LAUSR

Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of many tumors. However, most glioblastoma (GBM) patients have not, so far, benefited from such successes. With the goal of exploring ways to boost anti-GBM immunity, we developed a B-cell-based vaccine (BVax) that consists of 4-1BBL+ B cells activated with CD40 agonism and IFNg stimulation. BVaxmigrate to key secondary lymphoid organs and are proficient at antigen cross-presentation, which promotes both the survival and functionality of CD8+ T cells. A combination of radiation, BVax, and PD-L1 blockade conferred tumor eradication in 80% of treated tumor-bearing animals. This treatment elicited immunologic memory that prevented the growth of new tumors upon subsequent re-injection in cured mice. GBM patient-derived BVax were successful in activating autologous CD8+ T cells; these T cells showed a strong ability to kill autologous glioma cells. In addition to the role in activating CD8+ T cells, BVax produce tumor-specific antibodies able to control tumor growth via antibody-mediated cell cytotoxicity. In conclusion, BVax tackles GBM immunosurveillance escape by using both cellular (CD8+ T-cell activation) and humoral (anti-tumor antibody production) immunity. Our study provides an efficient alternative to current immunotherapeutic approaches that can be readily translated to the clinic.