Boosting the cross-talk between human dendritic cells and natural killer cells by Toll-like receptor-ligand-loaded leukemia cells for optimal anti-leukemia T cell responses.

Currently, targeting both NK cells and DC for immune-based therapy is advised to improve their cross-talk and exert strong specific anti-tumor T cell responses. Therefore, the rationale of this study is to make AML cells more immunogenic for both DC and NK cells. In this respect, Toll-like receptor (TLR)-ligands were recently identified as important danger signals recognized by both DC and NK cells. Exciting results on the DC and NK cell stimulatory capacity of AML cells transfected with the synthetic TLR3-ligand polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid [poly(I:C)], point tohold promise for their potential to boost the NK-DC cross-talk and subsequent anti-tumor T cell responses. To this end, we will further investigate the immunostimulatory capacity of DC and their cross-presentation capacity to T cells in the presence of NK cells and poly(I:C)-loaded AML cells.

Keywords:LEUKEMIA, DENDRITIC CELLS

Disciplines:Systems biology, Hematology, Laboratory medicine, Morphological sciences, Oncology