Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Preparation of Tumor Antigen-loaded Mature Dendritic Cells for Immunotherapy
Published on: August 1, 2013
[Efficient generation and functional characteristics of dendritic cells from malignant pleural effusion in patients
Hua Zhong1, Bao-hui Han, Qiang-gang Dong
1Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai 200030, China.
Objective:
To clarify whether functionally competent dendritic cells (DC) can be generated from malignant pleural effusion in patients with lung cancer.
Methods:
Malignant effusion-associated monocytes were separated by adherence from malignant effusion-associated mononuclear cells and cultured in medium with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) plus interleukin 4 (IL-4). TNF-alpha was added for the last 24 h before culture termination. Cultured DC were identified by (1) using microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and immunocytochemistry for the morphological features; (2) phenotypic markers; and (3) functional characteristics including a high stimulatory capacity to activate proliferation of lymphocyte in an allogeneic mixed leukocyte reaction and the ability to produce high levels of IFN-gamma.
Results:
Cultured DC had the typical morphological features. The phenotype of DCs generated from effusion showed higher expression of CD(86) (84.6 +/- 6.1)%, HLA-DR (81.1 +/- 13.0)%, CD(40) (42.0 +/- 21.7)%, CD(1a) (20.0 +/- 9.5)% and lower expression of CD(14) (4.8 +/- 3.5)% than the control group. There was a significant difference in the stimulatory activity in allogeneic lymphocyte proliferation and the ability to produce high levels of IFN-gamma between DC derived from the malignant effusion and the control group.
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that DC can be generated from malignant pleural effusion, which might be a useful source of DC for immunotherapy.
