PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Yang, Arvin S.
AU  - Monken, Claude E.
AU  - Lattime, Edmund C.
TI  - Intratumoral Vaccination with Vaccinia-Expressed Tumor Antigen and Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Overcomes Immunological Ignorance to Tumor Antigen
DP  - 2003 Oct 15
TA  - Cancer Research
PG  - 6956--6961
VI  - 63
IP  - 20
4099  - http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/63/20/6956.short
4100  - http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/63/20/6956.full
SO  - Cancer Res2003 Oct 15; 63
AB  - Using a murine transitional cell carcinoma tumor model, MB49, which naturally expresses the male antigen HY, we evaluated whether tumor ignorance as determined by lack of a systemic immune response could be overcome by immunization with vaccinia expressed tumor antigen and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Systemic tumor ignorance of MB49 was demonstrated by the lack of a splenic HY-specific CTL response in MB49-bearing female mice. In contrast, we demonstrated HY-specific CTL priming in the draining lymph nodes. MB49-bearing female B6 mice were immunized with VVHY+VVGMCSF intratumorally or in the contralateral flank. Intratumoral VVHY, VVGMCSF, and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (to produce CD4 help) generated splenic HY-specific CD8 CTLs, whereas immunization with the combination in the contralateral flank or single agents given intratumorally failed to yield a splenic response. Purified male T cells injected intratumorally, as a source of HY antigen, also generated a HY-specific response, whereas contralateral immunizations did not. These finding expand the understanding of tumor immunological ignorance and support intratumoral vaccination as a strategy for immunotherapy of established tumors. ©2003 American Association for Cancer Research.