Antitumor protection using murine dendritic cells pulsed with acid-eluted peptides from in vivo grown tumors of different immunogenicities.

Peptides extracted from tumor cells after mild acid treatment can function as antigenic epitopes when presented by cultured dendritic cells. Peptides were extracted from four tumors syngeneic to C3H mice, three weakly immunogenic tumors (FSA, MCAK, HCA) and one non-immunogenic tumor (NFSA). Dendritic cells pulsed with peptides extracted from the three weakly immunogenic tumors partially protect mice from a tumor challenge with the parental cell line. This protection was evident by a slower rate of tumor appearance and a slower tumor growth curve when compared to control, non-immunized mice. However, vaccination of mice with dendritic cells pulsed with peptides derived from the non-immunogenic cell line NFSA did not elicit a protective response. Neither the route of immunization, the number of immunizations, nor the amount of peptides significantly affected the antitumor protection. Dendritic cells genetically engineered to produce IL-2 did not increase the protective effect of peptide-pulsed dendritic cells. These results suggest that only a partial protection against immunogenic tumors can be achieved when dendritic cells pulsed with acid-eluted tumor peptides are used as antitumor vaccination.