title: [Experimental study on cetuximab and dendritic cells killing head and neck squamous cell].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This research aims to investaigate the effect of cetuximab and dendritic cells (DCs) to kill the head and neck squamous cell (HNSCC), in order to provide a new way for the patients of HNSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  DCs were induced from peripheral blood monocytes by rhIL-4, rhGM-CSF and TNF-alpha in vitro, 7days later, detecting the surface marks of DCs for example CD83, CD86, and then using MTT and flow cytometry detecting the effect T lymphocytes induced by DCs combining cetuximab to kill HNSCC; EGFR and pEGFR in each group were anlysised by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It is successful to induce DCs in vitro. Mature DCs (mDCs) expressed the suface mark such as CD83, CD86 higher compared with immature DCs (imDCs). Compared with other groups, cetuximab combined with DCs significantly enhanced the cytotoxicty and apoptosis to HNSCC (P < 0.05). pEGFR were gradually reduced as the concenetration of cetuximab increasing (P < 0.05). However, comparing with the group of cetuximab, the group of cetuximab combined with DC has no significant difference at the same concentration of cetuximab. In each group EGFR also has no significant diference (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cetuximab and DCs have synergistic effects, which can significantly enhance the killing effect of HNSCC.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xuefeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D000068818:Cetuximab; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068818:Cetuximab