Co-culture of PDTO and autologous immune cells will be based on the protocol described by Cattaneo et al. [21 (link)] Briefly, PDTO specific T cells will be induced through serial co-culture with dissociated PDTO. PBMC (~ 10.106 cells) will be thawed and set to resting condition with IL-2 (150 U/mL) overnight. Meanwhile, PDTO will be treated with IFNγ (200 ng/mL) for 24 hours to favor antigen presentation and will be dissociated to produce Antigen Presenting Tumor Cells (~ 0.5.106 cells APTC). PBMC and APTC will be next co-cultured (20:1 ratio) in a CD28 (5 μg/mL) coated culture plate for successive periods of 7 days to induce clonal expansion of PDTO specific T cells. T cells will be then evaluated for their tumor reactivity through the detection of activation (CD137) and functional (CD107a, IFNγ) markers by flow cytometry (Cytoflex, Beckman Coulter) and will be cryopreserved for later use for the evaluation or response to treatments.
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