Dendritic cells generated from patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer are not impaired in migration and T-cell stimulation.
BACKGROUND
Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccination has been investigated as immunotherapy for several types of cancer. A potential drawback to vaccination with autologous monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) could be that MoDCs from patients are functionally impaired. In case of androgen-independent prostate cancer (CaP), the cancer itself, diverse prior therapies, and the hormone manipulation may affect the immune system.


METHODS
MoDCs from patients suffering from androgen-independent CaP were generated according to a clinically applicable protocol to evaluate the phenotype, maturation capacity, migration, and T-cell stimulation of these cells compared with those generated from tumor-free donors.


RESULTS
MoDCs generated from CaP patients could be fully matured and efficiently migrated towards the chemokine CCL21. They had a strong potency to activate allogeneic CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells and to present antigens to specific CTL.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that MoDCs from patients with androgen-independent CaP are functionally intact and hence qualify as cellular vaccines for immunotherapy of advanced stage CaP.
Waeckerle-Men
Ying
Y
Research Department, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Allmen
Edith Uetz-von
EU
von Moos
Roger
R
Classon
Brendan J
BJ
Scandella
Elke
E
Schmid
Hans-Peter
HP
Ludewig
Burkhard
B
Groettrup
Marcus
M
Gillessen
Silke
S
D000368:Aged; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy
D000728:Androgens; D019496:Cancer Vaccines