title: Characterization of primary renal carcinoma cultures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For a better understanding of the factors contributing to tumor progression in metastatic renal cell carcinoma and to identify possible targets for immunotherapeutic approaches, we characterized several primary cultures from renal cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell cultures were tested for activity of telomerase, secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines and others. The induction of cytotoxic activity against the autologous tumor was tested in a cytotoxicity assay after coculture of immunological effector cells with antigen-pulsed dendritic cells. The data were tested for influence on survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We were able to establish primary cell cultures from 58 patients with renal cell carcinoma and their metastasis. 48/58 were positive for telomerase activity and all secreted IL-6, TGF-beta, VEGF and IL-8. High TGF-beta secretion, the activity of telomerase and the induction of a telomerase-specific immune response against telomerase peptides in telomerase-positive tumors had a significant impact on survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TGF-beta secretion, activity of telomerase in telomerase-positive tumors and the ability to generate a telomerase-specific immune response might serve as a prognostic marker for RCC. New approaches might focus on attacking the TGF-beta pathway and on induction of telomerase-specific immune cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sievers
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dreimuller
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haferkamp
authors.forename: Ingo G H
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Wolf
authors.forename: Markus W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Buchler
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019098:Telomerase / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016207:Cytokines; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D019098:Telomerase