The dual role of NK cells in antitumor reactions triggered by ionizing radiation in combination with hyperthermia

Finkel P, Frey B, Mayer F, Bösl K, Werthmöller N, Mackensen A, Gaipl U, Ullrich E (2016)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2016

Journal

Book Volume: 5

Pages Range: e1101206

Journal Issue: 6

DOI: 10.1080/2162402X.2015.1101206

Abstract

Classical tumor therapy consists of surgery, radio(RT)- and/or chemotherapy. Additive immunotherapy has gained in impact and antitumor in situ immunization strategies are promising to strengthen innate and adaptive immune responses. Immunological effects of RT and especially in combination with immune stimulation are mostly described for melanoma. Since hyperthermia (HT) in multimodal settings is capable of rendering tumor cells immunogenic, we analyzed the in vivo immunogenic potential of RT plus HT-treated B16 melanoma cells with an immunization and therapeutic assay. We focused on the role of natural killer (NK) cells in the triggered antitumor reactions. In vitro experiments showed that RT plus HT-treated B16 melanoma cells died via apoptosis and necrosis and released especially the danger signal HMGB1. The in vivo analyses revealed that melanoma cells are rendered immunogenic by RT plus HT. Especially, the repetitive immunization with treated melanoma cells led to an increase in NK cell number in draining lymph nodes, particularly of the immune regulatory CD27(+)CD11b(-) NK cell subpopulation. While permanent NK cell depletion after immunization led to a significant acceleration of tumor outgrowth, a single NK cell depletion two days before immunization resulted in significant tumor growth retardation. The therapeutic model, a local in situ immunization closely resembling the clinical situation when solid tumors are exposed locally to RT plus HT, confirmed these effects. We conclude that a dual and time-dependent impact of NK cells on the efficacy of antitumor immune reactions induced by immunogenic tumor cells generated with RT plus HT exists.

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How to cite

APA:

Finkel, P., Frey, B., Mayer, F., Bösl, K., Werthmöller, N., Mackensen, A.,... Ullrich, E. (2016). The dual role of NK cells in antitumor reactions triggered by ionizing radiation in combination with hyperthermia. OncoImmunology, 5(6), e1101206. https://doi.org/10.1080/2162402X.2015.1101206

MLA:

Finkel, Patrick, et al. "The dual role of NK cells in antitumor reactions triggered by ionizing radiation in combination with hyperthermia." OncoImmunology 5.6 (2016): e1101206.

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