Utilizing the nanosecond pulse technique to improve antigen intracellular delivery and presentation to treat tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

C Gao,Y Liu,J Chen,J Zhao,X Zhang,J Zhang,J Wang

doi:10.4317/medoral.22227

Abstract

BackgroundTongue squamous cell carcinoma is the most common squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Immunotherapy has great potential in the treatment of tongue squamous cell carcinoma because of its unique advantages. However, the efficacy of immunotherapy is limited by the efficiency of antigen phagocytosis by immune cells.Material and MethodsWe extracted dendritic cells (DCs) from human peripheral blood. Utilizing a nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF), we deliver the tumour lysate protein into DCs and then incubate the DCs with PBMCs to obtain specific T cells to kill tumour cells. The biosafety of nsPEF was evaluated by the ANNEXIN V-FITC/PI kit. The efficacy of lysate protein delivery was evaluated by flow cytometry. The antitumour efficacy was tested by CCK-8 assay.ResultsThe nsPEF of the appropriate field strength can significantly improve the phagocytic ability of DCs to tumour lysing proteins and have good biosafety. The tumour cell killing rate of the nsPEF group was higher than the other group (p< 0.05).ConclusionsUtilizing nsPEF to improve the phagocytic and presenting ability of DCs could greatly activate the adaptive immune cells to enhance the immunotherapeutic effect on tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Key words:Dendritic cell, nsPEF, immunotherapy, squamous cell carcinoma.

Highlights

Cancer is one of the deadliest human diseases and has proved difficult to treat
The weak immunogenicity of tumour antigens and the low efficiency of antigen phagocytosis potently limit the effect of immunotherapy
Previous studies have shown that the weak immunogenicity of tumour antigens and the low efficiency of antigen phagocytosis potently limit the effect of immunotherapy

Summary

Introduction

Cancer is one of the deadliest human diseases and has proved difficult to treat. According to WHO statistics, the worldwide morbidity and mortality rates of cancer are high [1]. APCs digest tumour proteins and present them to immature T cells to activate their tumour killing function [13,14]. HADJATI et al strengthened immunotherapy by using mouse toxoplasmosis to enhance the antigen phagocytosis and presentation function of DCs. LANGER et al [19] used microfluidic technology to induce transient cell membrane perforation and increase antigen uptake, thereby improving the efficacy of tumour immunotherapy.

Results

Conclusion