Effects of cytokine-neutralizing antibodies and p38 inhibitor on functional properties and yield of MoDCs from myeloma patients. (A) Allostimulatory and (B) antigen-presentation capacities of myeloma patient–derived MoDCs generated in cultures treated with IL-6 antibody, p38 inhibitor, or both. Shown are the mean ± SD of results obtained with the cells from all tested patients (n = 6 for MLR, and n = 4 for PPD); a T/MoDC ratio of 100:1 was used. (C) Cytotoxicity of myeloma-specific CTLs induced by myeloma lysate–pulsed autologous MoDCs or p38 inhibitor–treated MoDCs from 2 myeloma patients (MM1 and MM2). Target cells were lysate-pulsed autologous MoDCs. Unpulsed MoDCs were used as controls. (D) Cell yields determined by microscopic cell count of large, DC-like cells in cultures treated with IL-6 antibody, p38 inhibitor, or both. Shown are the mean ± SD of the results obtained with the cells from 4 patients. In panels A, B, and D, pooled data of normal MoDCs from healthy donors (n = 7 for MLR, n = 5 for PPD, and n = 4 for cell yields) were included for comparison (▪). *P values less than .05; **P values less than .01.