Objective: To investigate the role of major histocompatibility complex(MHC) molecules in the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte(CTL) from oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Methods: 1. The treated autologous tumor cells served as stimulating cells, on which the MHC mAb was used to block the HLA-ABC and/or HLA-DR antigens. The specific cytotoxicity of CTL induced by stimulating cells and the level of released TNF-alpha were then detected. 2. By blocking the HLA-ABC and/or HLA-DR antigens on target cells, the inhibition effect of MHC mAb on CTL cytotoxicity induced by autologous stimulating cells (not treated with mAb) was measured.
Results: 1. The cytotoxicity induced by stimulating cells in experimental groups was significantly lower than that of the control group. The successive order was: the DR antigen positive stimulating cell group > ABC antigen positive stimulating cell group > both ABC and DR antigen negative stimulating cell group. The specific TNF-alpha released by CTL was completely blocked by anti-ABC mAb. 2. The average inhibition rate by mAb on cytotoxicity of CTL was: 52%, 27% and 72% by anti-ABC mAb, anti-DR mAb, and anti-ABC mAb plus anti-DR mAb respectively.
Conclusion: Both MHC-class I and class II antigens on OSCC cells play an important role in inducing CTL.