GENERATION OF ALLOREACTIVE CYTOTOXIC T-LYMPHOCYTES BY PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT-MEDIATED GENE-TRANSFER

Mature T lymphocytes comprise functionally distinct subsets with discr ete roles in the regulation of the immune response. The celluar basis of the anti-tumor effect is now understood to involve the activation a nd expansion of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). To immun e-potentiate the generation of CTL, we have employed the biolistic sys tem for the genetic immunization of mice. Here, we report the efficien t generation of anti-H-2K(b) allo-reactive CTL by particle acceleratio n-mediated genetic immunization of mouse spleen cells with H-2K(b) DNA . The insertion and expression of exogeneous gene into host spleen cel ls following in situ genetic inoculation to effect the generation of a cellular immune response may permit novel alternative strategies for immunotherapy.