title: Enhancement of tumor-specific T-cell responses by transcatheter arterial embolization with dendritic cell infusion for hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) destroys a tumor by the induction of necrosis and/or apoptosis and causes inflammation with cytokine production, which may favor immune activation and presentation of tumor-specific antigens. In the current study, we attempted to identify the effect of TAE on tumor-specific T-cell responses and the additional effect of dendritic cell (DC) infusion performed during TAE. The prevalence of tumor antigen-specific T cells was determined by interferon-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot analysis using alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and tumor antigen-derived peptides in 20 and 13 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received TAE and TAE with DC infusion, respectively. The increased frequency of AFP-specific T cells was observed in 6 of 20 patients after TAE. It was observed more frequently in patients with DC infusion than in those with TAE alone. However, tumor recurrence was not completely prevented in patients albeit displayed enhanced immune responses. The evidence that the enhanced immune responses were transient and attenuated within 3 months was provided in time-course analysis. In conclusion, TAE with DC infusion enhances the tumor-specific immune responses more effectively than TAE alone. Although the effect is not sufficient to prevent HCC recurrence, these results may contribute to the development of novel immunotherapeutic approach for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control and Homeostasis, Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Eishiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mizukoshi
authors.forename: Yasunari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamoto
authors.forename: Kuniaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Naofumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mukaida
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaneko
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma