LAUSR

Currently, immunotherapy has become an effective alternative therapeutic approach for cancers. Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells have a higher proliferation rate, increased efficacy with few side-effects, and non- MHC-restricted killing after co-culturing with dendritic cells (DCs). However, the specificity and efficacy of DC-CIK treatment still need to be improved. In our study, the antitumor effects of CIK cells co-culturing with DCs pulsed with non-cell derived targeting peptides, which could specifically bind to certain tumor cells, were evaluated. Our results indicated that targeting peptide-loaded DCs could enhance the differentiation and cytotoxicity of CIK cells. CIK cells, which were treated with specific targeting peptide-loaded DCs, could effectively and specifically kill tumor cells in vitro and in vivo, as long as tumor cells were pre-treated with these targeting peptides. Moreover, the CIK cytotoxic effect of this type acquired a certain properties of memory and resistance to the tolerance. In conclusion, targeting peptides could guide DC-CIK more effectively and specifically kill tumor cells and this non-cell derived targeting peptide-loaded-DC CIK may work as a novel means for cancer therapy. Citation Format: Yimin Zhu, Xueyuan Cui, Cuijuan Liu. Targeting peptide-loaded-DC CIK cells induce a specific antitumor response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3180.