GENERATION OF PRIMARY PEPTIDE-SPECIFIC CD8(-LYMPHOCYTES IN-VITRO USING ALLOGENEIC DENDRITIC CELLS() CYTOTOXIC T)

Dendritic cells (DC) are potent antigen-presenting cells (APC) capable of inducing strong T-cell-mediated immunity, Infusion of lymphoma-spe cific antigen-loaded autologous DC has been demonstrated to result in the generation of antigen-specific immunity and reduction in tumor bur den in B-cell lymphoma patients. Cellular immunotherapy employing anti gen-loaded DC could have a potential therapeutic impact in tumors and viral infections, including HIV infection, However, DC in HIV-infected individuals and breast cancer patients are believed to be functionall y defective. Therefore, the potential of using allogeneic DC offers si gnificant implications for DC immunotherapy in AIDS and immunocompromi sed cancer patients. To explore the potential of allogeneic DC therapy in vivo, we tested the ability of allogeneic DC to generate primary p eptide-specific CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses in vitro ., Our results indicate that DC from HLA class I-matched individuals e licit primary immune responses in vitro using viral peptides as naive antigens, A primary peptide-specific immune response could also be det ected even when only one HLA allele (HLA-A0201) was matched between t he allogeneic DC and T-lymphocytes, The ability to generate primary pe ptide-specific responses in vitro is strongly indicative of the in viv o therapeutic potential of allogeneic DC, (C) 1998 Elsevier Science In c.