Follicular lymphomas can be induced to present alloantigen efficiently: a conceptual model to improve their tumor immunogenicity

The strong expression of major histocompatibility complex and the minor expression of some adhesion and B7 costimulatory molecules do not present alloantigen efficiently in humans follicular lymphoma cells. However, in vitro, the activation of follicular lymphoma cells via CD40 pathway provides signals to T cells to become efficient alloantigen-presenting cells. This evidence implies that expression of major histocompatibility complex and expression of multiple adhesion and costimulatory molecules are required for the correction of defective tumor immunity.