A HLA-DQ5 restricted Melan-A/MART-1 epitope presented by melanoma tumor cells to CD4+ T lymphocytes

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2007 Oct;56(10):1565-75. doi: 10.1007/s00262-007-0300-9. Epub 2007 Feb 23.

Abstract

Melan-A/MART1 is a melanocytic differentiation antigen expressed by tumor cells of the majority of melanoma patients and, as such, is considered as a good target for melanoma immunotherapy. Nonetheless, the number of class I and II restricted Melan-A epitopes identified so far remains limited. Here we describe a new Melan-A/MART-1 epitope recognized in the context of HLA-DQa1*0101 and HLA-DQb1*0501, -DQb1*0502 or -DQb1*0504 molecules by a CD4+ T cell clone. This clone was obtained by in vitro stimulation of PBMC from a healthy donor by the Melan-A51-73 peptide previously reported to contain a HLA-DR4 epitope. The Melan-A51-73 peptide, therefore contains both HLA-DR4 and HLA-DQ5 restricted epitope. We further show that Melan-A51-63 is the minimal peptide optimally recognized by the HLA-DQ5 restricted CD4+ clone. Importantly, this clone specifically recognizes and kills tumor cell lines expressing Melan-A and either HLA-DQb1*0501, -DQb1*0504 or -DQb1*0502 molecules. Moreover, we could detect CD4+ T cells secreting IFN-gamma in response to Melan-A51-63 and Melan-A51-73 peptides among tumor infiltrating and blood lymphocytes from HLA-DQ5+ patients. This suggests that spontaneous CD4+ T cell responses against this HLA-DQ5 epitope occur in vivo. Together these data significantly increase the fraction of melanoma patients susceptible to benefit from a Melan-A class II restricted vaccine approach.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antigen Presentation
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / chemistry
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Epitope Mapping
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / chemistry
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • HLA-DQ Antigens / immunology
  • HLA-DQ alpha-Chains
  • HLA-DQ beta-Chains
  • Humans
  • MART-1 Antigen
  • Melanoma / immunology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neoplasm Proteins / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Proteins / immunology*
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / immunology
  • Skin Neoplasms / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-DQ Antigens
  • HLA-DQ alpha-Chains
  • HLA-DQ beta-Chains
  • HLA-DQ5 antigen
  • HLA-DQA1 antigen
  • HLA-DQB1 antigen
  • MART-1 Antigen
  • MLANA protein, human
  • Melan-A 51-73 peptide
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Peptides