四硫化四砷对人宫颈癌细胞Hela环氧合酶表达和PGE2产生的影响

目的研究中药雄黄主要成分四硫化四砷（As4S4）对子宫颈癌细胞Hela增殖和凋亡作用的影响及其作用机制。方法以不同浓度（7．5、15、30、60mg／L）的As4S4对Hela细胞分别处理不同的时间（12、24、36、48、60h），用四甲基偶氮唑蓝（MTY）法测定细胞增殖反应；流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡率；Western blot检测环氧合酶-2（COX-2）蛋白的表达；用放射免疫法检测细胞PGE2释放水平。结果As4S4对Hela细胞增殖有明显的抑制作用（P〈0．01），并呈明显的时效和量效关系，作用24h时IC50的As4S4作用浓度为30ms／L。As4S4可诱导Hela细胞凋亡，与对照组相比，差异有极显著意义（P〈0．01），并呈浓度依赖性。As4S4可明显抑制Hela细胞COX-2的表达（P〈0．05），随着As4S4浓度的增加，其COX-2蛋白表达水平逐渐降低。不同浓度As4S4作用24h，可明显抑制Hela细胞PGE2的分泌水平，与对照组比较差异有极显著意义（P〈0．01）。结论As4S4对Hela细胞增殖具有抑制作用，可促进细胞凋亡，其作用机制可能与抑制细胞COX-2表达和PGE2分泌水平有关。     

脂氧合酶抑制剂NDGA对胰腺癌细胞PCNA-1增殖和凋亡的影响

目的：探讨脂氧合酶抑制剂NDGA对人胰腺癌细胞株PCNA-1生长抑制、诱导凋亡及其对bcl-2、bax表达的影响。方法：采用MTT法检测NDGA对胰腺癌细胞株PCNA-1增殖活性的影响,流式细胞术检测NDGA处理的胰腺癌细胞株PCNA-1的细胞周期及凋亡相关蛋白bcl-2、bax的表达。结果：NDGA抑制胰腺癌细胞株PCNA-1的增殖活性,呈剂量依赖效应关系;细胞经100μmol／L的NDGA处理后G0／G1期细胞减少（P〈0．05）、S期细胞增多（P〈0．05）,G2／M期细胞无明显变化;细胞经100μmol／L的NDGA处理48h后bcl-2蛋白与对照组相比表达下调（P〈0．01）、bax蛋白与对照组相比表达上调（P〈0．01）。结论：NDGA对胰腺癌细胞株PCNA-1有抑制增殖、诱导其凋亡作用,诱导细胞凋亡的机制可能与细胞凋亡相关基因bcl-2表达下调、bax表达上调有关。     

环氧合酶-2抑制剂尼美舒利对白血病HL-60细胞增殖的抑制作用

 目的　探讨选择性环氧合酶-2（COX-2）抑制剂尼美舒利对人类急性髓系白血病HL-60细胞的增殖抑制作用。方法　以不同浓度的尼美舒利体外处理HL-60细胞,采用CCK-8、流式细胞术、Western blotting、ELISA等方法,检测尼美舒利对HL-60细胞增殖的作用及对细胞凋亡、细胞周期、COX-2、前列腺素E2（PGE2）、Bax、bcl-2、c-myc的影响。结果　尼美舒利对HL-60细胞增殖的抑制呈剂量、时间依赖性,可诱导细胞凋亡,将细胞周期阻滞于G0～G1期。尼美舒利作用HL-60细胞48 h后,细胞COX-2表达下调,100、200、400 μmol／L尼美舒利处理组与对照组HL-60细胞总凋亡率分别为（24.97±6.36）%、（34.22±5.76）%、（44.59±6.69）%及（4.11±1.26）%,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。HL-60细胞合成PGE2减少,同时bcl-2、c-myc蛋白表达明显减少,Bax蛋白表达明显上调。结论　尼美舒利可抑制HL-60细胞增殖,诱导细胞凋亡,其作用与抑制COX-2表达,减少PGE2合成,阻滞细胞周期和调节凋亡相关蛋白bcl-2、c-myc、Bax的表达等有关。     

尼美舒利对不同COX-2表达水平的食管鳞癌细胞的抑制作用

目的：比较选择性环氧合酶-2（COX-2）抑制剂尼美舒利对不同COX-2表达水平的食管鳞癌细胞的抑制作用。方法：选取食管鳞癌细胞株EC 109、KYSE 150和TE-1,采用Western blot方法测定COX-2蛋白表达、MTT法检测细胞增殖抑制,流式细胞术检测细胞周期和细胞凋亡,观察尼美舒利对各组细胞的增殖抑制和促凋亡作用。结果：COX-2蛋白在EC 109细胞中呈高表达,KYSE 150细胞中呈中等度表达,TE-1细胞不表达COX-2蛋白。尼美舒利在50μmol/L-400μmol/L浓度区间可抑制EC 109、KYSE 150细胞的增殖（P〈0.05）,并呈剂量依赖性,在400μmol/L时对TE-1细胞有抑制作用。EC 109细胞尼美舒利的IC50值最低,KYSE150次之,TE-1最高。尼美舒利可使EC 109和KYSE 150的细胞周期阻滞于G0/G1期,并诱导细胞凋亡,但对TE-1细胞无上述作用。结论：尼美舒利对表达COX-2的食管鳞癌细胞有较好的增殖抑制和促凋亡作用。     

香加皮杠柳苷对人食管癌细胞TE-13生长抑制作用

目的：分析中药香加皮醇提物杠柳苷（periplocin from cortex periplocae，CPP）对食管癌细胞株TE-13的生长抑制作用，探讨其诱导细胞周期阻滞的机制。方法：应用MTr法检测CPP对TE-13细胞的抑制作用；Gimsa染色法分析TE-13细胞的形态学变化；FCM法检测细胞周期分布和凋亡率；Western印迹法检测TE-13细胞经药物处理前后细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶CDK4、CDK2蛋白表达的变化。结果：CPP对TE-13细胞增殖具有明显的抑制作用（P〈0．01），并呈时间和浓度依赖性，药物浓度越大，作用时间越长，抑制效应越强，CPP作用48h时，对TE-13细胞的半数抑制浓度（IC50）为0．61μg／mL。经2μg／mL的CPP作用48h后，TE-13细胞发生明显的凋亡形态学变化；G0／G1期细胞明显增多（P〈0．01），S期细胞明显减少（P〈0．01），G2／M期细胞没有明显变化（P〉0．05）。不同浓度CPP作用48h后能降低TE-13细胞中CDK4蛋白的表达（P〈0．01），对CDK2蛋白的表达则没有明显影响（P〉0．05）。结论：CPP能显著抑制，TE-13细胞的增殖，其作用机制可能与CPP诱导细胞周期阻滞和细胞凋亡有关。     

塞来昔布诱导SGC-7901人胃癌细胞凋亡及其影响端粒酶活性的实验研究

目的探讨选择性环氧化酶-2（COX-2）抑制剂塞来昔布对SGC-7901人胃癌细胞生长、端粒酶活性，细胞凋亡及相关基因的影响，研究其抗肿瘤的作用机制。方法终浓度为100、200及300μmol／L的塞来昔布作用于SGC-7901人胃癌细胞后，采用MTT比色法测定细胞的生长抑制率，采用半定量-TRAP银染法检测端粒酶活性，流式细胞仪检测细胞周期、细胞凋亡率及bcl-2表达水平变化。结果不同浓度的塞来昔布对SGC-7901人胃癌细胞均有抑制作用，抑制率与对照组相比，差异均有显著性（P〈0．05）；流式细胞学检测到凋亡峰，细胞阻滞于G0／G1期。同时它也显著抑制胃癌细胞的端粒酶活性，其抑制作用呈时间-剂量依赖性，且端粒酶活性的降低与bcl-2表达水平下降有关。结论塞来昔布能抑制胃癌细胞的增殖，诱导细胞凋亡，降低端粒酶活性，其作用机制与bcl-2表达水平下降有关，此可能是COX-2抑制剂抗肿瘤的机制之一。     

NS398抑制肾癌细胞增殖作用的研究

目的：探讨NS398对肾癌细胞增殖作用的影响及作用机制。方法：采用人肾癌786—0细胞系进行细胞培养，将NS398分别以25、50、100、150和200μmol／L的剂量加入细胞中，应用MTT法检测细胞增殖，流式细胞仪测定细胞凋亡。应用RT—PCR和Western blot方法检测COX-2 mRNA及其蛋白的表达。结果：NS398对肾癌786—0细胞具有较强的抑制作用，且这种抑制作用随浓度和时间的增加而增大，呈浓度依赖关系；NS398作用肾癌786—0细胞24h后，在细胞周期G0／G1期前出现明显的亚二倍体凋亡峰，随着浓度升高凋亡峰亦越来越增高，P〈0．05；RT-PCR和Western blot结果表明，不同浓度NS398作用下的肾癌786～0细胞中，COX-2 mRNA及其蛋白的表达明显减弱，且呈剂量梯度下降，P〈0．05。结论：COX-2选择性抑制剂NS398通过生长抑制、诱导调亡来抑制肾癌细胞的增殖。NS398作为活疗和预防肾癌的有效药物值得进一步深入研究。     

As2O3对人膀胱癌细胞凋亡和MDR1表达及细胞周期的影响

目的：观察三氧化二砷(As2O3)对人膀胱癌细胞株BIU-87的凋亡诱导作用及对多药耐药基因(MDR1)蛋白表达、细胞周期的影响。方法：采用四氮唑蓝(MTT)法检测As2O3不同浓度、不同作用时间对BIU-87细胞的生长抑制率；流式细胞术(FCM)检测不同浓度As2O3作用72h后细胞中与凋亡有关蛋白Fas、bcl-2及MDR1蛋白表达、细胞周期变化。结果：As2O3可有效抑制BIU-87细胞的生长增殖，与浓度、时间相关，P＜0．05；Fas、bcl-2的表达分别与浓度增高呈正、负相关，P＜0．05，且二者随浓度增高呈负相关，P＜0．05；MDR1蛋白表达与对照组相比As2O3 1 μmol／L作用后升高，P＜0．05，2、5 μmol／L作用后降低，P＜0．05；随As2O3浓度升高，细胞周期被阻滞在G0／G1期。结论：As2O3可有效抑制人膀胱癌细胞的生长增殖，诱导细胞凋亡及阻滞细胞周期可能起了重要作用。     

熊果酸抑制胃癌细胞SGC7901增殖和诱导细胞凋亡的机制

背景与目的:研究表明熊果酸(ursolicacid,UA)可抑制多种肿瘤细胞的增殖并诱导凋亡,但目前有关UA作用于胃癌细胞的报道较为少见。环氧合酶-2(cyclooxygenase-2,COX-2)在多种癌前病变及癌组织中高表达。本研究旨在探讨熊果酸抑制人胃癌细胞SGC7901增殖和诱导凋亡的机制。方法:MTT法检测0、10、20、30、40!mol/LUA作用不同时间对SGC7901细胞增殖的影响;荧光染料Hoechst33258染色观察不同浓度UA作用24h细胞凋亡情况;流式细胞仪检测细胞周期变化及凋亡率;Westernblot法检测COX-2蛋白以及凋亡相关蛋白Bcl-2、Bax表达。放射免疫分析法测定COX-2催化产物前列腺素E2(prostaglandinE2,PGE2)。结果:20～40!mol/LUA可抑制SGC7901细胞的增殖,并呈浓度和时间依赖性,作用12、24、36、48h的半数抑制浓度(IC50)分别为(57.50±1.18)!mol/L、(34.28±2.05)!mol/L、(27.54±1.11)!mol/L、(24.83±1.02)!mol/L;20～40!mol/LUA作用24h后,SGC7901细胞被阻滞于G0/G1期,细胞凋亡率分别为(9.10±2.39)%、(26.30±1.25)%、(35.20±2.26)%;同时COX-2蛋白表达及其催化生成产物PGE2浓度下降,凋亡相关蛋白Bcl-2表达减少,Bax无明显变化。结论:熊果酸对SGC7901细胞具有增殖抑制及诱导凋亡作用,其机制可能与阻滞细胞周期、抑制COX-2表达进而减少PGE2生成以及下调凋亡相关蛋白Bcl-2表达有关。     

热疗联合足叶乙甙对K562 体外抑制效应及bcl-2 的表达

 目的 观察热疗联合足叶乙甙增强对K562的体外增殖的抑制作用及对其凋亡、bcl-2表达的影响。方法 采用MTT法测定确定VP16的工作浓度，以该浓度进行化疗或与热疗的联合，选择温度40℃、42℃，体外作用于K562。48小时及作用前均采用台盼蓝拒染法检测肿瘤细胞的存活率；MTT法检测对肿瘤细胞增殖的抑制作用；流式细胞仪检测作用后肿瘤细胞的凋亡及bcl-2的表达。观察热疗联合足叶乙甙的抗肿瘤作用。结果 以作用48小时IC50的值作为实验的工作浓度。单纯40℃、42℃热疗60分钟在48小时对K562细胞系有抑制作用（P〈0．01），并随温度增高而增强；单纯化疗对K562细胞系也有明显抑制作用（P〈0．01）；热化疗组在40℃、42℃温度下，对K562均有显著的抑制作用（P〈0．01），随着温度的增高而增强。热疗组、化疗组、热化疗组细胞凋亡率均较对照组显著升高，各组之间均有显著性差异（P〈0．01）；bcl-2蛋白的表达下降，各组之间也有显著性差异（P〈0．01）。结论 热疗联合足叶乙甙能增强对K562细胞的体外抑制作用；热化疗联合应用可以提高肿瘤细胞的凋亡率，下调bcl-2的表达。     

Sialyl Tn‐expressing bladder cancer cells induce a tolerogenic phenotype in innate and adaptive immune cells

Despite the wide acceptance that glycans are centrally implicated in immunity, exactly how they contribute to the tilt immune response remains poorly defined. In this study, we sought to evaluate the impact of the malignant phenotype‐associated glycan, sialyl‐Tn (STn) in the function of the key orchestrators of the immune response, the dendritic cells (DCs). In high grade bladder cancer tissue, the STn antigen is significantly overexpressed and correlated with the increased expression of ST6GALNAC1 sialyltransferase. Bladder cancer tissue presenting elevated expression of ST6GALNAC1 showed a correlation with increased expression of CD1a, a marker for bladder immature DCs and showed concomitant low levels of Th1‐inducing cytokines IL‐12 and TNF‐α. In vitro, human DCs co‐incubated with STn+ bladder cancer cells, had an immature phenotype (MHC‐II^low, CD80^low and CD86^low) and were unresponsive to further maturation stimuli. When contacting with STn⁺ cancer cells, DCs expressed significantly less IL‐12 and TNF‐α. Consistent with a tolerogenic DC profile, T cells that were primed by DCs pulsed with antigens derived from STn⁺ cancer cells were not activated and showed a FoxP3^high IFN‐γ^low phenotype. Blockade of STn antigens and of STn⁺ glycoprotein, CD44 and MUC1, in STn⁺ cancer cells was able to lower the induction of tolerance and DCs become more mature.Overall, our data suggest that STn‐expressing cancer cells impair DC maturation and endow DCs with a tolerogenic function, limiting their capacity to trigger protective anti‐tumour T cell responses. STn antigens and, in particular, STn⁺ glycoproteins are potential targets for circumventing tumour‐induced tolerogenic mechanisms.     

Mammosphere cells from high-passage MCF7 cell line show variable loss of tumorigenicity and radioresistance

Mammosphere culture of cancer cell lines is an important approach used for enrichment of stem-like cancer cells (SLCs), but over-subcultured cell lines have been experimentally shown to change properties over time. It remains unclear if mammosphere cells (MSs) derived from high-passage cancer cell lines retain the tumorigenicity and radioresistance seen in MSs from primary or low-passage cell lines. In this study, we report that mammospheres derived from MCF-7 sublines after different passage numbers were consistently enriched for CD44⁺/CD24^−/low cells but were not consistently enriched for tumorigenic and radioresistant cells. The tumorigenicity and radioresistance of MSs were associated with their sphere-forming ability, proliferation ability in vitro, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The radioresistant MSs showed significant cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase after X-ray irradiation and expressed higher ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) mRNA levels. These results suggest that MSs from high-passage cancer cell lines were not consistently enriched for stem-like cancer cells with higher tumorigenicity and enhanced radioresistance.     

凋亡肿瘤细胞致敏的树突状细胞疫苗治疗肺癌的实验研究

目的：用凋亡肿瘤细胞致敏的树突状细胞（dendritic cells，DCs）激发肿瘤抗原特异性的细胞毒T细胞（cytotoxic T lymphocytes，CTL）活性，观察其体内外抗肺癌的特性。方法：常规方法从健康人外周血单个核细胞中诱导DCs，采用或不采用凋亡肿瘤细胞负载DCs，并利用激发型CD40单克隆抗体（CD40mAb）诱导DCs成熟；成熟DCs与自体T细胞共育，分别获得Ag-CTL及non-Ag-CTL，流式细胞仪检测Ag-CTL细胞表型的变化；^3H-TdR掺入法测定DNA片段形成率；建立人肺癌细胞株A549荷瘤裸鼠模型，过继回输Ag-CTL和non-Ag-CTL，评价其在体内的抗肿瘤活性。结果：CD40mAb激发可使DCs上调CD1a、CD80、CD86、CD83、HLR-DR的表达；凋亡肿瘤细胞负载联合CD40mAb激发可进一步促进DCs的成熟；成熟DCs和自体的T细胞共育活化后CD8^＋T细胞明显上调；Ag—CTL对A549具有高效特异的杀伤力，明显强干Ag-CTL对肝癌细胞株HepG2的作用（P〈0．01），且Ag-CTL对A549的杀伤力明显强于non—Ag-CTL（P〈0．01），而non-Ag-CTL对A549及HepG2细胞的杀伤力无显著性差异；体内实验表明，Ag-CTL可有效抑制裸鼠皮下移植瘤的生长，与生理盐水组（NS组）、non-Ag-CTL组相比在统计学意义上有显著差异（P〈0．05），non-Ag-CTL组与NS组相比在统计学意义上有差异（P〈0．05）。结论：凋亡肿瘤细胞致敏的树突状细胞疫苗激发的Ag—CTL在体内外均呈现抑制肺癌细胞的特性。     

外周T细胞淋巴瘤与自然杀伤细胞淋巴瘤

外周T细胞与自然杀伤(NK)细胞密切相关,并且具有部分相同的免疫表型和功能特性.外周T和NK细胞淋巴瘤异质性显著,分型复杂,目前大多尚未发现特有的分子表现.但随着分子技术的应用,对血管免疫母细胞T细胞淋巴瘤与辅助T细胞的相关性、间变性大细胞淋巴瘤的基因以及靶向治疗潜在标志物等有了进一步认识.     

Pancreatic cancer stem cells – update and future perspectives

Solid tumours are the most common cancers and represent a major therapeutic challenge. The cancer stem cell hypothesis is an attractive model to explain the functional heterogeneity commonly observed in solid tumours. It proposes a hierarchical organization of tumours, in which a subpopulation of stem cell‐like cells sustains tumour growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. We will present the most recent advances in the cancer stem cell field, with particular emphasis on pancreatic cancer as one of the deadliest human tumours, and highlight open questions and caveats to be addressed in future studies. There is increasing evidence that solid tumours including pancreatic cancer are hierarchically organized and sustained by a distinct subpopulation of cancer stem cells. However, direct evidence for the validity of the cancer stem cell hypothesis in human pancreatic cancer remains controversial due to the limitations of xenograft models but supportive data are now emerging from mouse models using related or different sets of markers for the identification of murine cancer stem cells. Therefore, while the clinical relevance of cancer stem cells remains a fundamental issue for this rapidly emerging field, current findings clearly suggest that specific elimination of these cells is possible and therapeutically relevant. Targeting of signalling pathways that are of particular importance for the maintenance and the elimination of cancer stem cell as the proposed root of the tumour may lead to the development of novel treatment regimens for pancreatic cancer. Here we will review the current literature on pancreatic cancer stem cells and the future perspective of this rapidly emerging field.     

Circulating endothelial cells in oncology: pitfalls and promises

Adequate blood supply is a prerequisite in the pathogenesis of solid malignancies. As a result, depriving a tumour from its oxygen and nutrients, either by preventing the formation of new vessels, or by disrupting vessels already present in the tumour, appears to be an effective treatment modality in oncology. Given the mechanism by which these agents exert their anti-tumour activity together with the crucial role of tumour vasculature in the pathogenesis of tumours, there is a great need for markers properly reflecting its impact. Circulating endothelial cells (CEC), which are thought to derive from damaged vasculature, may be such a marker. Appropriate enumeration of these cells appears to be a technical challenge. Nevertheless, first studies using validated CEC assays have shown that CEC numbers in patients with advanced malignancies are elevated compared to healthy controls making CEC a potential tool for among other establishing prognosis and therapy-induced effects. In this review, we will address the possible clinical applications of CEC detection in oncology, as well as the pitfalls encountered in this process.     

The immunosuppressive factors IL-10, TGF-β, and VEGF do not affect the antigen-presenting function of CD40-activated B cells

Background

Progress in recent years strengthened the concept of cellular tumor vaccinations. However, a crucial barrier to successful cancer immunotherapy is tumor-mediated immunosuppression. Tumor-derived soluble factors such as IL-10, TGF-β, and VEGF suppress effector cells either directly or indirectly by disruption of dendritic cell (DC) differentiation, migration and antigen presentation. Human B cells acquire potent immunostimulatory properties when activated via CD40 and have been shown to be an alternative source of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for cellular cancer vaccines. Nevertheless, in contrast to DCs little knowledge exists about their susceptibility to tumor derived immunosuppressive factors. Thus, we assessed whether IL-10, TGF-β, or VEGF do affect key aspects of the immunostimulatory function of human CD40-activated B cells.

Methods

Cell surface expression of adhesion and costimulatory molecules and the proliferation capacity of CD40-activated B cells were compared to untreated controls by flow cytometry. Migration towards important chemokines of secondary lymph organs was measured with or without exposure to the immunosuppressive cytokines. Finally, an influence on T cell stimulation was investigated by allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions. For statistical analysis Student’s t test or two-way analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni''s post-hoc test was used to compare groups. P values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

Neither cell adhesion nor the expression of MHC class II and costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 was inhibited by addition of IL-10, TGF-β, or VEGF. Likewise, the proliferation of CD40-activated B cells was not impaired. Despite being exposed to IL-10, TGF-β, or VEGF the B cells migrated equally well as untreated controls to the chemokines SLC and SDF-1α. Most importantly, the capacity of CD40-activated B cells to stimulate CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells remained unaffected.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that key immunostimulatory functions of CD40-activated B cells are resistant to inhibition by the immunosuppressive factors IL-10, TGF-β, and VEGF. This supports considerations to use ex vivo generated CD40-activated B cells as a promising alternative or additional APC for cellular immunotherapy, especially in settings where these immunosuppressive cytokines are present in tumor environment.     

CD19+CD24hiCD38hiBregs involved in downregulate helper T cells and upregulate regulatory T cells in gastric cancer

Regulatory B cells (Bregs) play a critical role in inflammation and autoimmune disease. We characterized the role of Bregs in the progression of gastric cancer. We detected an increase in Bregs producing IL-10 both in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in gastric tumors. Multicolor flow cytometry analysis revealed that a subset of CD19⁺CD24^hiCD38^hi B cells produces IL-10. Functional studies indicated that increased Bregs do not inhibit the proliferation of CD3⁺T cells or CD4⁺ helper T cells (Th cells). However, Bregs do suppress the secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α by CD4⁺Th cells. CD19⁺CD24^hiCD38^hiBregs were also found to correlate positively with CD4⁺FoxP3⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs). Neutralization experiments showed that Bregs convert CD4⁺CD25⁻ effector T cells to CD4⁺FoxP3⁺Tregs via TGF-β1. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that increased Bregs play a immunosuppressive role in gastric cancer by inhibiting T cells cytokines as well as conversion to Tregs. These results may provide new clues about the underlying mechanisms of immune escape in gastric cancer.     

Tumour cell lysate-loaded dendritic cell vaccine induces biochemical and memory immune response in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients

Background:

Recently, we produced a tumour antigen-presenting cells (TAPCells) vaccine using a melanoma cell lysate, called TRIMEL, as an antigen source and an activation factor. Tumour antigen-presenting cells induced immunological responses and increased melanoma patient survival. Herein, we investigated the effect of TAPCells loaded with prostate cancer cell lysates (PCCL) as an antigen source, and TRIMEL as a dendritic cell (DC) activation factor; which were co-injected with the Concholepas concholepas haemocyanin (CCH) as an adjuvant on castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients.

Methods:

The lysate mix capacity, for inducing T-cell activation, was analysed by flow cytometry and Elispot. Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction against PCCL, frequency of CD8⁺ memory T cells (Tm) in blood and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in serum were measured in treated patients.

Results:

The lysate mix induced functional mature DCs that were capable of activating PCCL-specific T cells. No relevant adverse reactions were observed. Six out of 14 patients showed a significant decrease in levels of PSA. DTH⁺ patients showed a prolonged PSA doubling-time after treatment. Expansion of functional central and effector CD8⁺ Tm were detected.

Conclusion:

Treatment of CRPC patients with lysate-loaded TAPCells and CCH as an adjuvant is safe: generating biochemical and memory immune responses. However, the limited number of cases requires confirmation in a phase II clinical trial.