Antitumor Effects Induced by Dendritic Cell Vaccine Pulsed with H_TA-HSP70_BCG Complex Reconstituted in Vitro

Objective 　To investigate antitumor effects induced by dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with complex of tumor antigen from elemene-combo tumor cell vaccine-heat shock protein 70 of BCG ( H_TA-HSP70_BCG) . Methods 　Tumor antigen peptides from elemene-combo Hca-F cell ( H_TA ) combined with HSP70_BCGinto H_TA-HSP70_BCG in vitro. DCs were induced in medium with GM-CSF and IL-4 and pulsed with H_TA-HSP70_BCG, H_TA and HSP70_BCG, respectively. The proliferation stimulating effects on un-separated splenocytes and the cytotoxicity of the splenocytes activated with DCs were evaluated with MTT assay. The expression of CD40 and CD86 on the surface of DCs was assessed by flow cytometer. Results 　Pulsing of H_TA-HSP70_BCG, resulted in DCs maturation, characterized by up-regulation of CD86 and CD40. Proliferation index of un-separated splenocytes from H_TA-HSP70_BCG group was significantly increased as compared with H_TA group . Un-separated splenocytes from DCs pulsed with H_TA-HSP70_BCG revealed the cytotoxicity agaist Hca-F, The H_TA failed to reveal the cytotoxicity against Hca-F. Conclusion 　H_TA-HSP70_BCG could induce DCs maturation and the mature DCs could activate splenocytes to generate more potent specific antitumor effect .