Genetically modified dendritic cells induced specific cytotoxity against human HCC cells in vitro

Objective: to transduce the tumor associated antigen gene MAGE-1 and/or IL-12 gene into dendritic cells (DC) and to observe the in vitro cytotoxic effect induced by the genetically modified DC against the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line SMMC7721. Methods: the MAGE-1 gene was inserted into the retrovirus vector LXSN to construct the recombinant retrovirus LMSN. The monocyte-derived DCs were transfected at appropriate differentiation stage by LMSN and/or a recombinant adenovirus AdmiL-12, which containing murine IL-12 gene. The control groups included retrovirus LXSN transfected, adenovirus AdBGFP transfected and non-transfected DCs. The MAGE-1 gene expression was identified by western blot and the mIL-12 p70 secretion was detected by ELISA assay. The in vitro cytotoxicities against SMMC7721 induced by genetically modified and control groups of DC were tested by MTT assay. Results: The MAGE-1 expression was detected by a monoclonal antibody in DCs tranfected with LMSN but not in control groups. At 16 h, 24 h and 48 h after transfection with AdmIL-12, the concentration of the mIL-12 p70 in the culture medium was 580pg/106 cells, 960pg/106 cells and 1100pg/106 cells respectively. The mIL-12 p70 secretions were not detected in other groups. The lytic activity (as judged by % lysis) induced by each groups of DC was 94.2±5.2% (LMSN and AdmIL-12 cotransfected group), 78.9±3.6% (LMSN transfected groups), 52.6±9.7% (AdmIL-12 transfected group), 34.7±4.3% (LXSN transfected group), 36.3±3.8% (AdBGFP transfected group) and 3.9±2.0% (non-transfected group) respectively. Except for LXSN transfected and AdBGFP transfected group, the difference of the lytic activities between other groups were statistically significant (P