Long-lasting multifunctional CD8⁺ T cell responses in end-stage melanoma patients can be induced by dendritic cell vaccination.

ABSTRACT: Cytotoxic T cells are considered crucial for antitumor immunity and their induction is the aim of various immunotherapeutic strategies. High frequencies of tumor-specific CD8⁺ T cells alone, however, are no guarantee for long-term tumor control. Here, we analyzed the functionality of tumor-specific CD8⁺ T cells in melanoma patients upon dendritic cell vaccination by measuring multiple T cell effector functions considered crucial for anticancer immunity, including the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and cytotoxic markers (IFNγ, TNFα, IL-2, CCL4, CD107a). We identified small numbers of multifunctional (polyfunctional) tumor-specific CD8⁺ T cells in several patients and dendritic cell therapy was able to improve the functionality of these

SUBMITTER: Wimmers F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4760336 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature