epitope peptide vaccine using VEGF-A, TGF-β, and MAGE-A3 markers.
Immunized BALB/c mice with the vaccine at doses of 10 and 100 mg/mL over three weeks.
Assessed cytokine gene expression levels in spleen tissue after immunization.
The vaccine significantly increased gene expression of cytokines, notably IL-6 and TNF-α.
Higher vaccine doses (100 mg/mL) resulted in more pronounced immune responses.
The vaccine shows potential as an antitumor strategy targeting cancer cells.

Abstract

Introduction: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for advancements in treatment options. Although, current standard interventions, including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are widely employed, a significant number of patients experience relapses, highlighting the critical demand for innovative therapeutic strategies. This study was conducted to develop and evaluate a novel multi-epitope peptide vaccine designed from VEGF-A, TGF-β and MAGE-A3 markers, with the aim of enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, underscoring the pressing need for more effective therapeutic interventions. Although current standard treatments—including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy—are widely utilized, a substantial proportion of patients experience disease recurrence, highlighting the necessity for innovative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we developed and evaluated a novel multi-epitope peptide vaccine constructed from VEGF-A, TGF-β, and MAGE-A3 markers, with the objective of enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Materials and Methods: Optimal epitopes from VEGF-A, TGF-β, and MAGE-A3 were systematically identified and selected, and subsequently conjugated using a KKK linker to form the final multi-epitope vaccine construct. Two groups of BALB/c mice were immunized with the peptide at concentrations of 10 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL, following an immunization protocol that included three weekly administrations. In the fourth week, spleen tissue was collected from the mice to assess the expression levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 cytokine genes, thereby enabling a comprehensive evaluation of the immunogenic and functional efficacy of the peptide vaccine. Results: Bioinformatics evaluations have revealed a promising multi-epitope peptide vaccine, SVRGKGKGQKRKRKKSKKKHHMVKISGGPHISYPPKKKRLESQQTNRRKKRALD. This peptide notably enhances the expression of key cytokine genes, including TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 among the group that received the vaccine at a dose of 10. Even more pronounced levels of gene expression were observed at the higher dose of 100. Conclusion: This multi-epitope peptide demonstrates considerable potential to elicit a robust immune response and effectively target cancer cells. We strongly recommend conducting further supplementary tests to evaluate its efficacy and possible side effects.

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