TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of HLA-A3-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes reactive against the widely expressed tumor antigen telomerase
AU - Vonderheide, Robert H.
AU - Anderson, Karen S.
AU - Hahn, William C.
AU - Butler, Mark O.
AU - Schultze, Joachim L.
AU - Nadler, Lee M.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Purpose: We have reported previously that the telomerase catalytic subunit, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), is a widely expressed tumor-associated antigen recognized by CTLs. A nine-amino acid peptide derived from hTERT binds strongly to HLA-A2 antigen and elicits CTL responses against a broad panel of hTERT+ tumors (but not hTERT+ hematopoietic progenitor cells). The applicability of hTERT as a potential target for anticancer immunotherapy would be widened by the identification of epitopes restricted to other common HLA alleles, such as HLA-A3 antigen. Experimental Design: Using a method of epitope deduction, HLA-A3-restricted peptide epitopes were screened from hTERT and tested for immunogenicity in a human in vitro T-cell system. Results: The hTERT peptide K973 was used to generate specific CD8+ CTLs from HLA-A3+ cancer patients and healthy individuals. These CTLs lysed hTERT+ tumors from multiple histologies in an MHC-restricted fashion, suggesting that the epitope is naturally processed and presented by tumors. In contrast, highly enriched HLA-A3+ CD34+ peripheral blood progenitor cells or activated T cells were not lysed.
AB - Purpose: We have reported previously that the telomerase catalytic subunit, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), is a widely expressed tumor-associated antigen recognized by CTLs. A nine-amino acid peptide derived from hTERT binds strongly to HLA-A2 antigen and elicits CTL responses against a broad panel of hTERT+ tumors (but not hTERT+ hematopoietic progenitor cells). The applicability of hTERT as a potential target for anticancer immunotherapy would be widened by the identification of epitopes restricted to other common HLA alleles, such as HLA-A3 antigen. Experimental Design: Using a method of epitope deduction, HLA-A3-restricted peptide epitopes were screened from hTERT and tested for immunogenicity in a human in vitro T-cell system. Results: The hTERT peptide K973 was used to generate specific CD8+ CTLs from HLA-A3+ cancer patients and healthy individuals. These CTLs lysed hTERT+ tumors from multiple histologies in an MHC-restricted fashion, suggesting that the epitope is naturally processed and presented by tumors. In contrast, highly enriched HLA-A3+ CD34+ peripheral blood progenitor cells or activated T cells were not lysed.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 11705846
AN - SCOPUS:0035176221
SN - 1078-0432
VL - 7
SP - 3343
EP - 3348
JO - Clinical Cancer Research
JF - Clinical Cancer Research
IS - 11
ER -