title: Local administration of dendritic cells inhibits established breast tumor growth: implications for apoptosis-inducing agents.
abstract: Dendritic cells (DCs) can efficiently acquire foreign antigen(s) from apoptotic cells and induce MHC class I-restricted, antigen-specific CTLs. An accumulation of DCs within solid tumor masses in situ has been associated indirectly with a more favorable prognosis. Therefore, DCs may offer an efficient means for triggering immune responses within tumors, particularly in those masses containing significant apoptosis. We examined whether delivery of DCs could, alone, impact on the progressive growth of a tumor with a relatively high apoptotic index. We detected significant early apoptosis within the mass of a s.c. growing murine MT-901 breast carcinoma. DCs could efficiently engulf MT-901 tumor apoptotic cells in vitro. Intratumoral injections of syngeneic but not allogeneic DCs resulted in significant inhibition of MT-901 tumor growth. Histological examination of the tumor revealed intense mononuclear cell infiltration during and after DC injections. Tumor growth inhibition was relatively radiosensitive and dependent on host-derived CD8+ T cells. The baseline level of tumor apoptosis could be increased substantially by tumor necrosis factor alpha administration, leading to a greater DC-mediated antitumor effect. The antitumor effect could also be enhanced by first pulsing DCs with the foreign helper protein, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, prior to intratumoral delivery and combining it with the systemic administration of interleukin 2. Splenocytes from treated animals showed heightened levels of specific CTL activity and production of cytokines. The level of in situ tumor apoptosis appears to play a critical role in DC-mediated antitumor effects. The potential implication of these findings in DC-based tumor therapy strategies is discussed.
authors.affiliation: The Medical School, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48103, USA.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Candido
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kunkel
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Redman
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Nickoloff
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mulé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin