Combination therapy with α-galactosylceramide and a Toll-like receptor agonist exerts an augmented suppressive effect on lung tumor metastasis in a mouse model

Oncol Rep. 2015 Feb;33(2):826-32. doi: 10.3892/or.2014.3634. Epub 2014 Nov 28.

Abstract

α-galactosylceramide (GalCer), which is a natural killer T (NKT) cell ligand, has been reported to exert therapeutic effects against cancer in humans and mice. Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists systemically or locally boost antitumor efficacy in mouse cancer models. In our previous study, the co-administration of GalCer and a TLR agonist synergistically enhanced interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production in mouse splenocytes in vitro and in vivo. The increased IFN-γ production promoted a tumor antigen-specific Th1 response. Therefore, co-treatment with GalCer and a TLR agonist is expected to exert an enhanced antitumor effect. In the present study, we examined the effect of GalCer and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) combination therapy in a mouse lung-metastasis model. GalCer and LPS combination therapy markedly decreased the number of lung metastatic tumor nodes. Co-treatment with GalCer and LPS enhanced the mRNA expression of CXCL9 and CXCL10 in mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs) and increased the number of CD8+ cells in the MLNs. Furthermore, the depletion of CD8+ T cells canceled the antitumor effect of GalCer and LPS combination therapy. Thus, GalCer and LPS combination therapy significantly enhanced tumor antigen-specific immune responses and suppressed tumor growth in a mouse lung-metastasis model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chemokine CXCL10 / metabolism
  • Chemokine CXCL9 / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Galactosylceramides / administration & dosage*
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Ligands
  • Lipopolysaccharides / chemistry
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Spleen / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptors / agonists*

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Chemokine CXCL10
  • Chemokine CXCL9
  • Cxcl10 protein, mouse
  • Cxcl9 protein, mouse
  • Galactosylceramides
  • Ligands
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • alpha-galactosylceramide
  • Interferon-gamma