title: Antitumor effect of immunization with fusion of dendritic cells and hepatocellular carcinoma cells in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Important advances have made within the past few years in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, the long-term prognosis after resection of HCC remains unsatisfactory as a result of a high incidence of recurrence. This study was to investigate immunization with fusions of DCs and HCC cells against HCC tumors transplanted to mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fusion cells of dendritic cells (DCs) and H22 cells were prepared with polyethylene glycol. Expression of MHC and costimulatory molecules by dendritomas were determined by FACs. To study the antitumor immune preventitive and therapeutic effects, fusions were subcutaneously injected into naive or tumor-bearing mice; the CTL activity was assumed by the LDH method, and the expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) in tumors were assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hybridomas of DCs and H22 cells acquired both DCs and H22 cells phenotypes. Immunization of BALB/C mice with DC/H22 fusions induced protective immunity against a high dose of H22 tumor challenge. After treatment with hybridomas, the survival time of tumor-bearing mice was extended. The expression level of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma mRNA was markedly increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hybridomas of DCs and H22 cells could induce effective antitumor immune responses and may be potentially used in prevention and management of recurrence and metastasis of HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China. haozh@zju.edu.cn
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shu-Sen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Guo-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhen-Lin
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology*; D002459:Cell Fusion; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006825:Hybridomas; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D023421:Models, Animal; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured