title: Improvement of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response against hepatocellular carcinoma by transduction of cancer cells with an adeno-associated virus carrying the interferon-γ gene.
abstract: Dendritic cell (DC)-based antigen-targeted immunotherapy may offer effective adjuvant therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in which cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are key. However, in a number of cases, the activity of CTLs is completely inhibited due to the downregulated expression of major human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules by HCC cells. The aim of the present study was to overcome this issue. Hep3B cells were transduced by HCC‑specific recombinant adeno‑associated virus (rAAV) carrying human α‑fetoprotein promoter (AFPp) and the interferon‑γ (IFN‑γ) gene (rAAV/AFPp‑IFN‑γ). rAAV carrying the cytomegalovirus promoter (CMVp) and human α‑fetoprotein (AFP) gene (rAAV/CMVp‑AFP) was used to transduce professional antigen‑presenting DCs for the purpose of stimulating a CTL response. It was observed that transduction of DCs with rAAV/CMVp‑AFP resulted in: (i) AFP and interleukin‑12 expression; (ii) high expression levels of cluster of differentiation (CD)80, CD83, CD86, CD40, HLA‑death receptor and CD1a; (iii) T cell populations with marked IFN‑γ expression; (iv) a high percentage of CD69+/CD8+ T cells; and (v) the activity of CTLs against HLA‑A2‑expressing Hep3B cells. The transduction of Hep3B cells with rAAV/AFPp‑IFN‑γ resulted in: (i) IFN‑γ expression; (ii) upregulated expression of HLA‑A2; and (iii) an improved CTL response against HLA‑A2‑deficient Hep3B cells. rAAV/CMVp‑AFP‑transduced DCs elicited an AFP‑specific and HLA‑class I‑restricted CTL response against Hep3B cells. In conclusion, it was shown that the transduction of Hep3B with rAAV/AFPp-IFN-γ upregulated the expression of HLA-A2 and improved the sensitivity to CTL response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaonan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C097353:AFP protein, human; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma