Anti-CD137 mAb are capable of inducing tumor rejection in several syngeneic murine tumor models and are undergoing clinical trials for cancer. The anti-tumor effect involves costimulation of tumor-specific CD8 1 T cells. Whether antigen cross-presenting DC are required for the efficacy of anti-CD137 mAb treatment has never been examined. Here we show that the administration of anti-CD137 mAb eradicates EG7-OVA tumors by a strictly CD8b 1 T-celldependent mechanism that correlates with increased CTL activity. Ex vivo analyses to determine the identity of the draining lymph node cell type responsible for tumor antigen crosspresentation revealed that CD11c 1 cells, most likely DC, are the main players in this tumor model. A minute number of tumor cells, revealed by the presence of OVA cDNA, reach tumordraining lymph nodes. Direct antigen presentation by tumor cells themselves also participates in anti-OVA CTL induction. Using CD11c diphtheria toxin receptor-green fluorescent protein-C57BL/6 BM chimeric mice, which allow for sustained ablation of DC with diphtheria toxin, we confirmed the involvement of DC in tumor antigen cross-presentation in CTL induction against OVA [257][258][259][260][261][262][263][264] epitope and in the antitumor efficacy induced by anti-CD137 mAb.Key words: CD137 (4-1BB) . Cross-priming . CTL . DC . Tumor immunity Supporting Information available online Introduction CD137, also known as 4-1BB, is a TNF-receptor family costimulatory molecule originally identified on activated T cells [1]. Its natural ligand CD137L is found on APC, including B cells, macrophages, and DC [2]. In the presence of TCR engagement, signaling through CD137 leads to increased T-cell proliferation, cytokine production, and prolonged CD8 1 T-cell survival in vitro [2]. Administration of agonistic anti-CD137 mAb either alone or following peptide vaccination is capable of inducing the eradication of established tumors in several transplantable tumor models [3,4]. This anti-tumor effect is dependent on CD8 1 T cells that show increases in tumor-specific cytotoxic activity and associated IFN-g production [3,4]. Recent studies have demonstrated that the activity of anti-CD137 mAb treatment is also dependent on their ability to enhance the survival of CD8 1 CTL, and on the prevention/reversal of established anergy [5][6][7]. In addition, antigen-independent anti-CD137 mAb effects have been described for memory T cells, and CD137 seems to be an à These authors contributed equally to this work.Ãà These authors share equal senior authorship.
2424important player in the differentiation of memory cells [8][9][10]. CD137 can also be expressed by activated NK cells [11], myeloid leukocytes [12] including DC [13,14], and tumor endothelial cells [15]. However, the role of CD137 molecules expressed on these non-T cells during tumor immunotherapy remains undefined [13,16].As naïve CTL do not express CD137 on their surface, susceptibility to CD137 triggering depends on prior up-regulation of this receptor [5]. This requires antigen rec...