Irradiated Bladder Cancer Cells Expressing both GM-CSF and IL-21 versus Either GM-CSF or IL-21 Alone as Tumor Vaccine in a Mouse Xenograft Model

Biomed Res Int. 2019 Aug 5:2019:8262989. doi: 10.1155/2019/8262989. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Previous studies have established the efficacy of irradiated cancer cells overexpressing GM-CSF or IL-21 as a vaccine. Here we examined whether the vaccine efficacy was greater when both factors were overexpressed together. MB49 bladder cancer cells were transfected with expression plasmid pT7TS encoding mouse GM-CSF and human IL-21, and then irradiated with 100 Gy at 4 days later. The cells (1×107 per animal) were injected subcutaneously into C57BL/6 mice at 0, 4, 8, and 12 days after inoculation with MB49 tumor xenografts. Control animals were injected with MB49 cells transfected with pT7TS encoding GM-CSF or IL-21 on its own. Tumor growth was monitored for 45 days and compared among the groups using repeated-measures ANOVA. Vaccination with irradiated MB49 cells did not affect xenograft growth. Vaccination with irradiated cells overexpressing GM-CSF or IL-21 alone significantly inhibited tumor growth and led to significantly more CD4+ CD8+ T cells and fewer CD4+ Foxp3+ T cells in the spleen and xenograft. These effects were even greater following vaccination with irradiated cells overexpressing both GM-CSF and IL-21. Irradiated bladder cancer cells overexpressing both GM-CSF and IL-21 are more effective than cells expressing either factor alone as a vaccine against bladder cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / radiation effects
  • Cancer Vaccines / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / radiation effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / radiation effects
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics*
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-21
  • Interleukins / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Urinary Bladder / pathology
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / genetics
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / immunology
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Urothelium / pathology

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Interleukins
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Interleukin-21