OBJECTIVETo study the cytotoxic activity against tumor cells and cytokines production of spleen cells induced in vitro by murine 4-1BBL gene transfected Hepa1-6.

METHODSThe eukaryotic expression vector pCDNA3.1(+)-m4-1BBL was transfected into murine hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hepa1-6 by Liposomes. Then the transfected cells were selected in medium containing G418 (400 - 800 micro g/ml) and termed as Hepa1-6-m4-1BBL. The TCV-m4-1BBL was obtained by treating them with mitomycin (MMC). Cocultivation TCV with syngeneic murine spleen cells, then the lymphocytes were tested for cytotoxic activity against Hepa1-6-wt cells and the supernatants were harvested for detecting the cytokines (IL-2, TNF-alpha and GM-CSF).

RESULTSHepa1-6-m4-1BBL cells expressed 4-1BBL protein with highest cell surface level. The 4-1BBL mRNA could still be detected in the cells when cultured 48 h after treated with MMC (80 mg/L). Comparing with TCV-Hepa1-6, the tumor cell vaccine derived from Hepa1-6-m4-1BBL (TCV-m4-1BBL) could induce a more efficient cytotoxic activity of syngeneic murine lymphocyte against its parental tumor cell Hepa1-6 (P < 0.05), but not against non-parental tumor cell H22 and NIH3T3. Higher levels of IL-2, TNF-alpha and GM-CSF were released by the splencytes after stimulated by TCV-m4-1BBL.

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest the expression of m4-1BBL by tumor cells is effective in inducing antitumor immune responses.