[Antitumor immune response of MHC class I chain-related gene A modified oral squamous cell carcinoma vaccine: an experimental study in mice].

Purpose: To investigate the vaccine potency of MHC class I chain-related gene A (MICA) modified oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

Methods: Oral squamous cell carcinoma Tb cells transfected with eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-N1-MICA and overexpressing MICA protein were inactivated by 120Gy irradiation and vaccinated human peripheral blood leucocytes reconstituted SCID (Hu-PBL/SCID)mice via intra-peritoneal injection, and the non-transfected or blank vector transfected Tb cells were used as the controls. The inhibition effect on tumorigenicity of subcutaneously challenged Tb cells in vaccinated Hu-PBL/SCID mice was detected.The expression of NKG2D and the cytotoxicity in vitro to Tb cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and spleen cells were measured by flow cytometry and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. SPSS16.0 software package was used for statistical analysis.

Results: MICA gene modified Tb tumor vaccine resulted in remarkable loss of tumor size and tumor weight in vaccinated Hu-PBL/SCID mice. Flow cytometry and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay showed MICA gene modified Tb tumor vaccine up-regulated the expression of NKG2D on PBMC and spleen cells and enhanced the cytotoxicity to tumor cells. Significant difference was found between MICA-transfected vaccine and non-transfected and blank vector-transfected vaccine (P<0.05).

Conclusions: MICA gene modified oral squamous cell carcinoma vaccine can enhance the ability of antitumor immune response,and MICA may be considered as a promising immunotherapy target of oral squamous cell carcinoma.