Vaccination with human amniotic epithelial cells confer effective protection in a murine model of Colon adenocarcinoma

As a prophylactic cancer vaccine, human amniotic membrane epithelial cells (hAECs) conferred effective protection in a murine model of colon cancer. The immunized mice mounted strong cross‐protective CTL and antibody responses. Tumor burden was significantly reduced in tumor‐bearing mice after immunization with hAECs. Placental cancer immunotherapy could be a promising approach for primary prevention of cancer. In spite of being the star of therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment, the results of immunotherapeutic approaches are still far from expectations. In this regard, primary prevention of cancer using prophylactic cancer vaccines has gained considerable attention. The immunologic similarities between cancer development and placentation have helped researchers to unravel molecular mechanisms responsible for carcinogenesis and to take advantage of stem cells from reproductive organs to elicit robust anti‐cancer immune responses. Here, we showed that vaccination of mice with human amniotic membrane epithelial cells (hAECs) conferred effective protection against colon cancer and led to expansion of systemic and splenic cytotoxic T cell population and induction of cross‐protective cytotoxic responses against tumor cells. Vaccinated mice mounted tumor‐specific Th1 responses and produced cross‐reactive antibodies against cell surface markers of cancer cells. Tumor burden was also significantly reduced in tumor‐bearing mice immunized with hAECs. Our findings pave the way for potential future application of hAECs as an effective prophylactic cancer vaccine. What's new? Cancer stem cells are immunologically similar to embryonic stem cells (ESCs). In particular, both express antigens that are elevated in the presence of cancer. Ethical issues surrounding the use of ESCs have motivated the search for additional cell types with similar stem properties. Our study shows, in a murine model of colon cancer, that placenta‐derived human amniotic membrane epithelial cells (hAECs) can elicit a strong anticancer immune response, effectively protecting animals against colon tumor development. In mice with tumors, hAEC treatment lessened tumor burden significantly. The findings suggest that placental cancer immunotherapy is a promising approach for cancer prevention.