Core--Immunomonitoring

Baylor Research Institute, Dallas TX

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The Immunomonitoring Core consists of two components located at the Baylor Institute for[unreadable] Immunology Research (BUR) and the Rockefeller University (RU). The primary objectives of[unreadable] Immunomonitoring Core are: 1) To carry out, in a standardized way, several assays of immune function in[unreadable] patients enrolled in the clinical studies proposed in this Program Project. The assays performed by the Core[unreadable] will be prioritized. Blood samples from RU will be shipped to Dallas. 2) To prepare peptide mixtures from[unreadable] defined tumor antigens to monitor immune responses in HLA-A201 negative patients vaccinated with[unreadable] autologous DCs loaded with killed tumor cells, either allogeneic melanoma cells or autologous myeloma[unreadable] cells. The use of peptide mixtures will also enable the analysis of CD4 T cell responses and spreading of the[unreadable] immune response to other epitopes and/or antigens. Peptide mixtures will be prepared at RU where they are[unreadable] already being used to monitor HIV specific immunity. Vaccine induced immune responses will be measured[unreadable] from a) fresh blood (memory effectors) with tetramers and cytokine ELISPOT (IFN gamma), and b) recall[unreadable] cultures (recall memory cells) with tetramers, cytokine ELISPOT and assays to assess cytolytic activity[unreadable] against tumor cells (either allogeneic melanoma cells lines or autologous myeloma cells). 3) To use EPIMAX[unreadable] assay to measure the immune function, a combined proliferation/cytokine assay with peptide mixtures. This[unreadable] Core will establish the magnitude and breadth of tumor-specific immunity induced using different types of DC[unreadable] vaccines, different preparations of tumor antigens loaded onto DC vaccines, and different adjunct therapies.