[Induction of anti-tumor immunity by HSP gp96-peptide complexes].

AIM: To immunize the mice with gp96-peptide complexes extracted and purified from different kinds of malignant tumor cells and to observe anti-tumor immunity induced by the complexes. METHODS: HSP gp96-peptide complexes were extracted and purified from different kinds of malignant tumor cells. Mice were immunized subcutaneously with the complexes from different sources at different doses. Then the mice were challenged with 2×105 tumor cells on the seventh day after the last immunization. Tumor incidence, weight and histology were observed and compared with those of control group. At the meantime, cytotoxicy activity and nitric oxide production of mouse peritoneal macrophages were detected in vitro after being stimulated with gp96-peptide complexes. RESULTS: The SDS-PAGE and Western blot showed that gp96-peptide complexes were purified successfully. The anti-tumor immunity was correlated with the dose of the complex and the immunized mice could resist the challenge of homogeneous tumor cells. NO secreted from the peritoneal macrophages stimulated with the complex was significantly higher than that of control group and the tumoricidal activity of the macrophages in vitro was markedly promoted by the complex. CONCLUSION: Mice immunized with appropriate dose of gp96-peptide complexes from H22 tumor cells can resist the challenge of syngeneic tumor cells. NO secreted by macrophages stimulated with the complex might play a key role in the anti-tumor immunity.