Dendritic cells pulsed with hsp70-peptide complexes derived from human hepatocellular carcinoma induce specific anti-tumor immune responses.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the anti-tumor effect of dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with hsp70-peptide complexes derived from human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells on human T cells.


METHODS
Hsp70-peptide complexes were purified from human HCC cells with column chromatography using ADP-agarose and DEAE-Sepharose. DCs were derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy donors in the presence of human GM-CSF and IL-4. The anti-tumor effect of DCs pulsed with hsp70-peptide complexes on human T-cell was assayed by CTL and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) tests.


RESULTS
Hsp70-peptide complexes derived from human HCC cells activated phenotypic and functional maturation of DCs. The matured DCs stimulated a high level of autologous T-cell proliferation and type I cytokine secretion, and induced HCC-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), which specifically killed HCC cells by a MHC class I restricted mechanism.


CONCLUSIONS
Hsp70-peptide complexes derived from human HCC cells can serve as a potent tumor antigen source for pulsing DCs, the pulsed DCs are very effective in activating specific T-cell responses against HCC cells.
Wang
Xian-Hua
XH
College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Qin
Yan
Y
Hu
Mei-Hao
MH
Xie
Yong
Y
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins