title: Use of a skin test assay to determine tumor-specific CD8+ T cell reactivity.
abstract: We have observed delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions in immunized mice challenged subcutaneously with class I-binding peptides related to rejection antigens recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes on mutagenized (tum-) variants of mastocytoma P815. As observed by skin test in virally infected mice challenged with viral peptides, the intrafootpad injection of tum- peptides resulted in a dose-dependent DTH that peaked at approximately 24 h. The response was mediated by CD8+ cells and could be induced by previous vaccination of mice with live tumor cells, intrasplenic deposition of the eliciting peptide, or adoptive transfer with peptide-pulsed syngeneic dendritic cells. These sensitization procedures resulted in an immunologically specific footpad reaction detectable for up to 2-6 months after priming. The evaluation by DTH in cancer patients of long-lived CD8+ anti-tumor T cell responses following local challenge with tumor-specific peptides may be of great interest in human immunotherapy trials involving immunization against identified tumor antigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puccetti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fioretti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ayroldi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uyttenhove
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Pel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grohmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000502:physiology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D010455:Peptides