Identification of CDCA1-derived long peptides bearing both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell epitopes: CDCA1-specific CD4+ T-cell immunity in cancer patients

Int J Cancer. 2014 Jan 15;134(2):352-66. doi: 10.1002/ijc.28376.

Abstract

We recently identified a novel cancer-testis antigen, cell division cycle associated 1 (CDCA1) using genome-wide cDNA microarray analysis, and CDCA1-derived cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-epitopes. In this study, we attempted to identify CDCA1-derived long peptides (LPs) that induce both CD4+ helper T (Th) cells and CTLs. We combined information from a recently developed computer algorithm predicting HLA class II-binding peptides with CDCA1-derived CTL-epitope sequences presented by HLA-A2 (A*02:01) or HLA-A24 (A*24:02) to select candidate CDCA1-LPs encompassing both Th cell epitopes and CTL-epitopes. We studied the immunogenicity of CDCA1-LPs and the cross-priming potential of LPs bearing CTL-epitopes in both human in vitro and HLA-class I transgenic mice in vivo. Then we analyzed the Th cell response to CDCA1 in head-and-neck cancer (HNC) patients before and after vaccination with a CDCA1-derived CTL-epitope peptide using IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot assays. We identified two CDCA1-LPs, CDCA1(39–64)-LP and CDCA1(55–78)-LP, which encompass naturally processed epitopes recognized by Th cells and CTLs. CDCA1-specific CTLs were induced through cross-presentation of CDCA1-LPs in vitro and in vivo. In addition, CDCA1-specific Th cells enhanced induction of CDCA1-specific CTLs. Furthermore, significant frequencies of CDCA1-specific Th cell responses were detected after short-term in vitro stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with CDCA1-LPs in HNC patients (CDCA1(39–64)-LP, 74%; CDCA1(55–78)-LP, 68%), but not in healthy donors. These are the first results demonstrating the presence of CDCA1-specific Th cell responses in HNC patients and underline the possible utility of CDCA1-LPs for propagation of both CDCA1-specific Th cells and CTLs.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / immunology*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic
  • Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic
  • Fibroblasts / immunology
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Flow Cytometry
  • HLA Antigens / immunology
  • HLA Antigens / metabolism
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / immunology*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Platelet Membrane Glycoprotein IIb / immunology*
  • Platelet Membrane Glycoprotein IIb / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / pathology

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • HLA Antigens
  • NUF2 protein, human
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Platelet Membrane Glycoprotein IIb
  • Recombinant Proteins