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Updated: Aug 25, 2026
Enhancing Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Extracellular Vesicles (CAR-EV) Technology: The Future of Cancer Therapy
Published on: September 19, 2025
[Construction of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene vaccine and stable coexpression with an immune adjuvant]
Ai-Qiang Huang1, Yan-Dong Lai, Xiu-Ying Li
1Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan Medical College, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510089, PR China.
Background & Objective:
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) positive cancers are poorly responded to different kinds of treatments. Gene vaccines are promising in research of gene immunotherapy for these tumors. In this study, a CEA gene vaccine with hIL-2 as an immune adjuvant was constructed into a pVAX1 vector for synchronous expression, so as to explore experimentally a new biotherapy strategy against tumors.
Methods:
Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), CEA cDNA was obtained from a large intestine carcinoma tissue; its encoded protein was compared with the CEA presented in GenBank using the protein analysis software. The acquired CEA cDNA fragment was linked to hIL-2 cDNA via an IRES site and cloned into the pVAX1 vector. The recombinant plasmid was estimated by CEA luminometry assay and hIL-2 ELISA measurement respectively.
Results:
The nucleotide sequences of the target gene fragments of the recombinant plasmid were verified. The acquired CEA sequence is highly homologous with M29540 and M17303 (99.8%) in GenBank; and the PCR sequence of hIL-2 is coincident with the original cDNA (100%) provided. The antigenicity,membrane-spanning segments, signal cleavage sites, secondary structure and 3D structure of the acquired CEA protein were similar to the original proteins of M29540 and M17303 predicted by the protein analysis software. Results showed the recombinant could steadily express CEA antigen and hIL-2 protein synchronously in CHO cells in vitro.
Conclusion:
The CEA cDNA was obtained from the tumor tissue and the CEA gene vaccine with hIL-2 coexpression was constructed successfully. It has provided a possible method for immunotherapy against CEA positive cancers in vivo.
Insights
This study developed a novel gene vaccine targeting Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) positive cancers. The vaccine, co-expressing CEA and immune adjuvant hIL-2, shows promise for effective cancer immunotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunotherapy
- Molecular Biology
Context:
- Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) positive cancers exhibit poor response to conventional treatments.
- Gene vaccines offer a promising avenue for cancer immunotherapy research.
- Developing novel therapeutic strategies for CEA-positive tumors is crucial.
Purpose:
- To construct a CEA gene vaccine with human Interleukin-2 (hIL-2) as an immune adjuvant for synchronous expression.
- To investigate a new biotherapy strategy against CEA-positive tumors.
- To evaluate the feasibility of a co-expression vector for cancer immunotherapy.
Summary:
- CEA cDNA was isolated from colorectal cancer tissue and verified for sequence homology.
- A recombinant plasmid (pVAX1) was engineered to co-express CEA and hIL-2 via an IRES site.
- The construct demonstrated stable synchronous expression of CEA antigen and hIL-2 protein in vitro.
Impact:
- Successful construction of a CEA gene vaccine with hIL-2 co-expression.
- Provides a potential new method for in vivo immunotherapy against CEA-positive cancers.
- Advances the development of targeted cancer gene therapies.
