Enhanced clonal expansion of tumor-specific T cells in response to vaccination post-BMT.
BALB/c mice underwent a syngeneic BMT in which the splenic component of the graft contained a final concentration of 1% HA-specific TCR transgenic T cells (double positive for CD4 and clonotype-positive TCR by FACS). For comparsion, nontransplanted (unirradiated) mice received a comparable number of transgenic T cells. One day following the transplant (or T cell transfer), the indicated groups were vaccinated subcutaneously with 1 × 106 irradiated GM-CSF–producing tumor cells that either expressed the model antigen (A20HA/GM-CSF) or did not (A20/GM-CSF). Mice were killed 14 days later, and purified splenic T cells were analyzed by 2-color flow cytometry staining for CD4 versus anti-HA TCR clonotype. Values represent the mean + SE of percentage of T cells expressing the clonotypic TCR for 3 mice per group.
