title: A dendritic cell based hybrid cell vaccine generated by electrofusion for immunotherapy strategies in HNSCC.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hybrid cells generated from dendritic cells (DC) and tumor cells provide tumor-associated antigens (TAA) in a polyvalent mode and therefore they have aroused interest in cancer immunotherapy. The present study was designed to investigate the hybrid cell generation and optimize its implementation for a TAA-target treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Hybrid cells from mature DC and laryngeal carcinoma cell line UTSCC-19A were generated by electrofusion. Fusion efficiency and viability were determined by flow cytometry, light and fluorescence microscopy analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gradual electrofusion process constituted real human tumor and dendritic cell hybrids characterized by polynuclear cells and double staining as a result of overlay of red (HLA-DR:R-PE) and green (HEA:FITC) fluorescence. Furthermore, analyses have proven viability of fusion results, and factors influencing fusion yield were determined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical fusion of mature dendritic cells with laryngeal carcinoma cells provides a dendritic cell based hybrid cell vaccine as a quantitative prerequisite for anti-cancer vaccination. Specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes need to be induced before hybrid cell application in clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 14, D-24105 Kiel, Germany. jweise@hno.uni-kiel.de
authors.forename: Jan Bernd
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Weise
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maune
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Görögh
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kabelitz
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Jacobus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfisterer
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hilpert
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heiser
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D002459:Cell Fusion / Q000379:methods; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines