Dendritic cells transduced with wild-type p53 gene elicit potent anti-tumour immune responses

In this study we have tested the concept of using wild-type p53 gene for im munotherapy of cancer. Dendritic cells (DC) were transduced with a human wi ld-type p53 containing recombinant adenovirus (Ad-p53). About a half of DC transduced with this virus expressed p53 protein by FAGS analysis 48 h afte r infection. Mice immunized twice with Ad-p53 DC developed substantial cyto toxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against tumour cells expressing wild-typ e and different mutant human and murine p53 genes. Very low CTL responses w ere observed against target cells infected with control adenovirus (Ad-c). Immunization with Ad-p53 provided complete tumour protection in 85% of mice challenged with tumour cells expressing human mutant p53 and in 72.7% of m ice challenged with tumour cells with murine mutant p53. Treatment with Ad- p53-transduced DC significantly slowed the growth of established tumours. T hus, DC transduced with wild-type p53 may be a promising new tool for the i mmunotherapy of cancer.