AIRE and neoplasm: However, tumours formed by B16-OVA-(shRNA-AIRE) cells were treated very effectively by transfer of naïve OT-I T cells in the absence of in vivo activation by VSV-OVA (Fig. 3A), suggesting that reduced levels of AIRE were associated with both increased levels of (non-AIRE regulated) OVA/SIINFEKL target antigen and the ability of these cells to activate naïve T cells in vivo.