Issue December 2009

category image Volume 27
No. 3 (p 245-398)
December 2009
ISSN 0739-110

Immunoinformatics and Modeling Perspective of T Cell Epitope-Based Cancer Immunotherapy: A Holistic Picture (p. 293-306)

Cancer immunotherapy is fast gaining global attention with its unique position as a potential therapy showing promise in cancer prevention and cure. It utilizes the natural system of immunity as opposed to chemotherapy and radiotherapy that utilize chemical drugs and radiation, respectively. Cancer immunotherapy essentially involves treatment and/or prevention with vaccines in the form of peptide vaccines (T and B cell epitopes), DNA vaccines and vaccination using whole tumor cells, dendritic cells, viral vectors, antibodies and adoptive transfer of T cells to harness the body’s own immune system towards the targeting of cancer cells for destruction. Given the time, cost and labor involved in the vaccine discovery and development, researchers have evinced interest in the novel field of immunoinformatics to cut down the escalation of these critical resources. Immunoinformatics is a relatively new buzzword in the scientific circuit that is showing its potential and delivering on its promise in expediting the development of effective cancer immunotherapeutic agents. This review attempts to present a holistic picture of our race against cancer and time using the science and technology of immunoinformatics and molecular modeling in T cell epitope-based cancer immunotherapy. It also attempts to showcase some problem areas as well as novel ones waiting to be explored where development of novel immunoinformatics tools and simulations in the context of cancer immunotherapy would be highly welcome.

Seema Mishra1
Subrata Sinha2,*

1Present Address: National Institute of Biologicals,
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
A-32, Sector 62,
NOIDA, U. P., India 201307
1Department of Biochemistry,
All India Institute of Medical Sciences,
Ansari Nagar,
New Delhi, India 110029

E-mail: sub_sinha2004@yahoo.co.in

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