A novel HLA-A2-restricted CTL epitope of tumor-associated antigen L6 can inhibit tumor growth in vivo

J Immunother. 2012 Apr;35(3):235-44. doi: 10.1097/CJI.0b013e318248f2ae.

Abstract

Vaccines utilizing cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes are promising for the treatment of cancer and chronic infectious diseases. Tumor-associated antigen L6 (TAL6) is overexpressed in some epithelial cancer cells. In this report, we detected TAL6 expression in breast cancer tissue using quantitative reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. We found that >80% of breast tumor tissue highly expressed TAL6 compared with adjacent normal breast tissue. To identify CTL epitopes from TAL6, we synthesized 18 peptides for HLA-A2-binding assay based on the MHC-binding motif using 4 computer prediction programs. Positive binders identified by ELISA were immunized in HLA-A2 transgenic (A2 Tg) mice. Two peptides, peptide 2 and peptide 5, induced T-cell responses in A2 Tg mice. To confirm whether these peptides could be processed and presented to induce T-cell responses in vivo, A2 Tg mice were immunized with plasmid DNA encoding TAL6. We found that both peptides 2 and 5 stimulated splenocytes from TAL6-immunized mice to secrete interferon-γ. However, only peptide 5 could induce expression of the cytolytic molecule CD107a on CD8+ T cells after immunization. Furthermore, peptide 5-immunized A2 Tg mice could inhibit the growth of TAL6-positive tumors (EL4/TAL6/HLA-A2) in A2 Tg mice but not in wild-type mice. These results demonstrate that the TAL6-derived CTL epitope could induce HLA-A2-restricted immunity against TAL6-expressing tumor cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Surface / chemistry
  • Antigens, Surface / genetics
  • Antigens, Surface / immunology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / immunology
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / genetics
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology*
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasm Proteins / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / immunology*
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / immunology
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antigens, Surface
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Peptides
  • TM4SF1 protein, human