[Anti-tumor effect of cisplatin combined with DC vaccine on tumor-bearing mice].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the anti-tumor mechanism of the combination of cisplatin with DC vaccine in tumor-bearing mice. METHODS: B16 melanoma cells were treated with cisplatin at the final concentration of 20 µg/ml in vitro for 24 h. The expression of HMGB1, Hsp70 and TGF-ß were detected by Western blot. B16 tumor-bearing mouse models were generated. The therapeutic effect of the combination of cisplatin (100 µg/mouse i.p., for sequential 3 days) and intratumoral injection of DC cells (3×10(6)/mouse, twice with a 7-day interval) in the tumor-bearing mouse models was evaluated. Expression of MHC II, ICAM-1 and CD86 was analyzed by flow cytometry. The mice were sacrificed at 28 days after tumor cell inoculation. The tumors were removed and weighed, and tissue samples were taken for pathological examination. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were isolated by discontinuous gradient centrifugation. The distribution of T-reg and CD8(+) T cells in the TIL was analyzed by flow cytometry, and the ratio of CD8(+) T/T-reg was determined. The activity of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL) was determined by microcytotoxicity assay. RESULTS: Cisplatin enhanced both the B16 cell apoptosis and HMGB1 expression. After loading with cisplatin-treated cell lysate, the expression of MHC II, ICAM-1 and CD86 on DC cells were (47.5 ± 8.8)%, (35.5 ± 8.3)% and (36.2 ± 9.2)%, respectively. At 28 days after tumor cell inoculation, the tumor weight of the control group was (2.1 ± 0.6) g, that of the cisplatin group was (0.3 ± 0.2) g and that of cisplatin + DC vaccine group was (0.5 ± 0.2) g, showing a significant inhibition of tumor growth (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the CD8(+) T/T-reg ratio and CTL activity in TIL were also significantly enhanced in the tumor-bearing mice treated with cisplatin + DC vaccine. When the effector-to-target ratio was 20:1, 10:1 and 5:1, the CTL activity in the cisplatin + DC vaccine treated mice was (25.0 ± 5.0)%, (22.0 ± 6.0)% and (14.0 ± 4.0)%, respectively, significantly higher than (8.2 ± 3.6)%, (6.7 ± 1.8)% and (3.6 ± 1.9)%, respectively, in the control group (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Cisplatin promotes the anti-tumor effect of DC vaccine by down-regulating T-reg cells and enhancing the CTL activity in tumors.

[Immunoadjuvant effect of Hsp70L1 in tumor vaccine].

AIM: To explore the immune enhancement of Hsp70L1 in the tumor cell vaccines. METHODS: TRP2(153-243) and Hsp70L1 genes were obtained by RT-PCR from B16 cells in murine melanoma and from spleens of C57BL/6 mice and then were inserted into pcDNA3.1/V5-His eukaryotic expression vectors respectively. The recombinants of pTRP2, pHSP70L1 or pTRP2-Hsp fusion gene were obtained and transfected into B16 cells respectively. TRP2(153-243), HSP70L1 or TRP2-Hsp fusion gene-expressing B16 cells were then induced to necrosis by freezing-thawing or to apoptosis by mitomycin C. C57BL/6 mice were immunized with the necrotic or apoptotic B16 cells twice, then the live B16 tumor cells were transplanted into the immunized mice and the tumor growth was observed in some tumor-bearing mice. IFN-gamma-producing cells in splenocytes were measured by flow cytometry and the CTL activity of spleno-lymphocyte was detected by LDH release assay. RESULTS: After the normal mice were immunized with the necrotic or apoptotic tumor vaccines modified with TRP2(153-243), Hsp70L1 or TRP2-Hsp fusion genes, CTL lysis activity and IFN-gamma production from the splenic lymphocytes were promoted in the groups of Hsp70L1 and TRP2-Hsp modified tumor vaccines (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Additionally, the tumor growth was inhibited obviously in the groups of mice immunized with necrotic tumor vaccines (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, no marked inhibition of tumor growth was observed in the groups of mice immunized with apoptotic tumor vaccines (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Hsp70L1 remarkably improves the immunogenicity of B16 tumor vaccines, especially that of necrotic tumor vaccines.

[Immunostimulatory and antitumor effect of Flt3L and CCL5 on DNA vaccine in DNA prime/protein boost strategy].

AIM: To investigate the immune enhancment and antitumor effect of the recombinant plasmids pFlt3L and pCCL5 in DNA prime/protein boost regimens. METHODS: The mice were coimmunized with HBcAg DNA vaccine and the two cytokines DNA constructs by intramuscular injection for three times at an interval of 2 weeks. Then the mice were boosted with HBc particle proteins or DNA vaccines, respectively. The immune efficacy was evaluated by tumor growth curve. To further investigate the mechanism of inhibiting tumor growth, lymphocytes proliferation response and the number of IFN-gamma-producing cells in splenocytes were measured by MTT or flow cytometry, respectively. The levels of IL-2 and IL-4 in supernatant of spleno-lymphocyte cultures were measured by ELISA. The CTL activity of spleno-lymphocyte was detected with LDH release assay. RESULTS: Compared with negative control, DDP/Adj group significantly inhibit tumor growth; splenocytes proliferation response and the numbers of IFN-gamma-producing cells in DDD/Adj group and DDP/Adj group were significantly higher (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The levels of IL-2 in supernatant of spleno-lymphocyte cultures in DDD/Adj group and DDP/Adj group were also markedly higher than that of negative control (P<0.05); but the levels of IL-4 were no differences in all groups (P>0.05). The CTL activities in group of DDS/Adj and DDD/Adj were stronger than that of other groups (P<0.01 or P<0.05). While, the CTL killing activity in DDS/Adj group was over that of DDD/Adj (P<0.01 or P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The significant Th1 response and specific CTL against B16-HBc tumor cells are elicited by the combination of Flt3L and CCL5 in the DNA prime/protein boost strategy.

[Establishment of B16-HLA-MAGE-3 melanoma cell line coexpressing HLA-A 0201/K(b) and MAGE-3 and its role in tumor vaccine evaluation].

AIM: To establish a tumor model in HLA-A2.1 transgenic mice to examine the efficacy of MAGE-3 vaccine, a cell line coexpressing HLA-A 0201/K(b) and MAGE-3 is established. METHODS: B16-HLA-MAGE-3 melanoma was obtained by means of cotransfection of HLA-A 0201/K(b) and MAGE-3 to B16 melanoma. RT-PCR, FCM analysis and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA or protein of HLA-A 0201/K(b) or MAGE-3 expression in B16-HLA-MAGE-3. The ability of MAGE-3 antigen to be processed and presented in the B16-HLA-MAGE-3 cell line were observed by CTL activity detection and tumor challenge test. RESULTS: Transcription and protein expression of HLA-A 0201/H-2k(b) and MAGE-3 were demonstrated in B16-HLA-MAGE-3 cells. CTL activity of splenocytes in immunized mice against B16-HLA-MAGE-3 was detected and the growth of B16-HLA-MAGE-3 in immunized mice was also inhibited. CONCLUSION: MAGE-3 antigen is able to be processed and presented efficiently by B16-HLA-MAGE-3 melanoma cells and this cell can be employed to test HLA-A2 restricted epitope immunogenicity in the A2-transgenic mice.

Expression and cell-specific localization of cholecystokinin receptors in rat lung.

AIM: To elucidate whether CCK receptors exist in lung tissues and their precise cellular localization in the lung. METHODS: CCK-AR and CCK-BR mRNA expression and cellular distribution in the rat lung were detected by highly sensitive method of in situ reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and conventional in situ hybridization. RESULTS: CCK-AR and CCK-BR gene positive signals were observed in bronchial epithelial cells, alveolar epithelial cells, pulmonary macrophages and vascular endothelial cells of the rats' lung by in situ RT-PCR. The hybridization signals of CCK-AR were relatively faint. By in situ hybridization, however, only the signals of CCK-BR but not CCK-AR were detected in the lung, and the positive staining was only found in vascular endothelial cells and macrophages. CONCLUSION: CCK-AR and CCK-BR gene were present in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells, macrophages, bronchial epithelial cells and alveolar epithelial cells, which play an important role in mediating the regulatory actions of CCK-8 on these cells.

[Studies of DNA polymorphism at D7S21 locus in Hebei Han population].

To study the polymorphism at D7S21 locus in Hebei Han population, 124 unrelated individuals were detected rapidly by Minisatellite Variant Repeat-Polymerase Chain Reaction (MVR-PCR) and polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis followed by silver staining,and digital codes were obtained. About 36 digital codes were obtained from each individual. No two unrelated individuals shared the same codes. The probability of identity in 36 digital codes was 3.48 x 10(-18). The percentage of three repeat units, a-type, t-type and 0-type was 48.5%, 49.4% and 2.1% respectively. The heterozygosity (H), excluding probability of paternity (EPP)and polymorphism information content (PIC) were 0.9876, 0.9746 and 0.9872 respectively. The results suggested that D7S21 locus has highly polymorphism in Hebei Han population. The method-polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis followed by silver staining was simple,rapid and practical.