1. Academic Validation
  2. Co-transfection of dendritic cells with AFP and IL-2 genes enhances the induction of tumor antigen-specific antitumor immunity

Co-transfection of dendritic cells with AFP and IL-2 genes enhances the induction of tumor antigen-specific antitumor immunity

  • Exp Ther Med. 2012 Oct;4(4):655-660. doi: 10.3892/etm.2012.635.
Jing-Yue Yang 1 Xiao Li Li Gao Zeng-Hui Teng Wen-Chao Liu
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Department of Clinical Oncology, State Key Discipline of Cell Biology, Xijing Hospital;
Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly efficient, specialized antigen-presenting cells and DCs transfected with tumor-related antigens are regarded as promising vaccines in Cancer Immunotherapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether DCs co-transfected with the α-fetoprotein (AFP) and human interleukin-2 (IL-2) genes were able to induce stronger therapeutic antitumor immunity in transfected DCs. In this study, DCs from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients were co-transfected with the IL-2 gene and/or the AFP gene. The reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) data revealed that the DCs transfected with the adenovirus AdAFP/IL-2 expressed AFP and IL-2. The DCs co-transfected with IL-2 and AFP (AFP/IL-2-DCs) enhanced the cytotoxicities of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and increased the production of IL-2 and interferon-γ significantly compared with their AFP-DC, green Fluorescent protein (GFP)-DC, DC or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) counterparts. In vivo data suggested that immunization with AFP-DCs enhances antigen-specific antitumor efficacy more potently than immunization with IL-2-DCs or AFP-DCs. These findings provide a potential strategy to improve the efficacy of DC-based tumor vaccines.

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