Sex and Age-Based Differences in Immune Responses to a Peptide Vaccine for Melanoma in Two Clinical Trials

Objectives: Little is known about the impact of patient age and biological sex on immune responses to melanoma vaccines, especially CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell immune responses to peptides presented by Class II MHC molecules. Methods: We assessed the impact of age and sex on CD4+ T cell and a...

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Main Authors: Serena M. Vilasi, Craig L. Slingluff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Vaccines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/2/194
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author Serena M. Vilasi
Craig L. Slingluff
author_facet Serena M. Vilasi
Craig L. Slingluff
author_sort Serena M. Vilasi
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: Little is known about the impact of patient age and biological sex on immune responses to melanoma vaccines, especially CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell immune responses to peptides presented by Class II MHC molecules. Methods: We assessed the impact of age and sex on CD4+ T cell and antibody responses to a mixture of six melanoma helper peptides (6MHP) and on CD8+ T cell responses when vaccinating with 12 class I MHC-restricted melanoma peptides (12MP) plus either 6MHP or a tetanus helper T cell peptide (Tet). We hypothesized that immune responses would be greater in men and in younger patients. Results: We found differences in immune response by sex, but they favored female patients and were only evident for helper T cell responses to Tet with a weak trend to higher T cell responses to 12MP in female patients vaccinated with 12MP + Tet. The age-based differences favored younger patients but only for immune response to 12MP when inoculated with 12MP + Tet. Conclusions: These findings reinforce the importance of assessing sex- and age-based differences in immune responses to cancer vaccines and other immune therapies. There is also a need to understand the reasons for such differences.
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spelling doaj-art-e3f4189a7d7b4233a97a7e6442dca8f42025-08-20T02:17:24ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2025-02-0113219410.3390/vaccines13020194Sex and Age-Based Differences in Immune Responses to a Peptide Vaccine for Melanoma in Two Clinical TrialsSerena M. Vilasi0Craig L. Slingluff1School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USADepartment of Surgery/Division of Surgical Oncology and the Human Immune Therapy Center, Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USAObjectives: Little is known about the impact of patient age and biological sex on immune responses to melanoma vaccines, especially CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell immune responses to peptides presented by Class II MHC molecules. Methods: We assessed the impact of age and sex on CD4+ T cell and antibody responses to a mixture of six melanoma helper peptides (6MHP) and on CD8+ T cell responses when vaccinating with 12 class I MHC-restricted melanoma peptides (12MP) plus either 6MHP or a tetanus helper T cell peptide (Tet). We hypothesized that immune responses would be greater in men and in younger patients. Results: We found differences in immune response by sex, but they favored female patients and were only evident for helper T cell responses to Tet with a weak trend to higher T cell responses to 12MP in female patients vaccinated with 12MP + Tet. The age-based differences favored younger patients but only for immune response to 12MP when inoculated with 12MP + Tet. Conclusions: These findings reinforce the importance of assessing sex- and age-based differences in immune responses to cancer vaccines and other immune therapies. There is also a need to understand the reasons for such differences.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/2/194melanoma vaccinepeptide vaccineT cell responsepatient sexpatient age
spellingShingle Serena M. Vilasi
Craig L. Slingluff
Sex and Age-Based Differences in Immune Responses to a Peptide Vaccine for Melanoma in Two Clinical Trials
Vaccines
melanoma vaccine
peptide vaccine
T cell response
patient sex
patient age
title Sex and Age-Based Differences in Immune Responses to a Peptide Vaccine for Melanoma in Two Clinical Trials
title_full Sex and Age-Based Differences in Immune Responses to a Peptide Vaccine for Melanoma in Two Clinical Trials
title_fullStr Sex and Age-Based Differences in Immune Responses to a Peptide Vaccine for Melanoma in Two Clinical Trials
title_full_unstemmed Sex and Age-Based Differences in Immune Responses to a Peptide Vaccine for Melanoma in Two Clinical Trials
title_short Sex and Age-Based Differences in Immune Responses to a Peptide Vaccine for Melanoma in Two Clinical Trials
title_sort sex and age based differences in immune responses to a peptide vaccine for melanoma in two clinical trials
topic melanoma vaccine
peptide vaccine
T cell response
patient sex
patient age
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/2/194
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