Toward next-generation therapeutic HPV vaccines: A review on expanding the antigen repertoire and an integrated...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Vaccinology
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Therapeutic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are crucial for treating HPV-associated cancers.
• Current vaccines face limitations due to heterogeneous tumor expression of traditional E6/E7 antigens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review established and novel antigens for therapeutic HPV vaccines.
• To propose a bioinformatics-guided framework for selecting optimal tumor-specific neoantigens.
• To provide a roadmap for developing more effective next-generation HPV vaccines.

Main Methods:

• Systematic evaluation of existing HPV therapeutic antigens and vaccine platforms.
• Exploration of novel antigens, screening technologies, and vaccine innovations.
• Development of a bioinformatics framework integrating multi-omics analysis, immunogenicity prediction, and vaccine design.

Main Results:

• Assessment of key antigen selection parameters: clonality, expression level, MHC binding affinity, stability, and immunogenic potential.
• Critical evaluation of computational tools for antigen screening and selection.
• Identification of standardized criteria and optimization strategies for antigen selection.

Conclusions:

• Expanding the antigen repertoire to include tumor-specific neoantigens is essential for next-generation HPV vaccines.
• A bioinformatics-guided approach enhances the selection of potent and broadly effective therapeutic antigens.
• Standardized selection criteria will accelerate the development of successful therapeutic HPV vaccines for HPV-associated cancers.