Analysis of in vitro immunization: generation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes against allogeneic melanoma cells with tumor lysate-loaded or tumor RNA-transfected antigen-presenting cells.

In this study we compared several protocols for in vitro induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) from naïve HLA-A*0201(+) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) against allogeneic melanoma cells. As immunization material we compared: (1) the lysate of apoptotic or live melanoma tumor cells [MSM-M14 (M14) and MSM-M3 (M3)]; and (2) total RNA extracted from the same melanoma cell lines, either unconjugated or conjugated with a charged carrier (DMRIE-C). Overall killing activity was very similar in CTL induced by tumor lysate or RNA.

Molecular mechanism(s) of actinomycin-D induced sensitization of pancreatic cancer cells to CD95 mediated apoptosis.

The death receptor CD95 transduces apoptotic death signaling in many cell types. However, in pancreatic tumor cells CD95 mediated apoptotic machinery is blocked by unknown protein(s). We and others have recently demonstrated that actinomycin-D (ActD) treatment induces sensitization of pancreatic cancer cells as well as other cell types to CD95 mediated apoptosis.