Humoral and cellular immune responses against the breast cancer antigen NY-BR-1: definition of two HLA-A2 restricted peptide epitopes

Cancer Immun. 2005 Dec 12:5:11.

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy depends on the identification of tumor-specific target antigens that are predominantly expressed in cancer cells and not in normal tissues. Here, we report the cloning and the expression analysis of the differentiation antigen NY-BR-1 that we have identified in a previous SEREX (serological analysis of recombinant cDNA expression libraries) screening. The cloning of the full length NY-BR-1 sequence led to the prediction of an open reading frame of 4.2 kb, encoding a protein of 158.9 kDa. NY-BR-1 mRNA expression analysis revealed tissue-specific expression in normal testis and breast tissues, as well as in 70% of breast tumors. We now show that NY-BR-1 is also sporadically expressed in normal prostate and in 32% of prostate tumors. Furthermore, we were able to identify two HLA-A2 restricted NY-BR-1 epitopes (p158-167 and p960-968) that are recognized by CD8+ T cell clones (NW1100-CTL-7 and NW1100-CTL-43, respectively), as determined by ELISPOT analysis and tetramer staining. Cotransfection assays of COS-7 cells also demonstrated that these two peptides are naturally processed and presented on HLA-A2 molecules. The identification of these two naturally processed NY-BR-1-specific CD8+ T cell epitopes opens the perspective for active immunotherapy of HLA-A2 positive patients with NY-BR-1 expressing tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation
  • Antibody Specificity / immunology
  • Antigens, Differentiation / immunology
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / blood
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • COS Cells
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Female
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular
  • Male
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / immunology*
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transfection

Substances

  • ANKRD30A protein, human
  • Antigens, Differentiation
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • RNA, Messenger