Published online Oct 15, 2002. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v8.i5.908
Revised: June 5, 2002
Accepted: June 10, 2002
Published online: October 15, 2002
AIM: To estimate the effect of a therapeutic vaccine against pancreatic carcinoma based on dendritic cell (DC) vaccine modified with tumor lysate and Interleukin-18 gene.
METHODS: The BALB/C mice model of pancreatic carcinoma was induced with DMBA. DC vaccine was constructed through pulsed with tumor lysate and transfected by the recombinant adenoviral vector encoding IL-18 gene. The immnotherapeutic effects of DC vaccine on mice with pancreatic carcinoma were assessed (divided into DC-IL18-Lysate group, DC-Lysate group, DC-IL18 group, DC group, PBS group).
RESULTS: After vaccination of the DC vaccine, the concentration of IL-18 and IFN-γ were 2161 ± 439 ng·L-1 and 435 ± 72 ng·L-1 in DC-IL18-Lysate group and there was significant difference compared with other groups (P < 0.01). After vaccination of the DC vaccine, the transplanted tumors were observed on 30 d in DC-Lysate groups, on 16 d in DC-IL18 groups, on 3 d in control group, but mice remained tumor-free for at least 50 d in DC-IL18-Lysate group and there was significant difference between DC-IL18-Lysate group and other groups (P < 0.01). The median survival exceeds 62 d in DC-IL18-Lysate group. But the median survival was 48.6 d in DC-Lysate group, 33 d in DC-IL18 group, 17 d in PBS group. The survival period was obviously prolonged in DC-IL18-Lysate group than in other groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The weight of pancreatic tumor was 0.22 ± 0.083 g in DC-IL18-Lysate group, 1.45 ± 0.74 g in DC-Lysate group, 1.89 ± 1.34 g in DC-IL18 group, 3.0 ± 1.6 g in DC group, 2.9 ± 2.0 g in PBS group and the weight of tumor obviously reduced in DC-IL18-Lysate group than in other groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).
CONCLUSION: DC vaccine modified with tumor lysate and Interleukin-18 gene can induce a specific and effective immune response against pancreatic carcinoma cell.