%0 Journal Article %J Nat Commun %D 2015 %T Injectable cryogel-based whole-cell cancer vaccines %A Bencherif, Sidi A %A Warren Sands, R %A Ali, Omar A %A Li, Weiwei A %A Lewin, Sarah A %A Braschler, Thomas M %A Shih, Ting-Yu %A Verbeke, Catia S %A Bhatta, Deen %A Dranoff, Glenn %A Mooney, David J %K Animals %K Cancer Vaccines %K Cryogels %K Dendritic Cells %K Female %K Melanoma %K Mice %K Mice, Inbred BALB C %K Mice, Inbred C57BL %K Neoplasms, Experimental %K T-Lymphocytes %X A biomaterial-based vaccination system that uses minimal extracorporeal manipulation could provide in situ enhancement of dendritic cell (DC) numbers, a physical space where DCs interface with transplanted tumour cells, and an immunogenic context. Here we encapsulate GM-CSF, serving as a DC enhancement factor, and CpG ODN, serving as a DC activating factor, into sponge-like macroporous cryogels. These cryogels are injected subcutaneously into mice to localize transplanted tumour cells and deliver immunomodulatory factors in a controlled spatio-temporal manner. These vaccines elicit local infiltrates composed of conventional and plasmacytoid DCs, with the subsequent induction of potent, durable and specific anti-tumour T-cell responses in a melanoma model. These cryogels can be delivered in a minimally invasive manner, bypass the need for genetic modification of transplanted cancer cells and provide sustained release of immunomodulators. Altogether, these findings indicate the potential for cryogels to serve as a platform for cancer cell vaccinations. %B Nat Commun %V 6 %P 7556 %8 2015 Aug 12 %G eng %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26265369?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1038/ncomms8556