Adoptive transfer of CN-resistant EBV-CTLs induces regression of EBV B-cell lymphoma in vivo in a xenogeneic mouse model despite the ongoing immunosuppression. (A) To evaluate in vivo antitumor activity, light emission by tumor cells was monitored as an indication of tumor growth using the IVIS in vivo imaging system in 4 NSG mice per group. Mice with the B-cell lymphoma cells (LCLs) showed tumor progression and were sacrificed after 20 days. Mice receiving autologous CNA12- or eGFP-CTLs without FK506 showed a decrease in tumor formation. CNA12-CTLs mediate tumor clearance despite the presence of FK506, as observed by reduction of F-Luc+ bioluminescence signal. On the contrary, mice receiving eGFP-CTLs showed tumor development in the presence of FK506. (B) The graph shows the kinetics of tumor growth. Photon emission from FLuc+ tumor cells was quantified and measured as maximum photon/sec/cm2/steradian (p/s/cm2/sr). The graph shows that tumor growth was significantly (P < .05) greater in mice receiving EBV-CTLs expressing eGFP than in mice receiving CNA12-CTLs in the presence of FK506. Lines represent cumulative results of light emission values ± SEM bioluminescence signal determined in 2 separate experiments (n = 8).
