Development of a clinical grade procedure for generation of mRNA transfected dendritic cells from purified frozen CD34(+) blood progenitor cells

Enriched CD34(+) peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) are frequently used as stem cell support in cancer patients following high dose therapy. Since precursor dendritic cells (DCs) originate from haematopoietic progenitor cells, purified CD34(+) cells might also serve as starting cells for ex- vivo production of DC. In the present study we developed a clinical grade procedure for ex- vivo production of DC derived from enriched CD34(+) cells. Different concentrations of CD34(+) cells were grown in gas-permeable Teflon bags with different serum-free and serum-containing media supplemented with GM-CSF, IL-4, TNF-alpha, SCF, Flt-3L and INF-alpha. Serum-free CellGroSCGM medium for 7 days followed by CellGroDC medium in 7 days gave the same results as serum-containing medium. After incubation the cultured cells containing immature DCs were concentrated and transfected with tumour mRNA from human prostate cancer cell lines employing a highly efficient electroporation procedure. Thawed transfected DCs were able to elicit primary T-cell responses in vitro against antigens encoded by the prostate cancer mRNA as shown by ELISPOT assay using mock-transfected DCs as control. Our results show that frozen enriched CD34(+) cells can be an alternative and efficient source for production of DCs for therapeutic purpose.     

从PC-3细胞中富集前列腺癌干细胞的实验研究

目的从PC-3人前列腺癌细胞中分离并富集前列腺癌干细胞。方法体外无血清悬浮培养PC-3细胞,通过传代更新、诱导分化验证PC-3悬浮成球细胞具有强增殖性、自我更新及分化潜能,实时荧光定量核酸扩增检测系统检测CD44和CD133mRNA的表达,流式细胞术检测CD44+CD133+细胞和侧群(SP)细胞比例。结果 PC-3成球细胞可以在无血清培养液(SFM)中生存并形成可以稳定传代的悬浮细胞球。PC-3成球细胞具有自我更新和分化能力,其前列腺癌干细胞标志物CD44和CD133mRNA的相对表达量分别是PC-3贴壁细胞的41.83倍和10.48倍(P<0.05)。PC-3悬浮成球细胞中CD44+CD133+细胞比率为13.94%,SP细胞含量为3.10%,均显著高于PC-3贴壁细胞的0.77%和0(P<0.05)。结论通过无血清悬浮聚球培养可以从PC-3细胞中简便、高效地富集前列腺癌干细胞。     

Capacity of CD34+ progenitor-derived dendritic cells to distinguish between sensitizers and irritants

In an attempt to develop an in vitro test to identify contact sensitizers, mostly dendritic cells (DCs) derived from monocytes (Mo-DC) have been used. Less is known about the potency of DC derived from CD34+ progenitors (CD34-DC) for in vitro allergen testing. CD34+ progenitor derived DC were exposed to nine well-known allergens (one weak, three moderate and five strong allergens) and two irritants. Surface marker expression (CD86, CD83 and HLA-DR) and cytokine production (IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-alpha) were analyzed after 24 h exposure to these chemicals. All allergens tested induced a significant increase in at least one of the DC surface markers. In contrast, none of the irritants tested were able to significantly upregulate membrane marker expression in exposed DC. The level of upregulation of CD86, CD83 and HLA-DR was dependent on the nature and concentration of the chemical, but not on the classification of the allergen. Changes in cytokine production (IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-alpha) were not consistently related to exposure to an allergen. Based on these results, we conclude that the in vitro test using CD34-DC has the capacity to distinguish between allergens and irritants based on altered phenotypic characteristics.     

Receptor-mediated delivery of antigens to dendritic cells: anticancer applications

Recently, there has been a surge of interest in the use of ex vivo antigen-pulsed dendritic cells (DCs) in the immunotherapy for cancer. DCs are powerful adjuvants with the ability to prime naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. As antigen sources, various preparations, including peptides, proteins, crude tumor lysates, and DCs transfected or transformed with various viruses, have been used. These procedures that involve the isolation of patient DCs and reintroduction after in vitro manipulation are time-consuming and expensive. The DC populations used frequently in ex vivo clinical studies are IL-4 and GM-CSF cultured DCs that may not represent the in vivo DC populations. An attractive method of targeting in vivo DCs is to utilize various ligands or antibodies that bind discrete populations of DCs. These cell surface receptors will direct the antigen to different antigen processing pathways depending on the targeted receptor to induce cytotoxic T cell or T helper responses. This review will discuss the various approaches and receptors that have been used for antigen targeting that may eventually be translated to alternative DC-based immunotherapies.     

Effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide on phenotypic and functional maturation of dendritic cells

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on differentiation, maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro. DCs were derived from the murine bone marrow hemopoietic progenitor cells by culturing in RPMI 1640 complete medium supplemented with GM-CSF and IL-4 in the presence or absence of various concentrations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The phenotype of DCs was analyzed by flow cytometry. Mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) was employed to measure the capacity of DC to stimulate the allogeneic T cells. IL-12p70 secretion by DC was examined by ELISA. In the absence of LPS, VIP, in a dose dependent manner, up-regulated the expression of CD80, CD86, CD54 and CD40, but down-regulated the expression of MHC class II molecule (Ia(b)). In the presence of LPS, VIP also dose dependently up-regulated the expression of CD80, CD86, CD54 and CD40, and down-regulated the expression of Ia(b). The capacity to stimulate alloreactive T cells and the production of IL-12p70 by DC were significantly augmented by VIP when compared with VIP-untreated DCs. These data suggest that VIP could promote the phenotypic and functional maturation of DCs, hereby regulating the type and outcome of the conducting immune response.     

Activation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells in vitro by the biological response modifier arabinoxylan rice bran (MGN-3/Biobran)

Arabinoxylan rice bran (MGN-3/Biobran) is a potent biological response modifier (BRM) that activates natural killer (NK) cells, T cells and monocytes. Currently, little is known regarding the effects of MGN-3 on dendritic cells (DCs), the cell type that bridges innate and adaptive immunity. Therefore, we examined the stimulatory effects of MGN-3 on DCs. Human monocyte-derived DCs were treated with MGN-3 at different concentrations (5-20 microg/ml) for 24 hours in vitro. Activation of DCs was determined by assessing the expression of co-stimulatory and maturation markers (CD40, CD80, CD83, CD86 and HLA-DR) by flow cytometry, and production of cytokines by ELISA. DC function was determined by assessing their ability to activate na?ve T cells. Activation of T cells was assessed by measuring cell proliferation and cytokine production. MGN-3 treatment, in a dose-dependent manner, resulted in: 1) up-regulation of the surface expression of CD83 and CD86, on DCs; 2) an increase in the production of pro-inflammatory and immuno-regulatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, IL-12p40 and low levels of IL-12p70 and IL-2) by DCs; and 3) MGN-3 stimulated DC induced CD4+T cell proliferation and their production of cytokines, IFN-gamma, IL-10, IL-17. Results suggest that MGN-3 functions as a natural adjuvant for DC activation and thus may be used in DC-based vaccine strategies against infections and cancer.     

Platonin modulates differentiation and maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells

Platonin is a photosensitizer with NF-kappaB inhibitory activity that activates macrophages and suppresses lymphocyte response. In this study, we tested the effect of platonin on differentiation and maturation of human myeloid dendritic cells (DC) from CD14+ monocytes. Triggering of DC differentiation by GM-CSF and IL-4 resulted in typical immature DCs that were further stimulated to maturation by combination of cytokines. When platonin (2 to 50 ng/mL) was added to the culture, the resulting DCs had thicker and blunter protruding projections, lower CD83 expression, greater CD80 expression, and less stimulatory activity on allogeneic naive CD4+CD45RA+ T cells in terms of their proliferation and interferon-gamma production. This suggests that platonin redirects DC differentiation toward an intermediate stage of maturation, whereby the DCs have uniquely enhanced expression of CD80 which may confer some degree of immune tolerance.     

Dendritic cell vaccine modified by Ag85A gene enhances anti-tumor immunity against bladder cancer

The ability of dendritic cells to provide all the signals required for T-cell activation makes them an ideal cancer vaccine platform. With the use of established DC2.4 cell line, originated from C57BL/6 mice and developed by superinfecting GM-CSF transduced bone marrow cells with myc and raf oncogenes, we investigated whether the DC 2.4 cell line transfected with Ag85A gene could enhance immunity against bladder cancer. Both phenotypic and functional analyses of Ag85A-DCs were done with use of FCM and T cell proliferation test. The cytotoxicity of Ag85A-DCs loaded with tumor cell lysate was verified by LDH. Finally, the production of interferon gamma was assayed by both ELISA and FCM. The immunotherapeutic effect of DC vaccine on murine bladder cancer was assessed pharmacologically and pathologically. Our results showed that Ag85A gene transfected DCs expressed high levels of key surface markers such as CD80, CD86 and MHC-II. The CTL primed with MB49 lysate-pulsed Ag85A-DCs elicits higher activity against MB49 tumor cells and upregulated level of IFN-γ production. Furthermore, the significant inhibitive effect on tumor growth in mice was found in the group of Ag85A-DC vaccine. The infiltration of CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cell within established tumor treated by Ag85A-DC vaccine significantly increased as compared with control groups. It is therefore concluded that DCs engineered by Ag85A gene exerts enhanced anti-tumor immunity against bladder cancer and this study might provide a meaningful mode of action with the use of Ag85A engineered DC vaccination in anti-cancer immunotherapy.     

Estradiol enhances capacity of TLR-matured splenic dendritic cells to polarize CD4+ lymphocytes into IL-17/GM-CSF-producing cells in vitro

There are little data on modulatory effects of estrogens on rat dendritic cell (DC) responses to inflammatory stimuli, and consequently their ability to activate and polarize CD4+ T lymphocyte-mediated immune responses. Splenic conventional DCs from young female Albino Oxford rats were activated in vitro with LPS (TLR4 agonist) or R848 (TLR7/8 agonist) in the presence and absence of 17β-estradiol (E2), and their allostimulatory and CD4+ lymphocyte polarizing ability in mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) were studied. Irrespective of the E2 presence, LPS and R848 up-regulated the expression of MHC II on DCs, so they exhibited enhanced allostimulatory capacity in co-culture with CD4+ lymphocytes. On the other hand, E2 promoted stimulatory action of both TLRs on OX62+ DC IL-23 production, augmented their stimulatory effects on IL-6 and IL-1β production, but diminished their enhancing effects on the expression IL-10 and IL-27 by DCs. Consequently, in MLC, OX62+ DCs activated/matured in the co-presence of E2 and either LPS or R848 increased the levels of IL-17, the signature Th17 cell cytokine, when compared with those activated/matured in the absence of E2. GM-CSF levels were also increased in these MLC. Given that the expression of IL-7 mRNA was diminished in DCs activated/matured in the co-presence of E2 and TLR, this increase most likely did not reflect enhanced differentiation of Th cells producing GM-CSF only (Th-GM).ConclusionsE2 augments capacity of LPS- and R848-activated/matured DCs from young rat spleen to induce differentiation of IL-17- and GM-CSF-producing cells.     

Regulation by allergens of chemokine receptor expression on in vitro-generated dendritic cells

Immature dendritic cells (DCs) derived from CD34+ progenitor cells or peripheral monocytes, are used as in vitro sensitization models in many chemical allergen treatment studies. During the sensitization, DCs follow maturation process and gain the capacity to migrate to lymph nodes where they stimulate T cells. Chemokine receptor allows DCs to migrate along chemotactic gradients. In this work, we used immature DCs from peripheral monocytes to evaluate the influence of allergens on chemokine receptor and surface-marker expression. We tested the sensitizers dinitrochlorobenzene, Bandrowski's base, and coumarin, as well as the tolerogen dichloronitrobenzene, the irritant sodium dodecyl sulfate and the solvent dimethyl sulfoxide. All skin sensitizers up-regulated the co-stimulatory molecule CD86 and increased the CD83+ cell population. No expression of the chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR3, CCR6, or CXCR5 was observed on DCs exposed to the tested chemicals. The strong allergen dinitrochlorobenzene slightly increased CCR7 expression on DCs but down-regulated CCR1 surface expression. CCR1 down-regulation was not mediated by a classical maturation pathway, as it was unaffected by the corticosteroid dexamethasone.     

Dendritic cells maturation promoted by M1 and M4, end products of steroidal ginseng saponins metabolized in digestive tracts, drive a potent Th1 polarization

Ginseng is a medicinal herb widely used in Asian countries, and many of its pharmacological actions are attributed to the ginsenosides. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal in the initiation of T-cell-mediated immune responses, making them an attractive cellular adjuvant for use in cancer vaccines. In this study, we investigated whether M1 and M4, end products of steroidal ginseng saponins metabolized in digestive tracts, can drive DCs maturation from human monocytes in vitro. Human monocytes were cultured with GM-CSF and IL-4 for 6 days, followed by another 2 days in the presence of M1, M4 or TNF-alpha as a maturation stimulus. Stimulation with 20 microM of M1 or M4 increased expression level of CD80, CD83 and CD86 as expressed by mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) and decreased endocytic activity. M4-primed mature DCs also displayed enhanced T cells stimulatory capacity in a MLR, as measured by T cell proliferation. Mature DCs differentiated with M1 or M4 induced the differentiation of na?ve T cells towards a helper T cell type 1 (Th1) response at DC/T (1:5) cells ratio depending on IL-12 secretion. In CTL assay, the production of IFN-gamma and 51Cr release on M4-primed mature DCs was more augmented than of immature DCs or TNF-alpha-primed mature DCs. These results suggest that M4 may be used on DC-based vaccines for cancer immunotherapy.     

粒细胞集落刺激因子动员的外周血干细胞悬液诱导培养树突状细胞的研究

目的　研究粒细胞集落刺激因子 (G CSF)动员的外周血干细胞 (PBSC)悬液中单核细胞和造血干/祖细胞分别诱导培养的树突状细胞 (DC)的特性 ,探讨临床应用PBSC悬液诱导DC的前景。方法　健康供者经G CSF动员后采集PBSC ,分两种方法诱导培养树突状细胞 :①贴壁细胞 (单核细胞 )经粒—单核细胞集落刺激因子 (GM CSF) +白细胞介素 4 (IL 4 )培养 2周 ,培养结束前 4 8、2 4h分别加入肿瘤坏死因子 (TNF α)、布雷菲德菌素 (brefeldinA ,BFA ) ;②非贴壁细胞 (含CD34+细胞 ) ,加入Flt3Ligand(FL) +干细胞因子 (SCF) +GM CSF +IL 4培养 1周 ,再按前一种方法继续培养 2周。培养结束后 ,流式细胞仪分析细胞表型和胞质 (c)IL 10 +(PE标记 )、cIL 12 (P4 0 ) +(TC标记 )细胞。结果　新鲜标本含CD14 +细胞 ( 18 4± 8 6 ) % ,CD34+细胞 ( 0 9± 0 4 ) %。以PBSC悬液中的 2× 10 6单个核细胞为起始细胞 ,前一种培养方法获得 ( 1 6± 0 6 )× 10 5细胞 ,细胞表型 :CD11c+( 97 3± 5 2 ) % ,CD86 +( 88 2± 6 8) % ,CD83+( 5 9 6± 8 4 ) % ,HLA DR+( 96 5± 7 1) % ,CD1a+( 36 6±7 5 ) % ,cIL 12 (P4 0 ) +( 15 9± 5 1) % ,cIL 10 +( 1 2± 0 4 ) % ;后一种培养方法获得 ( 1 2± 0 4 )× 10 6细胞 ,细胞表型     

Immunization of retrovirus-transfected dendritic cells induces specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes for two distinct malarial peptides presented by Kd molecule

Plasmodium yoelli sporozoite surface protein 2 (pySSP2) is considered as an important antigen for protection studies in malaria vaccine development. For the liver stage protection, anti-pySSP2 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity in BALB/c mice was investigated by immunization of genetically engineered bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) expressing pySSP2 peptides. Retrovirus-transfected bone marrow cells cultured with GMCSF and IL-4 for 7 days demonstrated 70-80% of DCs with high CD11c, CD80, CD86, and MHC class I (I-Kd) expression. Dividing bone marrow cells were infected with retrovirus expressing SSP2 on fifth, sixth, and seventh days of culture by prolonged centrifugation for 1 h at 32 degrees C. Transfection efficacy of DCs was assessed using retrovirus-shuttled green fluorescence vector (pMSCV-EGFP neo). A total of 64% of CD11c positive transfected DCs showed green fluorescence. The degree of SSP2 expression in transfected DCs was assessed by immunoprecipitation with SSP2 antibody. Both SSP2 and EGFP transfected DCs had prolonged expression of the engineered gene until day 6 since the transfection. Antigen presentation to nai;ve CTLs was assessed by immunization of retrovirus-infected DCs into BALB/c mice. Kd restricted, antigen-specific two new MHC class I (I-Kd) binding motifs were identified (A and C) in pySSP2 protein. Both A and C induced peptide-specific, IFN-gamma-secreting cytolytic CTLs upon antigen recognition on target cells. Taken together, these data indicate that genetically modified DCs by prolonged centrifugation is effective in enhanced antigen presentation. Immunization of DCs encoding SSP2 gene resulted in identification of two K(d) restricted CTL epitopes and induction of IFN-gamma-secreting cytolytic CD8+ T cells.     

人脐血CD34^ 内皮祖细胞的体外分化

目的：研究人脐血CD34^ 细胞群体中内皮祖细胞在体外分化为内皮细胞的过程中,干细胞标志以及内皮细胞表型随时间的变化。方法：将免疫磁珠细胞分选法（MACS）得到的CD34^ 细胞体外培养于纤连蛋白和无纤连蛋白处理的培养皿中,以免疫细胞化学鉴定贴壁细胞的内皮标志Flk-1和vWF,并以流式细胞仪分析其干细胞标志AC133。结果：贴壁细胞的内皮标志Flk-1和vWF是逐步出现的,d3时有27.0%贴壁细胞表达Flk-1,vWF不表达,d7时已100%表达vWF和Flk-1,纤连蛋白促进贴壁细胞内皮标志Flk-1和vWF的表达,d3时的表达百分率分别为34.0%和47.0%,d7时Flk-1和vWF的表达均为100%,在培养过程中,AC133阳性细胞的比例迅速下降,但纤连蛋白对AC133的表达无显著影响。结论：在内皮祖细胞分化的过程中,干细胞标志迅速消失,向内皮细胞分化,内皮细胞的表型是逐步出现的,纤连蛋白促进内皮祖细胞的分化。     

负载抗原DC与CIK共培养对富集培养乳腺癌CTCs杀伤作用研究

[Abstract]ObjectiveTo study the kill activity of the whole tumor cell antigen (Ag) pulsed dendritic cell (DC) coculture with cytokine induced killer cell (CIK) for breast cancer circulating tumor cells (CTCs).Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from breast cancer patients with CTCs using a blood cell separator instrument. The epidermal cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM ) (+) breast cancer CTCs enriched by MACS were cultured in vitro. The nested RT-PCR, cell immunofluorescence imaging (CK8/18), and immunohistochemistry (CK8/18and CK19) methods, were used for the detection and identification of the cells. EpCAM (-) cells were routinely induced to DC and CIK, which were grouped into Ag-DC-CIK group, DC-CIK group, DC group and CIK group. The cytotoxic activity of co-cultured DC-CIK against breast cancer CTCs was detected by flow cytometry and MTT assay. The cell morphology was observed by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.ResultsThe target band of CK19mRNA can be detected by nested RT-PCR. The expressions of CK8/18and CK19of EpCAM (+) cells in vitro were positive by immunofluorescence staining and immunohis?tochemical staining. The proliferative activity of co-cultured DC-CIK was higher than that of CIK (P＜0.001). The positive rates of CD1α+, CD83+CD86+, CD83+CD11C+, CD86+CD11C+DCs and CD3+CD8+, CD3+CD56+CIKs were significantly higher in Ag- DC- CIK group than those of DC- CIK group, DC group and CIK group (P＜0.05). The apoptosis of breast cancer CTCs was induced in Ag-DC-CIK, DC-CIK and CIK3groups, and apoptotic rates were (56.83±3.07)%,(31.43±1.77)% and (24.70±1.51)%, showing significant differences between them (P＜0.05). Transmission electron microscopy showed the typical micro-structure of breast cancer CTCs induced apoptosis.ConclusionMACS in combination with cell immunological methods can improve significantly the detective sensitivity of breast cancer CTCs. The co-cultured Ag-DC-CIK is highly effective immune cells,which shows a high er proliferation and cytoxicty against breast cancer CTCs. This may be used as a clinically immunotherapy means of anti-breast cancer recurrence and metastasis.     

Clinical scale electroloading of mature dendritic cells with melanoma whole tumor cell lysate is superior to conventional lysate co-incubation in triggering robust in vitro expansion of functional antigen-specific CTL

Recent commercial approval of cancer vaccine, demonstrating statistically significant improvement in overall survival of prostate cancer patients has spurred renewed interest in active immunotherapies; specifically, strategies that lead to enhanced biological activity and robust efficacy for dendritic cell vaccines. A simple, widely used approach to generating multivalent cancer vaccines is to load tumor whole cell lysates into dendritic cells (DCs). Current DC vaccine manufacturing processes require co-incubation of tumor lysate antigens with immature DCs and their subsequent maturation. We compared electroloading of tumor cell lysates directly into mature DCs with the traditional method of lysate co-incubation with immature DCs. Electroloaded mature DCs were more potent in vitro, as judged by their ability to elicit significantly (p < 0.05) greater expansion of peptide antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells, than either lysate-electroloaded immature DCs or lysate-co-incubated immature DCs, both of which must be subsequently matured. Expanded CD8⁺ T cells were functional as judged by their ability to produce IFN-γ upon antigen-specific re-stimulation. The electroloading technology used herein is an automated, scalable, functionally closed cGMP-compliant manufacturing technology supported by a Master File at CBER, FDA and represents an opportunity for translation of enhanced potency DC vaccines at clinical/commercial scale.     

Modulation of the activity of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells by chemical haptens, a metal allergen, and a staphylococcal superantigen.

For the development of mechanistic assays in immunotoxicology, the phenotype, cytokine production, and stimulatory function of dendritic cells (DCs) were assessed after incubation with the chemical haptens aminophenol, chlorpromazine hydrochloride, dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), and with the DNCB-corresponding tolerogen DCNB, the metal allergen nickel sulfate, the irritants sodium dodecyl sulfate and benzoic acid, as well as with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). DCs were differentiated from human monocytes by in vitro exposure to GM-CSF and interleukin-4 (IL-4) for 7 days. Flow cytometric data revealed that only representative haptens increased the surface expression of HLA-DR, CD86, CD40, and of CD54 on DCs when compared to irritants or to the tolerogen. This event was associated with an increased ability of DCs to stimulate T cell proliferation. Moreover, after incubation with the haptens, but not with the irritants or the tolerogen, a higher production of TNF-alpha by DCs was observed. Under our experimental conditions, no release of IL-1beta, IL-10, or IL-12 was detected. Compared to the activation elicited by haptens, SEB strongly up-regulated HLA-DR and costimulatory molecule expression. In agreement with this effect, there was a marked release of TNF-alpha and a slight production of IL-12. IL-1beta and IL-10 were not detected in the culture medium. Finally, SEB-pulsed DCs showed a strong T-cell-stimulating activity. These data underline the activating potential of haptens versus irritants or a tolerogen on DC functions. The different levels of DC activation by haptens and SEB suggested that distinct cellular events were involved.     

Head and neck cancer triggers increased IL-6 production of CD34+ stem cells from human cord blood

BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are infiltrated by various kinds of immune cells, which show massively impaired immune functions. The influence of HNSCC on CD34 + progenitor cells from human cord blood was analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CD34+ cells were isolated from human cord blood by 'magnetic bead separation' using magnetically labelled antibodies. Immunofluorescent staining of CD34+ cells in solid HNSCC was carried out. Cytokine levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were analyzed with flow cytometry using the BD CBA Human Soluble Protein Flex Set system (Becton Dickinson). RESULTS: We demonstrated that HNSCC triggered CD34+ cells to produce increased levels of the tumor-promoting cytokine IL-6 and thus they participate in the development of the microenvironment of head and neck cancer. CONCLUSION: HNSCC modulates the cytokine secretion profile of tumor infiltrating cells to escape from efficient immune responses und to trigger its own malignant progression.     

Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy in thyroid malignancies

A new approach for anti-tumor immunotherapy is to use dendritic cells (DCs) as adjuvants in order to actively immunize cancer patients with antigens specifically expressed in tumor cells. DCs possess a unique capacity to effectively activate CD4+ T helper cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. During the last years, several clinical trials in various malignancies demonstrated that immunizations with tumor antigen pulsed DCs could break the tolerance of the immune system against antigens expressed by the tumor cells resulting in partial or complete remission in some cases. This review describes the most important findings on the interaction between DCs and T cells as well as natural killer cells and summarizes recent data on DC vaccination of endocrine and non-endocrine malignancies. The results from current pilot studies suggest that DC vaccination may represent a promising strategy for the development of an anti-cancer vaccine to treat chemotherapy and radioresistant endocrine malignancies.