Effective Tumor Vaccine Generated by Fusion of Hepatoma Cells with Activated B Cells

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Fusion of BERH-2 rat hepatocellular carcinoma cells with activated B cells produced hybrid cells that lost their tumorigenicity and became immunogenic. Syngeneic rats injected with BERH-2-B hybrid cells became resistant to challenge with parental BERH-2 cells, and rats with established BERH-2 hepatomas were cured by subsequent injection of BERH-2-B cells. Both CD4 + and CD8 + cells were essential for the induction of protective immunity; however, only CD8 + cells were required for the eradication of BERH-2 tumors. The generation of hybrid tumor cells that elicit antitumor immune responses may be a useful strategy for cancer immunotherapy.