Evaluation of the immunogenicity of ALDH(high) human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cancer stem cells in vitro.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To establish the concept that the antigenicity/immunogenicity of ALDH(high) human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cancer stem cells (CSC) is distinct from that of ALDH(low) non-CSCs.

METHODS:

We generated CSC-loaded dendritic cells (DCs) to sensitize autologous peripheral blood T, B lymphocytes to react with CSCs using human HNSCC samples in vitro.

RESULTS:

From peripheral blood collected from patients with HNSCC, we obtained PBMCs. DCs generated from the PBMC and pulsed with the lysate of ALDH(high) cells isolated from cultured HNSCC cells (CSC-DC) could sensitize autologous T, B lymphocytes in vitro, which was evident by cytokine production, CTL activity, and antibody secretion of these primed T, B cells in response to ALDH(high) CSCs. In contrast, DCs pulsed with lysate of ALDH(low) cells (ALDH(low)-DC) resulted in limited sensitization/priming of autologous T, B lymphocytes to produce IFNγ, GM-CSF; lyse CSCs, and secrete IgM and IgG in response to ALDH(high) CSCs. These results demonstrated significant differences in the antigenicity/immunogenicity between ALDH(high) CSCs vs. ALDH(low) cells isolated from the tumor specimen of patients with HNSCC, which indicates the existence of unique CSC antigens in the ALDH(high) population.

CONCLUSION:

It is feasible to generate DCs from the PBMCs and isolate ALDH(high) CSCs from cultured tumor cells of the patients with HNSCC to prepare CSC-DC vaccines that can induce anti-HNSCC CSC cellular and humoral immunity, indicating its potential clinical application to treat patients with HNSCC.

• Authors: Mark E P Prince, Li Zhou, Jeffrey S Moyer, Huimin Tao, Lin Lu, John Owen, Martin Etigen, Fang Zheng, Alfred E Chang, Jianchuan Xia, Gregory Wolf, Max S Wicha, Shiang Huang, Xiubao Ren, Qiao Li
• Journal: Oral oncology (Oral Oncol) Vol. 59 Pg. 30-42 (08 2016) ISSN: 1879-0593 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 27424180 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Aldehyde Dehydrogenase

Topics

• Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (metabolism)
• B-Lymphocytes (cytology)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (immunology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Dendritic Cells (cytology)
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (immunology)
• Humans
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear
• Neoplastic Stem Cells (immunology)
• T-Lymphocytes (cytology)