Sequential delivery of interferon-alpha gene and DCs to intracranial gliomas promotes an effective antitumor response.

Effective presentation of tumor antigens by dendritic cells (DCs) is considered to be essential for the induction of antitumor T-cell responses. Apoptotic and necrotic tumors have been noted to be a robust antigen source for DCs. Because glioma cells undergo apoptosis after transfection with the type I interferon (IFN) gene and type I IFNs promote the stimulatory activity of DCs, we hypothesized that transfection of glioma cells with type I IFN genes and provision of DCs would promote particularly effective antitumor activity by both facilitating apoptosis of glioma cells and the presentation of the glioma antigens, thereby inducing specific immune responses against glioma cells. We have previously reported the proof of this hypothesis in vitro and in a subcutaneous tumor model. Here we report an extension of this approach in intracranial (i.c.) gliomas using adenoviral IFN-alpha (Ad-IFN-alpha) vector. Mice bearing day-5 i.c. GL261 glioma received sequential intratumoral (i.t.) delivery of Ad-IFN-alpha and bone marrow-derived syngeneic DCs. This treatment prolonged survival in that nine of 17 animals survived long term (> 60 days versus 0 of 10 control animals). Specific CTL activity was demonstrated following this regimen in the cervical lymph nodes, and the therapeutic efficacy was dependent upon CD8+ cells. Furthermore, these animals were protected against subsequent re-challenge with GL261 gliomas. DCs injected i.t. survived in the tumor and migrated into cervical lymph node. In vitro migration assays revealed the ability of DCs to migrate toward the tumor, suggesting that i.t. injected DCs migrate through the glioma. Taken together, this combination of gene therapy and cellular immunotherapy may be an effective future strategy for treating human gliomas.

Aspirin inhibits in vitro maturation and in vivo immunostimulatory function of murine myeloid dendritic cells.

Aspirin is the most commonly used analgesic and antiinflammatory agent. In this study, at physiological concentrations, it profoundly inhibited CD40, CD80, CD86, and MHC class II expression on murine, GM-CSF + IL-4 stimulated, bone marrow-derived myeloid dendritic cells (DC). CD11c and MHC class I expression were unaffected. The inhibitory action was dose dependent and was evident at concentrations higher than those necessary to inhibit PG synthesis. Experiments with indomethacin revealed that the effects of aspirin on DC maturation were cyclooxygenase independent. Nuclear extracts of purified, aspirin-treated DC revealed a decreased NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity, whereas Ab supershift analysis indicated that aspirin targeted primarily NF-kappaB p50. Unexpectedly, aspirin promoted the generation of CD11c+ DC, due to apparent suppression of granulocyte development. The morphological and ultrastructural appearance of aspirin-treated cells was consistent with immaturity. Aspirin-treated DC were highly efficient at Ag capture, via both mannose receptor-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis. By contrast, they were poor stimulators of naive allogeneic T cell proliferation and induced lower levels of IL-2 in responding T cells. They also exhibited impaired IL-12 expression and did not produce IL-10 after LPS stimulation. Assessment of the in vivo function of aspirin-treated DC, pulsed with the hapten trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid, revealed an inability to induce normal cell-mediated contact hypersensitivity, despite the ability of the cells to migrate to T cell areas of draining lymphoid tissue. These data provide new insight into the immunopharmacology of aspirin and suggest a novel approach to the manipulation of DC for therapeutic application.

In vivo mapping of the vascular changes in skin burns of anaesthetised mice by fibre optic confocal imaging (FOCI).

Burns (3 mm in diameter, 50 degrees C, 20 s duration) were induced on the skin of anaesthetised hairless mice. Anaesthesia was maintained throughout all experiments. Subsurface changes in the microvasculature at the burn site were imaged confocally following i. v. injection of fluorescently labelled (FITC) dextran. Blood cells moving through dermal blood vessels were seen and recorded on video tape. Multiple adjacent 2-D confocal images of the burn site and surrounding areas were assembled and enabled microscopic vascular imaging of the whole burn area (including zones of coagulation, stasis and hyperaemia) and the surrounding normal vessels. This mapping of the burn area by fibre optic confocal imaging (FOCI) in vivo demonstrated good congruence with vascular casts (Microfil MV-120, Flow tech, USA) made at 4 h post burn. This study demonstrates the usefulness of FOCI for in vivo vascular imaging in burns.

In vivo fibre optic confocal imaging of microvasculature and nerves in the rat vas deferens and colon.

A fluorescence confocal microscopy technique was employed to obtain subsurface images of nerve and microvascular structure in the vas deferens and colon of the living rat. The use of dual labelling with vital dyes and 2-channel confocal acquisition allowed differentiation of microscopic structure at both low and higher magnification. Characteristic staining patterns of nerves and blood vessels were repeatedly obtained in each tissue, suggesting the potential of this technique for studying morphological changes associated with surgical procedures and/or models of neuronal or vascular pathology.

A study of vascular response to thermal injury on hairless mice by fibre optic confocal imaging, laser doppler flowmetry and conventional histology.

Burn injury causes vascular thrombosis and occlusion by thermal damage to the vascular network in the dermis. In this study, fibre optic confocal imaging (FOCI) and laser doppler flowmetry were used to detect changes in vascular morphology and local dermal blood flux over 4 h, in three defined zones after a thermal burn (50 degrees C, 20 s duration, 3 mm in diameter) was induced on fully anaesthetised hairless mice. FITC-dextran (i.v.) was used to enable FOCI of vascular morphology including three-dimensional imaging of the burn site and its surrounding areas. Samples of the affected areas were collected for conventional histology, including Masson's trichrome. There was vascular damage in the zone of coagulation which showed no change during the 4 h period. The zone of stasis showed an initial reduction in blood flux and confocal imaging of the area indicated significant vessel leakage during the first 2 h which later improved. The zone of hyperaemia showed an initial increase in total blood flux and confocal imaging of the area showed initial blood vessel dilatation. This study demonstrates that FOCI is a useful non-invasive tool in the assessment of vascular changes in thermal burns in vivo, and compares the findings of FOCI with those from laser doppler flowmetry and histology.

Fibre optic confocal imaging (FOCI) of keratinocytes, blood vessels and nerves in hairless mouse skin in vivo.

Fibre optic confocal imaging (FOCI) enabled subsurface fluorescence microscopy of the skin of hairless mice in vivo. Application of acridine orange enabled imaging of the layers of the epidermis. The corneocytes of the stratum corneum, the keratinocytes in the basal layers and redundant hair follicles were visualised at depths greater than 100 microm. Cellular and nuclear membranes of keratinocytes of the skin were visualised by the use of acridine orange and DIOC5(3). Imaging of the skin after injection of FITC-dextran revealed an extensive network of blood vessels with a size range up to 20 microm. Blood cells could be seen moving through dermal vessels and the blood circulation through the dermal vascular bed was video-taped. The fluorescent dye 4-di-2-ASP showed the presence of nerves fibres around the hair follicles and subsurface blood vessels. Comparison was made between images obtained in vivo using FOCI and in vitro scanning electron microscopy and conventional histology. FOCI offers the potential to study dynamic events in vivo, such as blood flow, skin growth, nerve regeneration and many pathological processes, in ways which have not previously been possible.