Scaffolds for cell transplantation

1. A method of inducing an endogenous immune response to a cancer target, comprising

administering to a mammal a device comprising a scaffold composition, said scaffold composition comprising open, interconnected macropores, a recruitment composition incorporated in or on said scaffold composition, and a target antigen composition

wherein an endogenous antigen presenting cell is recruited into said device where said cell encounters said target antigen and where said cell resides until a deployment signal induces egress of said cell via said open, interconnected macropores to a lymph node tissue outside of said device, wherein the level of immune activation of said cell at egress is greater than that prior to entering said device, and wherein said recruitment composition comprises a growth factor, cytokine, or chemokine that attracts bodily cells to said device, said target antigen comprises a cancer antigen, and said deployment signal comprises a factor that induces migration of said cell, thereby stimulating an endogenous immune response to said cancer target.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cytokine comprises GM-CSF.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said macropores are aligned.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said antigen presenting cell comprises a dendritic cell.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said scaffold comprises a cancer-derived antigen.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said cancer comprises a central nervous system (CNS) cancer, a CNS germ cell tumor, a lung cancer, leukemia, multiple myeloma, renal cancer, malignant glioma, medulloblastoma, melanoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or prostate cancer.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein said cancer-derived antigen is selected from the group consisting of MAGE series of antigens, MART-1/melana, Tyrosinase, ganglioside, gp100, GD-2, O-acetylated GD-3, GM-2, MUC-1, Sos1, Protein kinase C-binding protein, Reverse transcriptase protein, AKAP protein, VRK1, KIAA1735, T7-1, T11-3, T11-9, Homo Sapiens telomerase ferment (hTRT), Cytokeratin-19 (CYFRA21-1), SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA ANTIGEN 1 (SCCA-1), (PROTEIN T4-A), SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA ANTIGEN 2 (SCCA-2), Ovarian carcinoma antigen CA125 (1A1-3B) (KIAA0049), MUCIN 1 (TUMOR-ASSOCIATED MUCIN), (CARCINOMA-ASSOCIATED MUCIN), (POLYMORPHIC EPITHELIAL MUCIN),(PEM),(PEMT),(EPISIALIN), (TUMOR-ASSOCIATED EPITHELIAL MEMBRANE ANTIGEN),(EMA),(H23AG), (PEANUT-REACTIVE URINARY MUCIN), (PUM), (BREAST CARCINOMA-ASSOCIATED ANTIGEN DF3), CTCL tumor antigen se1-1, CTCL tumor antigen se14-3, CTCL tumor antigen se20-4, CTCL tumor antigen se20-9, CTCL tumor antigen se33-1, CTCL tumor antigen se37-2, CTCL tumor antigen se57-1, CTCL tumor antigen se89-1, Prostate-specific membrane antigen, 5T4 oncofetal trophoblast glycoprotein, Orf73 Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, MAGE-C1 (cancer/testis antigen CT7), MAGE-B1 ANTIGEN (MAGE-XP ANTIGEN) (DAM10), MAGE-B2 ANTIGEN (DAM6), MAGE-2 ANTIGEN, MAGE-4a antigen, MAGE-4b antigen, Colon cancer antigen NY-CO-45, Lung cancer antigen NY-LU-12 variant A, Cancer associated surface antigen, Adenocarcinoma antigen ART1, Paraneoplastic associated brain-testis-cancer antigen (onconeuronal antigen MA2; paraneoplastic neuronal antigen), Neuro-oncological ventral antigen 2 (NOVA2), Hepatocellular carcinoma antigen gene 520, TUMOR-ASSOCIATED ANTIGEN CO-029, Tumor-associated antigen MAGE-X2, Synovial sarcoma, X breakpoint 2, Squamous cell carcinoma antigen recognized by T cell, Serologically defined colon cancer antigen 1, Serologically defined breast cancer antigen NY-BR-15, Serologically defined breast cancer antigen NY-BR-16, Chromogranin A, parathyroid secretory protein 1, DUPAN-2, CA 19-9, CA 72-4, CA 195, and Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said scaffold comprises a tumor lysate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said scaffold comprises irradiated tumor cells.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said scaffold comprises a cancer cell-surface antigen.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said scaffold comprises a viral or bacterial antigen.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said scaffold further comprises an adjuvant.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said adjuvant comprises a CpG rich oligonucleotide.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said scaffold comprises RGD-modified alginate.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cell is immunologically activated at egress compared to the level of immune activation prior to entering the device.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cell is antigen primed at egress compared to the level of priming prior to entering the device.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said scaffold comprises a hydrogel or porous polymer, said scaffold comprising a polymer or co-polymer of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, PLGA, alginate, gelatin, collagen, agarose, poly(lysine), polyhydroxybutyrate, poly-epsilon-caprolactone, polyphosphazines, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(alkylene oxide), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(allylamine), poly(acrylate), poly(4-aminomethylstyrene), pluronic polyol, polyoxamer, poly(uronic acid), poly(anhydride) or poly(vinylpyrrolidone).

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said immune cell is selected from the group consisting of a dendritic cell, macrophage, T cell, B cell, and NK cell.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein said deployment signal comprises a factor that induces migration of said cell.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein said deployment signal comprises a protein, peptide, or nucleic acid.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein said device is implanted subcutaneously into said mammal.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein said device is in the form of a bead, pellet, sheet, or disc.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein said porous polymer is produced by gas-foaming.