[Generation of antitumor response against hepatocellular carcinoma by in vitro transduction of dendritic cells with adeno-associated virus expressing α-fetoprotein].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the generation of antitumor response against hepatocellular carcinoma by in vitro transduction of dendritic cells (DC) with recombinant adeno-associated virus expressing α-fetoprotein (rAAV-AFP).

METHODS

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from healthy volunteers. Adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells were transduced with AAV-AFP and cultured in the presence of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor and interleukin-4 to generate dendritic cells. MTS assay was used to measure the ability of DC transduced with AAV-AFP (AAV-AFP + DC) to stimulate the proliferation of T cell. The phenotype and AFP protein expression of DC and the secretion of IFN (interferon)-γ and IL (interleukin)-4 by T cells were detected by flow cytometry. The killing efficacy of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) activated by AAV-AFP + DC against AFP positive hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines was detected by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay.

RESULTS

AAV-AFP + DC expressed HLAI (97.12%), HLAII (97.32%), CD80 (38.94%), CD83 (60.84%) and CD86 (98.14%). AFP was secreted by 81.2% of AAV-AFP + DC. And it could stimulate effectively the proliferation of T cell. 19.84% of CD4(+)T cells and 18.65% of CD8(+)T cells activated by AAV-AFP + DC produced IFN-γ but not IL-4 and showed distinct killing activities against AFP positive hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines HepG2 (56.45%) and BEL7402 (78.84%).

CONCLUSION

AAV-AFP + DC can elicit distinct antitumor responses against AFP positive hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines so as to provide a basis for further researches on the clinical application of AAV-AFP + DC in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.