A pivotal role for CC chemokine receptor 5 in T-cell migration to tumor sites induced by interleukin 12 treatment in tumor-bearing mice

Interleukin (IL) 12 treatment in the CSA1M and OV-HM, but not in Meth A tumor models, induces tumor regression that is associated with T-cell migration to tumor sites. Here, we investigated the role of the CC chemokine receptor (CCR)5 in T-cell migration induced after IL-12 treatment. In the two IL-12-responsive tumor models (CSA1M and OV-HM), IL-12 treatment up-regulated the mRNA expression of CCR5 in splenic T cells as well as ligands for CCR5, such as macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP) 1α and MIP-1β in tumor masses. In contrast, the expression of CCR5 in spleens and MIP-1α/MIP-1β in tumor masses was marginally induced before and even after IL-12 treatment in the Meth A model in which T-cell migration is not observed. T cells infiltrating tumor masses in the former two IL-12-responsive models expressed CCR5. Administration of a synthetic CCR5 antagonist TAK-779 to tumor-bearing mice during IL-12 immunotherapy prevented T-cell migration and tumor regression. Furthermore, anti-CCR5 antibody was found to inhibit T-cell migration in the lymphoid cell migration assay. Namely, although splenic T cells prepared from IL-12-treated CSA1M or OV-HM-bearing mice migrated into the corresponding tumor masses in recipient mice, the migration was inhibited when donor T cells were treated with anti-CCR5 antibody before the injection. These results indicate a critical role for CCR5 in the induction of T-cell migration to tumor sites after IL-12 treatment.