title: Immunotherapy using allogeneic squamous cell tumor-dendritic cell fusion hybrids.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are known to be immunotherapy targets; thus tumor-sharing TAA may be used as a fusion hybrid partner to confer protection against subsequent tumor challenge.
  
  
  METHODS
  The squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), SCCVII and B4B8, were used in C3H/HEN mice: SCCVII (H-2(k)) is syngeneic, B4B8 (H-2(d)) is allogeneic. Experiments using tumor alone included hyperimmunization schedule, subdermal and intranodal routes. Mice were challenged 2 weeks later. Fusion hybrids were created from both SCC tumor cell lines and syngeneic dendritic cells (DCs). These were delivered intranodally for immunization, and mice were challenged with tumor 2 weeks later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only syngeneic tumor given subdermally was able to protect after tumor challenge 2 weeks later. Hyperimmunization schedule did not alter these findings. However, fusion hybrid immunization from both allogeneic and syngeneic SCCs conferred protection after tumor challenge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allogeneic tumor-DC fusion hybrids targeting TAA can protect against subsequent tumor challenge.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. walter.lee@duke.edu
authors.forename: Walter T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chunrui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koski
authors.forename: Suyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D002459:Cell Fusion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004586:Electrophoresis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D011897:Random Allocation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18