Phenotype, functions and fate of adoptively transferred tumor draining lymphocytes activated ex vivo in mice with an aggressive weakly immunogenic mammary carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Regression of established tumors can be induced by adoptive immunotherapy with tumor draining lymph node lymphocytes activated with bryostatin and ionomycin. We hypothesized that tumor regression is mediated by a subset of the transferred T lymphocytes, which selectively infiltrate the tumor draining lymph nodes and proliferate in vivo.


RESULTS
Adoptive transfer of B/I activated tumor draining lymphocytes induces regression of advanced 4T1 tumors, and depletion of CD8, but not CD4 T cells, abrogated tumor regression in mice. The predominant mediators of tumor regression are CD8+ and derived from CD62L- T cells. Transferred lymphocytes reached their peak concentration (10.5%) in the spleen 3 days after adoptive transfer and then rapidly declined. Adoptively transferred cells preferentially migrated to and/or proliferated in the tumor draining lymph nodes, peaking at day 5 (10.3%) and remained up to day 28. CFSE-stained cells were seen in tumors, also peaking at day 5 (2.1%). Bryostatin and ionomycin-activated cells proliferated vigorously in vivo, with 10 generations evident in the tumor draining lymph nodes on day 3. CFSE-stained cells found in the tumor draining lymph nodes on day 3 were 30% CD8+, 72% CD4+, 95% CD44+, and 39% CD69+. Pre-treatment of recipient mice with cyclophosphamide dramatically increased the number of interferon-gamma producing cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Adoptively transferred CD8+ CD62L(low) T cells are the principal mediators of tumor regression, and host T cells are not required. These cells infiltrate 4T1 tumors, track preferentially to tumor draining lymph nodes, have an activated phenotype, and proliferate in vivo. Cyclophosphamide pre-treatment augments the anti-tumor effect by increasing the proliferation of interferon-gamma producing cells in the adoptive host.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University's Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Catriona H T
CH
Miller
Laura
L
Graham
Harry D
HD
Bear
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D054713:Bryostatins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D019139:Tumor Escape
D054713:Bryostatins; D015759:Ionomycin