The systemic transfer of ex vivo-activated
tumor-sensitized T lymphocytes can mediate immunologically specific regression of established
tumors. However, it has not been conclusively established whether the infiltration of systemically transferred T cells into
metastases is required for their effector function. In this study, T cells from lymph nodes draining the murine
fibrosarcoma MCA 205 cells were activated ex vivo with anti-CD3
monoclonal antibody and
interleukin-2. During the final 24 h of culture, the T cells were treated with
pertussis toxin (PTX) to inhibit signaling through
G protein-coupled
chemokine receptors required for diapedesis. Systemically transferred PTX-treated cells did not have any therapeutic efficacy against 3-day established pulmonary
metastases. This lack of efficacy correlated with their failure to infiltrate the
tumor parenchyma. However, PTX-treated cells responded to
tumor antigen stimulation with IFN-gamma secretion in vitro. More importantly, PTX-treated effector T cells prevented
tumor growth when they were admixed with
tumor cells and inoculated s.c. These results demonstrate that systemically transferred
tumor-reactive T lymphocytes need to infiltrate the
tumor parenchyma through the endothelium to initiate
tumor regression, but PTX-sensitive
proteins are not required for either
antigen recognition or effector functions.