ABSTRACT
Low fusion efficiency and nominal activity of fusion cells (FCs) restrict the clinical application of dendritic cell (DC)/tumor fusion cells. Collagen I (Col I) is an interstitial collagen with a closely-knit structure used to repair damaged cell membranes. This study evaluated whether Col I could improve the fusion efficiency of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induction and enhance the immunogenicity of fusion vaccine. DC/B16 melanoma and controlled DC/H22 hepatoma cell fusions were induced by PEG with or without Col I. Col I/PEG treatment increased the levels of DC surface molecules and the secretion of lactate, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in fusion cells. Col I/PEG-treated FCs enhanced T-cell proliferation and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity. The Col I-prepared fusion vaccine obviously suppressed tumor growth and prolonged mice survival time. Thus Col I treatment could significantly improve the efficiency of PEG-induced DC/tumor fusion and enhance the anticancer activity of the fusion vaccine. This novel fusion strategy might promote the clinical application of DC/tumor fusion immunotherapy.
Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest
No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed
Funding
This work was supported, in part, by grants from Programs for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (No. IRT_15R13); Key Project of National Natural Scientific Foundation of China (No. 81430055); International Cooperation Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2015DFA31320); the Project for Innovative Research Team in Guangxi Natural Science Foundation (2015GXNSFFA139001); the Project of Science and Technology of Guangxi (Nos. 14125008–2–12 and 1599005–2–10); Guangxi Natural Science Foundation (2015GXNSFAA139217 and 2016GXNSFAA380231); The Scientific Research Fund of Guangxi Education Department (No. YB2014057) and Guangxi Education Department Grant entitled “Innovation Project of Guangxi Graduate Education.”