Although chemotherapy remains among the best treatment options for most cancers, adjuvant therapies such as dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy have been added to treatment protocols to destroy residual tumor cells. IFN-gamma secreting T cells specific for survivin was found after temozolomide (TMZ) treatment in C57BL/6 mice intracranial (i.c.) inoculated with GL26 cells. Furthermore, combination treatment with low-dose TMZ (2.5mg/kg/day, i.p.) chemotherapy followed by vaccination with survivin RNA-transfected DCs (1 x 10(6)cells/mouse, s.c.) enhanced T cells responses specific for survivin and improved survival rate compared with DC vaccination alone or TMZ treatment alone in tumor inoculated mice. However, these enhancements of T cells responses by TMZ treatment were not observed in mice without tumor inoculation. These results suggested that cross-priming by TMZ may enhance antitumor immunity of DC vaccination in murine brain tumor model.