Enzyme-linked immunospot assay to monitor antigen-specific cellular immune responses in mouse tumor models

Critical to the advancement of tumor immunotherapy is the reliable identification of responders and the quantification of the tumor-specific immune response elicited by treatments. In this regard, Enzyme-Linked Immunospot assay (ELISpot) is an ideal monitoring technique due to its high sensitivity, ease of execution and cost-effectiveness. Originally developed for the enumeration of B cells secreting antigen-specific antibodies, ELISpot assay has been adapted to detect and quantify cytokine-secreting immune cells present at low frequency in a variety of biological samples, including blood, in response to antigen-specific stimuli. The above-mentioned features emphasize the role of ELISpot as valuable assay for translational research and clinical applications. In the present chapter, we will focus on the use of ELISpot assay for monitoring the tumor-specific effector responses induced by different treatments in preclinical models and will provide some protocols and technical hints for its application.