Antitumoral effects of attenuated Listeria monocytogenes in a genetically engineered mouse model of melanoma

Attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm(at)-LLO) represents a valuable anticancer vaccine and drug delivery platform. Here we show that in vitro Lm(at)-LLO causes ROS production and, in turn, apoptotic killing of a wide variety of melanoma cells, irrespectively of their stage, mutational status, sensitivity to BRAF inhibitors or degree of stemness. We also show that, when administered in the therapeutic setting to Braf/Pten genetically engineered mice, Lm(at)-LLO causes a strong decrease in the size and volume of primary melanoma tumors, as well as a reduction of the metastatic burden. At the molecular level, we confirm that the anti-melanoma activity exerted in vivo by Lm(at)-LLO depends also on its ability to potentiate the immune response of the organism against the infected tumor. Our data pave the way to the preclinical testing of listeria-based immunotherapeutic strategies against metastatic melanoma, using a genetically engineered mouse rather than xenograft models.