Abstract 6694: Monocyte-derived dendritic cells for antigen-specific T cell activation

Abstract This study describes an efficient workflow to generate functional dendritic cells (DCs) from human peripheral blood monocytes and their application in antigen-specific T cell activation assays. Monocytes were differentiated into mature DCs expressing high levels of co-stimulatory molecules and MHC molecules. When pulsed with specific antigens and co-cultured with autologous T cells, these DCs effectively activated CD4+, CD8+, and regulatory T cell populations, as demonstrated by proliferation assays and cytokine profiling. The differential activation kinetics between T cell subsets provided insights into the temporal dynamics of antigen-specific immune responses. Our workflow demonstrates a standardized approach that offers a reliable research platform to investigate DC-T cell interactions, evaluate vaccine candidates, and assess antigen-specific T cell responses. Furthermore, our reproducible workflow may serve as a valuable tool for applications in immunology research, including vaccine development, cancer immunotherapy, and autoimmune condition studies. Citation Format: Kaitlin Hsu, Jessica Voce, Amy Zhao, Jessie Ni. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells for antigen-specific T cell activation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 6694.