Allogeneic MHC gene transfer enhances antitumor activity of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation without exacerbating graft-versus-host disease

Clin Cancer Res. 2006 Apr 1;12(7 Pt 1):2208-15. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-05-2657.

Abstract

Enhancement of the specific antitumor activity of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) against solid cancers is a major issue in the clinical oncology. In this study, we examined whether intratumoral allogeneic MHC (alloMHC) gene transfer can enhance the recognition of tumor-associated antigens by donor T cells and augment the antitumor activity of alloHSCT. In minor histocompatibility antigen-mismatched alloHSCT (DBA/2-->BALB/c: H-2(d)) recipients, alloMHC gene (H-2K(b)) was transduced directly into a s.c. tumor of CT26 colon cancer cells. Because CT26 cells have an aggressive tumorigenicity in syngeneic BALB/c mice, an H-2K(b) gene transfer provides only a limited antitumor effect after syngeneic (BALB/c-->BALB/c) HSCT. By contrast, the H-2K(b) gene transfer caused significant tumor suppression in the alloHSCT recipients, and this suppression was evident not only in the gene-transduced tumors but also in simultaneously inoculated distant tumors without gene transduction. In vitro cytotoxicity assay showed specific tumor cell lysis by donor T cells responding to the H-2K(b) gene transfer. Graft-versus-host disease was not exacerbated serologically or clinically in the treated mice, demonstrating that alloMHC gene transfer enhances the antitumor effects of alloHSCT without exacerbating graft-versus-host disease. This combination strategy has important implications for the development of therapies for human solid cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Colonic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Female
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control*
  • Graft vs Tumor Effect / drug effects
  • Graft vs Tumor Effect / immunology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Kidney Neoplasms / immunology
  • Kidney Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred DBA
  • Neoplasm Transplantation / immunology
  • Species Specificity
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Transplantation, Homologous / immunology
  • Transplantation, Isogeneic / immunology

Substances

  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I