Characterization of Monocyte‐Derived Dendritic Cells from Immunosuppressed Renal Transplant Recipients with and without Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Renal transplant recipients ( RTR ) have a high risk of tumour development, especially cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas ( SCC ), due to long‐term immunosuppressive therapy. RTR may develop multiple lesions over short time periods, and these are often more aggressive with a higher risk of local recurrence and metastasis resulting in increased morbidity and mortality in these patients. Therefore, we took the first step towards evaluating the possibility of generating a therapeutic vaccine based on monocyte‐derived dendritic cells (mo DC ) for these patients. We analysed the phenotype and cytokine/chemokine profile of mo DC from long‐term immunosuppressed RTR with and without previous SCC . The number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated per ml blood as well as the efficiency of generating mo DC from peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMC ) was similar in patients and immunocompetent controls. Phenotype and cytokine/chemokine profile of the mo DC from immunosuppressed patients were similar to those from immunocompetent controls, making mo DC ‐based immunotherapy a potential future treatment option for RTR with multiple SCC .