HLA class I mono-specific APCs and target cells:: A method to standardise in vitro CD8+ T cell expansion and functional assays

The introduction of in vitro T cell expansion and assay methods that are robust and easy to use would be welcome in cancer vaccine and infectious disease research. By coating HLA class I -ve B cells with recombinant HLA class I peptide complexes, we are able to produce antigen presenting cells and target cells expressing a single defined antigen in the context of costimulatory and adhesion molecules. FILA class I mono-specific cells promoted the in vitro expansion of CMV epitope specific CD8(+) T cells from 0.03% to 30.6% in 2 weeks, which was comparable to using peptide-loaded dendritic cells. The HLA class I mono-specific cells were also shown to promote in vitro antigen specific T cell function in assays based on measuring cytokine production and cytolytic activity. HLA class I mono-specific cells are simple to prepare, can be used with any recombinant HLA class I allele/ peptide combination and should provide a useful system for in vitro T cell expansion and functional analysis. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.