CTLA-4 blockade enhances antitumor immunity of intratumoral injection of immature dendritic cells into irradiated tumor in a mouse colon cancer model

J Immunother. 2014 Jan;37(1):1-7. doi: 10.1097/CJI.0000000000000007.

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs)-based cancer immunotherapy has been used various strategies to inhibit immune suppressive mechanisms. CD25 antibodies and cyclophosphamide are well-studied immunomodulators through inhibition of regulatory T cells (Treg) and a blockade the immune-checkpoint molecule, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) was recently targeted for immunomodulation. We used anti-CTLA-4 antibody, which is known to induce effective antitumor immunity by facilitating tumor-specific T-cell activation and suppressing Treg cells, as useful immunomodulator to provide a potentiating effect in the intratumoral injection of immature DCs (iDCs) into the irradiated tumor (IR/iDC). Ionizing radiation (IR) was applied at a dose of 10 Gy to the tumor on the right thigh of mice. Then, iDCs were intratumorally injected into the irradiated tumor. Anti-CTLA-4 antibody (100 µg/mouse) was administered intraperitoneally to mice on the same day with every iDCs injection. The growth of distant tumors was inhibited by IR/iDC and this effect was significantly augmented by combination treatment of anti-CTLA-4 antibody. Furthermore, the survival rate of tumor-bearing mice improved more by the combination treatment of anti-CTLA-4 antibody and IR/iDC compared with other groups. It was related to the increased tumor-specific interferon-γ-secreting T cells and CTL activity. Therefore, our results demonstrated that immunomodulator such as anti-CTLA-4 antibody enhances antitumor immunity of intratumoral injection of iDCs into irradiated tumor and suggested a new strategy to get more clinical benefits for cancer treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology*
  • CTLA-4 Antigen / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • CTLA-4 Antigen / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Colonic Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Colonic Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Colonic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / transplantation*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / drug effects
  • Th1 Cells / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • CTLA-4 Antigen
  • Interferon-gamma