As CD40 plays a key role in both antitumor immunity and DC maturation, we have studied the regulation of its expression during DC hematopoiesis (dendropoiesis) in vitro and in vivo in the tumor microenvironment. Using MC38 colon adenocarcinoma tumor models, we have demonstrated that DCs generated in vitro from bone marrow precursors obtained from tumor-bearers have significantly lower expression of CD40 molecules compared to DCs generated from tumor-free mice. Furthermore, CD40 expression on DCs isolated from the spleens of tumor-bearing mice was also significantly reduced, suggesting that tumor-derived factors inhibit CD40 expression on DCs during dendropoiesis both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, CD40 ligation on DCs generated from tumor-bearers did not result in inducible expression of IL-12 protein or IL-12 p40 mRNA. However, Staphylococcus aureus-induced IL-12 production by DCs was not altered in tumor-bearers, confirming that inhibition of IL-12 production by DCs generated in vitro from tumor-bearing mice was due to reduced expression of CD40 on DCs. We have also shown that MC38 tumor cells produce IL-10 and that exogenous IL-10 causes downregulation of CD40 expression on DCs.
Key words: dendropoiesis; dendritic cell; immunosuppression; IL-10; CD40Escape from immune surveillance is a fundamental feature of tumors, which contributes to their uncontrolled growth, leading to death of the host. 1-3 The escape of malignant cells from immune recognition results from a defective function of cells of the immune system, including DCs, which play a key role in induction of specific immune responses. 4,5 Impairment of DC numbers and activity in cancer results in deficient expansion of specific CTLs and failure to eliminate tumor cells. 6 For example, alteration in the density and distribution of epidermal DCs in the peritumoral infiltrate of malignant melanoma may be responsible for determining the degree of T-cell activation. 7 Several studies have reported tumor-induced inhibition of DC function or differentiation. For instance, human DCs obtained from progressing chemotherapynonresponsive melanomas showed marked depression of CD86 expression and induction of anergy of syngeneic CD4 ϩ T cells. 8 Interestingly, this anergy could be overcome by showed that the ability of DCs isolated from breast cancer patients to stimulate allogeneic T lymphocytes was profoundly suppressed. Similar data were reported for human basal cell carcinoma DCs, which were deficient in CD80 and CD86 expression as well as in their ability to stimulate T-lymphocyte proliferation. 10 We demonstrated previously that tumor-derived factors not only cause premature apoptosis of DCs 11-15 but also significantly suppress DC generation and maturation in both murine and human cultures. 6,16 -19 Together, these data suggest that tumor-induced immune dysfunction is a generalized phenomenon and that determination of the mechanisms of DC dysfunction and protection of immune cells from tumor-induced disability is a crucial aspect of modern immunother...