Inhibitory and immunological effects induced by the combination of photodynamic therapy and dendritic cells on mouse transplanted hepatoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-tumor and immune efficacy of photodynamic immune-therapy (PIT), the combination of photodynamic therapy and dendritic cells (DC), on murine Heps hepatoma. METHODS: DCs were derived from syngeneic mouse bone marrow and then labeled with DAPI in vitro. The hepatoma model was established by subcutaneous inoculation with Heps cells in one hundred and twenty-eight mice. They were then divided into four groups at random: control group, PDT group, DC group and PIT group. Tumors in the control group were injected with normal saline. Mice in the PDT group were injected with the photosensitizer Deuteporfin 24 h before irradiation. Mice in the DC group were injected with DAPI labeled dendritic cells intratumorally. Mice in the PIT group were further given an injection of DCs after photoirradiation. Tumor growth and survival time were recorded after treatment. Fluorescence of tumor draining lymph nodes was evaluated under fluorescence microscope. Cytotoxic activity of splenocytes was tested by standard lactate dehydrogenase (lactate dehydrogenase, LDH) release assay. RESULTS: (1) Tumor growth was significantly slowed down in the PDT and PIT group compared to the control group (P<0.01). (2) The mean survival time was significantly prolonged in the PDT and PIT group. (3) The number of fluorescent cells in the draining lymph nodes from DC group was higher than that of the PIT group. (4) The anti-tumor activity of splenocytes in the PDT and PIT group was significantly higher than that of the DC and control groups (P<0.01, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that PDT can inhibit tumor growth and induce anti-tumour immune response. The combination of PDT induced by Deuteporfiin and dendritic cell is capable of amplifying the antitumor immune response.

[Co-stimulation of multiple activating factors on proliferation and phenotype of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood in vitro].

AIM: To observe the costimulation of multiple activating factors effects on the proliferation and phenotype of T lymphocytes in vitro. METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were separated by fractionation on Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. According to adding different cytokines (CD3 mAb, CD28 mAb, IFN-γ, IL-1α, IL-2 and IL-15), the experiments were divided into seven groups. Effects of different cytokines on the proliferation of PBMC were counted by automated hematology analyzer five categories. The phenotypes (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD28, CD16, CD56(+);CD16, CD3(+);CD8(+);, CD3(+);CD4(+);, CD3(+); CD56(+);, CD45RO) expressing on the surface of costimulatory cells were detected by flow cytometry, and the cytotoxicity of costimulatory cells on SGC-7901, SW-1990 and SW-116 cell lines was examined by lactate dehydrogenase release method. RESULTS: The proliferation has significant difference when adding different cytokines into PBMCs culture system, the highestest proliferation multiples group is the one contains cytokines CD3, CD28, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-1α, IL-15 and IL-21, which proliferation multiple is 255.3±6.3 at the tenth day of cell culture, obviously higher than the other culture systems which only contains CD3, IFN-γ and IL-2 (166.6±5.5) (P<0.05). Part of cells'phenotype changed when adding different activating factors. Without IL-15, the proportion of CD16(+);CD56(+);(NK) cells and CD3(+);CD56(+); cells was higher than the other groups; CD45RO(+); memory cells is most evident when delayed adding IL-15 and IL-21 for three days. The cytotoxicity of PBMCs cultured for ten days with different activating factors had significant difference, the highest was the one which delayed adding IL-15 and IL-21 for three days (76.2%, 60.3% and 70.6%, respectively.), higher than the cell culture groups containing CD3, IFN-γ and IL-2 (54.9%, 44.6% and 50.4%, respectively) (P<0.05). The cultured cells had the strongest cytotoxicity on SGC-7901 gastric adenocarcinoma cells. CONCLUSION: The PBMCs' proliferation, phenotype and cytotoxicity had significant difference after being activated by different stimulating factors, adding matching stimulating factors into the culture system have great value on cell-directed culture.

Photodynamic therapy combined with local chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced esophagocardiac carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective palliative treatment for gastrointestinal tumors. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the efficacy of PDT combined with local chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced esophagocardiac cancer. METHODS: A total of 140 patients with advanced esophagocardiac cancer were divided into two groups: 42 treated with PDT alone and 98 with combination of PDT and local injection of 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu). The light irradiation was carried out through a diffuser fiber at 24 and 48h after intravenous injection of a domestic photosensitizer PSD-007 (Photocarcinorin, 3-5mg/kg b.w.) at 200-400J/cm under endoscope guidance. Local chemotherapy group was carried out by local injection of 5-Fu (250-500mg) prior to PDT. Treatment was repeated 1-4 times. Short-term and long-term follow up were evaluated. RESULTS: Short-term efficacy evaluation showed that the rate of significant remission in PDT combined with local chemotherapy group (41.8%) was significantly higher than that in PDT alone group (21.4%, P<0.05). Long-term follow up (up to 36 months) showed that the mean survival time of combined treatment group was longer than that of PDT group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: PDT is safe and effective for advanced esophagocardiac cancer. Its therapeutic effect can be further improved when combined with local chemotherapy.

[Clinical observation on adoptive immunotherapy with autologous cytokine-induced killer cells for advanced malignant tumor].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells have the characteristics of rapid proliferation, high efficiency, and broad spectrum in killing of tumor cells. However, there was few report about its clinical application on treatment for cancer patients. The current study was designed to evaluate the effect of adoptive transfer of autologous CIK cells on the patients with advanced malignant tumor. METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the patients with advanced malignant tumor were separated by fractionation on Ficoll-Hypaque gradient, then cultured in the medium containing IFN-gamma, IL-2, and CD3McAb for 7 days in vitro, and than the cultured auto-CIK cells were transfused back to the patients. The numbers of transferred CIK cells per patient were 5-15 x 10(9) in one course of treatment. Among these patients, 47 cases received chemotherapy, 3 cases received radiotherapy before CIK cells transfusion. The interval between chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy was over 2 to 4 weeks. RESULTS: Among 63 patients receiving CIK cells immunotherapy, the total effective rate (PR + MR) was 44.46% (28). In the patients with increasing of CEA level in serum, 14 cases showed reduction of serum CEA and 1 cases remained increasing after the treatment with CIK cell. In the patients with increasing of AFP level in serum, similarly, 9 cases showed reduction of serum AFD and 1 case remained increasing. The absolute members of CD3, CD4, and CD8T cells increased to over 45% after being treated with CIK cells. Among treated patients, the appetite of 51 cases and performance and sleep of 32 cases got improved. Among 18 cases, 13 cases showed the pain relief. CONCLUSION: Adoptive immunotherapy of auto-CIK cells can significantly enhance cellular immune functions and improve subjective symptoms, but without side effects, so this is a safe and effective treatment for the patients with malignant tumor.