Enhanced T-cell activation by immature dendritic cells loaded with HSP70-expressing heat-killed melanoma cells.

Vaccination protocols that utilize dendritic cells (DCs) to elicit therapeutic immunity against tumors are the subject of intense research. Given that the capacity of DCs to cross-present antigens is physiologically low, there is considerable interest to develop strategies that enhance that pathway. In order to best exploit the enhanced cross-presentation of antigens bound to heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), we analysed melanoma cell preparations for their HSP70 expression.

CD40 ligation during dendritic cell maturation reduces cell death and prevents interleukin-10-induced regression to macrophage-like monocytes.

Dendritic cells (DCs) have become popular candidates in cancer vaccination because of their crucial role in inducing T-cell responses. However, clinical studies greatly differ in their protocols for generating DCs and the efficacy in treating established tumors needs to be improved. We systematically analyzed DCs maturated by five different protocols for surface markers, the alloproliferative T-cell response, the DC survival after cytokine deprivation, the stability of surface markers under the influence of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and the DC cytokine secretion pattern.