title: Recombinant IL-7 enhances the potency of GM-CSF-secreting tumor cell immunotherapy.
abstract: IL-7 is known for its role in lymphopoiesis and T-cell homeostasis. In addition, its capacity to augment the immune response to weak or low affinity antigens makes it an ideal candidate to evaluate in combination with a GM-CSF-secreting tumor cell immunotherapy, which has been shown to elicit broad humoral and cellular immune responses. The studies reported here show that IL-7, when combined with a GM-CSF-secreting tumor cell immunotherapy, significantly prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice. The enhanced anti-tumor protection correlated with an increased number of activated dendritic cells (DC) and T cells in lymphoid tissues, such as the draining lymph nodes (DLN) and spleen. Moreover, an increased number of activated effector T cells were found in the tumor microenvironment, correlating with a more potent systemic tumor-specific T-cell response than each monotherapy alone. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that IL-7 augments the anti-tumor response of a GM-CSF-secreting tumor cell immunotherapy in preclinical models.
authors.affiliation: Cell Genesys Inc., 500 Forbes Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA. betty.li@cellgenesys.com
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Melinda J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: VanRoey
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jooss
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D039521:CD11c Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002452:Cell Count; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D052118:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1 / Q000032:analysis; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016019:Survival Analysis; D058951:gp100 Melanoma Antigen
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D039521:CD11c Antigen; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; C508605:IL7 protein, human; D015851:Interleukin-7; D052118:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C548637:PMEL protein, human; C548642:Pmel protein, mouse; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D058951:gp100 Melanoma Antigen; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor