The critical role of Th1-dominant immunity in tumor immunology

Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2000:46 Suppl:S52-61. doi: 10.1007/pl00014051.

Abstract

To investigate the precise role of antigen-specific Th1 and Th2 cells in tumor immunity, we developed a novel adoptive tumor-immunotherapy model using OVA-specific Th1 and Th2 cells and an OVA gene-transfected tumor. This therapeutic model demonstrated that both antigen-specific Th1 and Th2 cells had strong antitumor activity in vivo with distinct mechanisms. However, immunological memory suitable for the generation of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes was induced only when tumor-bearing mice received Th1 cell therapy, but not Th2 cell therapy. Thus it was strongly suggested that Th1-dominant immunity is critically important for the induction of antitumor cellular immunity in vivo. We also proposed that several immunomodulating protocols using interleukin (IL)-12, IL-12 gene, the natural killer T cell ligand alpha-galactosylceramide, or Th1 cytokine-conditioned dendritic cells might be useful strategies for the induction of Th1-dominant immunity essential for the development of tumor-specific immunotherapy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Female
  • Galactosylceramides / pharmacology
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Immunity, Cellular / immunology
  • Immunologic Memory / immunology
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / methods
  • Interleukin-12 / genetics
  • Interleukin-12 / pharmacology
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / genetics
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / immunology*
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / therapy
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Ovalbumin / genetics
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / immunology*
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Cytokines
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Galactosylceramides
  • galactocerebroside
  • Interleukin-12
  • Ovalbumin