BACKGROUND: Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly specialized antigen-presenting cells, which can be used for immunotherapy trials. Functionally normal DCs play a critical role in the activation and potentiation of antitumor antigen-specific responses. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Maturation of DCs from 10 healthy donors, 14 monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance patients and 14 multiple myeloma patients was tested in an in vitro study. METHODS AND RESULTS: DCs were generated from adherent mononuclear precursors of peripheral blood and cultured in presence of IL-4 and GM-CSF with human CD40Ligand stimulation. Serum-free or autologous serum conditions were used and expression of significant surface antigens, chemokines receptors and production of IL-12p70, were compared. We found no difference between groups under serum-free conditions with or without CD40L stimulation. Under autologous conditions we found negative effect on patients DCs manifested by reduction of some markers. The production of IL-12p70 was low and no difference in serum IL-6 levels between individual groups was found. CONCLUSION: Under serum free conditions there was no difference between healthy volunteers, MGUS and patients, but CD40L stimulation did not lead to the full maturation ofDCs. Autologous patient serum had negative influence on DCs, with no definite dependance on the IL-6 level.

Oddĕlení Klinické Hematologie Laborator Experimentální Hematologie a Bunĕcné Imunoterapie FN Brno PMDV Jihlavská 20 625 00 Brno