title: Antigen-presenting function of human peritoneum mesothelial cells isolated from a pancreatic carcinoma patient after mutant Ras peptide vaccination.
abstract: Mesothelial cells obtained from ascites fluid of a Ras-peptide vaccinated pancreatic adenocarcinoma patient were cultured in vitro. Fresh isolated cells expressed HLA class II molecules, which were lost upon culture, but could be up-regulated after coculture with human recombinant interferon-gamma. The antigen-presenting capacity of these mesothelial cells was tested with allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in a mixed lymphocyte mesothelial cell culture and by stimulating autologous PBMC with purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Cloned T cells from the same patient allowed us to test the ability of mesothelial cells to present a mutant Ras-derived peptide to specific T cells in a DLA-DR-restricted manner. Mesothelial cells effectively stimulated allogeneic resting T lymphocytes to proliferate and presented soluble protein antigen or a mutant Ras-derived peptide to specific T cells, indicating that they display processing and presenting capabilities. Since mesothelial cells are in close anatomical relationship with intraabdominal malignancies, they may contribute to stimulation of specific T cells by endocytosing tumour-specific antigens and presenting them to T lymphocytes. This could be a possible mechanism in which mesothelial cells participate in maintaining local specific immunity in patients already primed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gjersten
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saeterdal
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beiske
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaudernack
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C501009:HRAS protein, human; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)