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.