OBJECTIVETo test the antitumor effect of a human triple-negative breast cancer cell-dendritic cell (DC) fusion vaccine.

METHODSDCs were isolated from fresh peripheral blood of healthy donors. The fusion vaccine was prepared by fusing the DCs and MDA-MB-231 cells via electrofusion. The morphology of the vaccine was identified under inverted fluorescence microscope and the phenotypes were analyzed with flow cytometry. The production of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) by the fusion cells was assessed using ELISA. A CCK-8 kit was used to examine the effect of the vaccine in stimulating the proliferation and cytotoxicity of autologous T lymphocytes.

RESULTSThe DCs isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells highly expressed CD83, CD86, CD11c and HLA-DR on the cell surface. The fusion cells were irregular in shape and coexpressed the phenotypes of DCs and MDA-MB-231 cells. The fusion cells possessed a strong ability to stimulate the proliferation of T lymphocytes in vitro. Compared with the control group, the fusion vaccine showed a stronger antitumor effect against the breast cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONThe triple-negative breast cancer-DC fusion vaccine prepared by electrofusion can stimulate the proliferation of T lymphocytes and induces strong cytotoxicity of the T cells against breast cancer cells.