Figure 5. SRA/CD204 silencing enhances tumor-specific T cell responses after RT combined with in situ DC vaccination.

A. Increased activation of antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells. RM1-OVA tumor-bearing mice were treated with RT alone or RT plus DC vaccines. Splenocytes were stimulated with OVA_257–264 and analyzed for T cell proliferation (top) and IL-2 production (bottom). B. The percentage of IFN-γ-producing CD8⁺ T cells was assessed using intracellular cytokine staining assays. C. Enhanced immune cell recognition of prostate tumor antigen STEAP and RM1 tumor cells. Splenocytes were stimulated with mSTEAP_326–335 (left)_, or irradiated RM1 cells (right). IL-2 or IFN-γ production was assessed using ELISA. * p < 0.01. Data are representative of two experiments in which at least of 3 mice of each group were analyzed. D. Increased cytolytic activity of effector T cells. One week after DC vaccination, RM1-OVA tumor-bearing mice (n=3) were injected i.v. with OVA_257–264-pulsed, CFSE^high splenocytes mixed with CFSE^low splenocytes pulsed with irrelevant peptides. Spleens were analyzed 16 hours later using flow cytometry. The percentage of killing of antigen-positive target is shown in parentheses. Representative histograms from three experiments with similar results are shown.