Antigen-Specific Polyclonal Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Induced by Fusions of Dendritic Cells and Tumor Cells

Figure 2

Modified DCs/tumor fusions. (a) Conventional fusions generated with immature DCs and unheated tumor cells express MHC class I and II, costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86), Toll-like receptor (TLR), and multiple tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). (b) Fusions generated by fusing TLR-stimulated DCs and heat-stressed tumor cells have characteristic phenotype with upregulation of multiple HSPs, MHC class I and II, costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86), maturation marker CD83, multiple TAAs, and IL-12. As compared with conventional fusions (a), synergism between TLR-stimulated DCs and heat-stressed tumor cells enhances the immunogenicity of DCs/tumor fusions.