Redundancy of direct priming and cross-priming in tumor-specific CD8+ T cell responses

Against a subset of human cancers, vigorous tumor-specific CD8+ T cell responses can develop either spontaneously or upon allogeneic transplantation. However, the parameters that determine the induction of such pronounced anti-tumor immunity remain ill defined. To dissect the conditions required for the induction of high magnitude T cell responses, we have developed a murine model system in which tumor-specific T cell responses can be monitored directly ex vivo by MHC tetramer technology. In this model, tumor challenge of naive mice with Ag-bearing tumor cells results in a massive Ag-specific T cell response, followed by CD8+ T cell-dependent tumor rejection. We have subsequently used this model to assess the contribution of direct priming and cross-priming in the induction of tumor immunity in a well-defined system. Our results indicate that direct priming of T cells and Ag cross-priming are redundant mechanisms for the induction of tumor-specific T cell immunity. Moreover, T cell responses that arise as a consequence of Ag cross-presentation can occur in the absence of CD4+ T cell help and are remarkably robust.