Abstract
Background: Increased infiltration of CD8+T cells into tumors has a positive impact on survival. Our previous study showed that doxorubicin (Dox) plus interleukin-12 (IL-12) boosted the accumulation of CD8+T cells in tumors and had a greater antitumor effect than did either agent alone. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of NKG2D expression on CD8+T cell infiltration and antitumor efficacy.Methods: Tumor-bearing mice were administered Dox, IL-12 plasmid DNA, or both via intraperitoneal injection or intramuscular electroporation. The induction of NKG2D on CD8+T cells and other lymphocytes was analyzed via flow cytometry, and NKG2D-positive CD8+T cell-specific localization in tumors was determined by using immunofluorescence staining in various types of immune cell-depleted mice.Results: The combination of Dox plus IL-12 specifically increased expression of NKG2D in CD8+T cells but not in other types of immune cells, including NK cells, which naturally express NKG2D. This induced NKG2D expression in CD8+T cells was associated with increased accumulation of CD8+T cells in murine tumors. Administration of NKG2D-blocking antibody or CD8+T cell-depletion antibody abrogated the NKG2D+CD8+T cell detection in tumors, whereas administration of NK cell-depletion antibody had no effect. Increased NKG2D expression in CD8+T cells was associated with increased antitumor efficacy in vivo.Conclusion: We conclude that Dox plus IL-12 induces NKG2D in CD8+T cells in vivo and boosts NKG2D+CD8+T-dependent antitumor immune surveillance. This discovery reveals a novel mechanism for how chemoimmunotherapy synergistically promotes T cell-mediated antitumor immune surveillance.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 34 |
Journal | Molecular cancer |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 24 2014 |
Keywords
- Doxorubicin
- Interleukin-12
- NKG2D+CD8+T cells
- Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Medicine
- Oncology
- Cancer Research
MD Anderson CCSG core facilities
- Research Animal Support Facility