Enhancement of tumoricidal activity of alveolar macrophages via CD40-CD40 ligand interaction.
CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interaction was originally defined as important molecules for the development of humoral immunity. Thereafter, some investigations have focused on its essential roles for the induction of cell-mediated immunity in host defenses. Here we investigated the antitumor activity of murine alveolar macrophages through CD40-CD40L interaction. The CD40L gene was transfected into murine lung cancer cells (3LLSA), and CD40L-expressing clones (3LLSA-CD40L) were established. Stimulation of CD40 molecules on the surface of alveolar macrophages with 3LLSA-CD40L cells induced the production of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-12 and the tumoricidal activity of alveolar macrophages in the presence of interferon-gamma, which increased the surface expression of CD40 molecules on alveolar macrophages. These findings were not observed when alveolar macrophages were obtained from CD40-deficient mice. On the other hand, interleukin-6 production by alveolar macrophages did not depend on CD40-CD40L interaction. We also established a murine melanoma cell line expressing CD40L (B16 4A5-CD40L) that could induce tumoricidal activity of alveolar macrophages. Furthermore, when spleen cells were cocultivated with 3LLSA-CD40L cells, specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes for wild-type 3LLSA cells could be induced. These results suggest that CD40L gene transfer into tumor cells may induce antitumor immunity in a tumor-bearing host and may offer a new strategy for cancer gene therapy.
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
K
K
Imaizumi
T
T
Kawabe
S
S
Ichiyama
H
H
Kikutani
H
H
Yagita
K
K
Shimokata
Y
Y
Hasegawa
D000818:Animals; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000502:physiology*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000502:physiology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
D019013:CD40 Antigens; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D018664:Interleukin-12; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma