Production of specific antibody and T helper 1-dominant cytokine elicited by dendritic cells genetically modified with an adenovirus vector

In this study we examined how dendritic cells (DCs) transduced with an adenovirus vector encoding a model tumor antigen (beta-galactosidase; beta-gal) would influence the humoral immune response to this antigen. Mice immunized with LacZ transduced DCs by an adenovirus vector could produce more anti-beta-gal antibody, especially of IgG2a subclass, than mice immunized with DCs alone, although the amount of serum IgG antibody did not increase. Compared with mice immunized with DCs alone, splenocytes of mice immunized with LacZ transduced DCs could produce more interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) against the beta-gal derived, H-2Ld-restricted nonapeptide (TPHPARIGL) in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that DCs transduced with an adenovirus vector encoding the model tumor antigen could induce the T helper 1 (Th1) dominant response against the model tumor antigen.