Proteomimetic Polymers Trigger Potent Antigen-Specific T Cell Responses to Limit Tumor Growth

Elicitation of effective antitumor immunity following cancer vaccination requires the selective activation of distinct effector cell populations and pathways. Here we report a therapeutic approach for generating potent T cell responses using a modular vaccination platform technology capable of inducing directed immune activation, termed the Protein-like Polymer (PLP). PLPs demonstrate increased proteolytic resistance, high uptake by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), and enhanced payload-specific T cell responses. Key design parameters, namely payload linkage chemistry, degree of polymerization, and side chain composition, were varied to optimize vaccine formulations. Linking antigens to the polymer backbone using an intracellularly cleaved disulfide bond copolymerized with a diluent amount of oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) resulted in the highest payload-specific potentiation of antigen immunogenicity, enhancing dendritic cell (DC) activation and antigen-specific T cell responses. Vaccination with PLPs carrying either gp100, E7, or adpgk peptides significantly increased the survival of mice inoculated with B16F10, TC-1, or MC38 tumors, respectively, without the need for adjuvants. B16F10-bearing mice immunized with gp100-carrying PLPs showed increased antitumor CD8+ T cell immunity, suppressed tumor growth, and treatment synergy when paired with two distinct stimulator of interferon gene (STING) agonists. In a human papillomavirus-associated TC-1 model, combination therapy with PLP and 2′3′-cGAMP resulted in 40% of mice completely eliminating implanted tumors while also displaying curative protection from rechallenge, consistent with conferment of lasting immunological memory. Finally, PLPs can be stored long-term in a lyophilized state and are highly tunable, underscoring the unique properties of the platform for use as generalizable cancer vaccines.