TUMOR-ERADICATION BY ADOPTIVE TRANSFER OF CYTOTOXIC T-LYMPHOCYTES

This chapter discusses the eradication of tumor by adoptive transfer of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Complete and permanent eradication of tumors by histocompatability complex (MHC) class I restricted CD8+ tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) can be achieved in a variety of experimental murine models. In human metastatic melanoma, CD8+ tumor-specific CTLs are probably therapeutically the most active components among lymphokine-activated killer or tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes cells, with a possibly important contribution by CD4+ cells in some patients, although no clinical experience with cloned T cells exists as yet to evaluate this point. Cancer cells can avoid the induction of and destruction by tumorspecific CTLs in a number of ways, some of which can be manipulated to increase the efficacy of sensitization or adoptive therapy. T cell therapy allows targeting on minute changes in any cellular peptide that is presentable in the context of MHC molecules. CD8+ CTLs stand out as remarkably effective in tumor eradication in view of their remarkable potency, and specificity in allograft rejection and antiviral immunity. © 1992, Academic Press Inc.