We report a promising cancer vaccine candidate comprising
antigen/adjuvant-displaying
enveloped viral replica as a novel vaccine platform. The artificial
viral capsid, which consists of a self-assembled β-annulus peptide
conjugated with an HER2-derived antigenic CH401 peptide, was enveloped
within a lipid bilayer containing the lipidic adjuvant α-GalCer.
The use of an artificial viral capsid as a scaffold enabled precise
control of its size to ∼100 nm, which is generally considered
to be optimal for delivery to lymph nodes. The encapsulation of the
anionically charged capsid by a cationic lipid bilayer dramatically
improved its stability and converted its surface charge to cationic,
enhancing its uptake by dendritic cells. The developed CH401/α-GalCer-displaying
enveloped viral replica exhibited remarkable antibody-production activity.
This study represents a pioneering example of precise vaccine design
through bottom-up construction and opens new avenues for the development
of effective vaccines.