BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Dendritic cells (DCs), the strongest antigen-presenting cells (APCs), can present antigens to T lymphocytes in vivo and in vitro, and induce cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) reaction. This study was designed to investigate the killing activity of CTLs stimulated by Dcs loaded with autologous cervical cancer antigen in vitro. METHODS: Tumor antigens were made from frozen-thawed cervical cancer cells from patients after operation. DCs were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with cervical cancer, cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4), loaded with tumor antigen to prepare DC vaccine, and used to stimulate autologous T lymphocytes to prepare antigen-specific CTLs. The killing activities of CTLs on autologous cervical cancer cells and HeLa, HepG2, MCF7, A549, and MGC803 cells were observed. RESULTS: CTLs stimulated by the DC vaccine had high killing activity on autologous cervical cancer cells, with killing rates of 79.32%-89.27% which were obviously higher than that of lymphokine-activated killing cells (t> or =2.89, P<0.05). The killing activity of CTLs was significantly weaker on HeLa cells (40.35%-58.09%) than on autologous cervical cancer cells (t> or =2.97, P<0.05). The specific CTLs had no obvious killing activity on HepG2, MCF7, A549, and MGC803 cells. CONCLUSIONS: CTLs stimulated by autologous cervical cancer antigen-loaded DCs have highly efficient and specific immune activity on autologous cervical cancer cells. It may be used in biotherapy for cervical cancer.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Dendritic cells (DCs), the strongest antigen-presenting cells (APCs), can present antigens to T lymphocytes in vivo and in vitro, and induce cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) reaction. This study was designed to investigate the killing activity of CTLs stimulated by Dcs loaded with autologous cervical cancer antigen in vitro. METHODS:Tumor antigens were made from frozen-thawed cervical cancer cells from patients after operation. DCs were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with cervical cancer, cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4), loaded with tumor antigen to prepare DC vaccine, and used to stimulate autologous T lymphocytes to prepare antigen-specific CTLs. The killing activities of CTLs on autologous cervical cancer cells and HeLa, HepG2, MCF7, A549, and MGC803 cells were observed. RESULTS: CTLs stimulated by the DC vaccine had high killing activity on autologous cervical cancer cells, with killing rates of 79.32%-89.27% which were obviously higher than that of lymphokine-activated killing cells (t> or =2.89, P<0.05). The killing activity of CTLs was significantly weaker on HeLa cells (40.35%-58.09%) than on autologous cervical cancer cells (t> or =2.97, P<0.05). The specific CTLs had no obvious killing activity on HepG2, MCF7, A549, and MGC803 cells. CONCLUSIONS: CTLs stimulated by autologous cervical cancer antigen-loaded DCs have highly efficient and specific immune activity on autologous cervical cancer cells. It may be used in biotherapy for cervical cancer.