In vitro-activated tumor-bearing host T cells and the effectiveness of tumor vaccine immunotherapy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Vaccination during periods of lymphopenia may facilitate immune responses to weak self-antigens and enhance antitumor immunity. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of tumor vaccine immunotherapy combined with immune reconstruction using tumor-bearing host immune cells in lymphopenia, and to investigate the role of tumor-bearing host T cells activated in vitro during immunotherapy.

DESIGN AND SETTING:

Animal study conducted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2009 to January 2010.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Lymphopenia was induced by cyclophosphamide. A reconstituted immune system with different syngeneic lymphocytes was employed, including lymphocytes from naïve rats (unsensitized group), tumor-bearing rats (tumor-bearing group), and tumor-bearing rats activated in vitro (activated group). All rats were immunized with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-modified NuTu-19 ovarian cancer (GM-CSF/NuTu-19) cells. Tumor vaccine-draining lymph nodes (TVDLNs) were harvested, and then stimulated to induce effector T cells (T(E)). T(E) were then adoptively transferred to rats bearing a 3-day pre-established abdominal tumor (NuTu-19), and the survival rate was calculated.

RESULTS:

Compared with the unsensitized group, the levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) were significantly lower in the tumor-bearing group, whereas that of IL-4 were significantly higher (P<.05). The number of CD4+ T cells secreting interferon-γ and the specific cytotoxicity of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes were significantly lower (P<.05). The survival was significantly higher in the activated group compared with the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Lymphocytes from tumor-bearing rats activated in vitro can effectively reverse the immunosuppressive effects of tumor-bearing hosts.

• Authors: Qi-ling Li, Shang-feng Gao, Yun-ping Wang, Jun Ma, Cai-xia Feng, Ying Wang, Yue-ling Wang
• Journal: Annals of Saudi medicine (Ann Saudi Med) 2012 Mar-Apr Vol. 32 Issue 2 Pg. 162-8 ISSN: 0975-4466 [Electronic] Saudi Arabia
• PMID: 22366830 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cancer Vaccines
• Cytokines

Topics

• Animals
• Cancer Vaccines (immunology)
• Cytokines (immunology)
• Female
• Immunotherapy, Adoptive (methods)
• Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating (immunology)
• Lymphopenia (immunology, therapy)
• Ovarian Neoplasms (immunology, therapy)
• Rats
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)