Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell-Derived IFN-α Induces TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand/Apo-2L-Mediated Antitumor Activity by Human Monocytes Following CpG Oligodeoxynucleotide Stimulation

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Abstract
Immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing the CpG motif are being tested as immune adjuvants in many disease settings. Of the human PBMC examined, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are a major source of type I IFN upon stimulation with CpG ODN. IFNs have numerous immunostimulatory effects, including the induction of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)/Apo-2L on monocytes, NK cells, and T cells. Importantly, IFN has also been linked to antitumor responses. Thus, we tested whether CpG ODN stimulation of PBMC led to TRAIL/Apo-2L-induced tumor cell death. When PBMC were stimulated with CpG ODN, TRAIL/Apo-2L-dependent tumor cell death was observed. Further examination of CpG ODN-stimulated PBMC revealed that TRAIL/Apo-2L expression was limited to CD14+ cells, which, when depleted, led to a loss of the TRAIL/Apo-2L-mediated tumor cell killing. Moreover, pDC depletion also abolished the TRAIL/Apo-2L-mediated killing of tumor cell targets. Analysis of the pDC showed IFN-α production after CpG ODN stimulation. Finally, inclusion of neutralizing IFN-α antiserum with the PBMC during CpG ODN stimulation abrogated TRAIL/Apo-2L-mediated tumor cell killing. These results define a mechanism by which CpG ODN induces TRAIL/Apo-2L-dependent killing of tumor cells by CD14+ PBMC, in which CpG ODN-activated pDC produce IFN-α that stimulates CD14+ PBMC to express functional TRAIL/Apo-2L.