Assessment of immunogenicity of human Melan-A peptide analogues in HLA-A*0201/Kb transgenic mice

J Immunol. 1999 Mar 15;162(6):3566-73.

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that substitution of single amino acid residues in human Melan-A immunodominant peptides Melan-A27-35 and Melan-A26-35 greatly improved their binding and the stability of peptide/HLA-A*0201 complexes. In particular, one Melan-A peptide analogue was more efficient in the generation of Melan-A peptide-specific and melanoma-reactive CTL than its parental peptide in vitro from human PBL. In this study, we analyzed the in vivo immunogenicity of Melan-A natural peptides and their analogues in HLA-A*0201/Kb transgenic mice. We found that two human Melan-A natural peptides, Melan-A26-35 and Melan-A27-35, were relatively weak immunogens, whereas several Melan-A peptide analogues were potent immunogens for in vivo CTL priming. In addition, induced Melan-A peptide-specific mouse CTL cross-recognized natural Melan-A peptides and their analogues. More interestingly, these mouse CTL were also able to lyse human melanoma cell lines in vitro in a HLA-A*0201-restricted, Melan-A-specific manner. Our results indicate that the HLA-A*0201/Kb transgenic mouse is a useful animal model to perform preclinical testing of potential cancer vaccines, and that Melan-A peptide analogues are attractive candidates for melanoma immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Arginine
  • Cell Line
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / genetics
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • H-2 Antigens / genetics*
  • HLA-A Antigens / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Leucine
  • Lymphocyte Activation / genetics
  • MART-1 Antigen
  • Melanoma / immunology
  • Melanoma / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasm Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Neoplasm Proteins / immunology*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Oligopeptides / administration & dosage
  • Oligopeptides / immunology*
  • Oligopeptides / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • H-2 Antigens
  • H-2Kb protein, mouse
  • HLA-A Antigens
  • MART-1 Antigen
  • MLANA protein, human
  • Mlana protein, mouse
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Oligopeptides
  • Arginine
  • Leucine