Cytolytic T-cell clones define HLA-A2-restricted human cutaneous melanoma peptide epitopes: correlation with T-cell receptor usage.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the T-cell receptor alpha chain and beta chain variable region usage in HLA-A2-restricted and melanoma-specific T lymphocytes and correlated such T-cell receptor usage with HLA-A2-presented peptide-specific T-cell recognition.


METHODS
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were isolated from a metastatic melanoma lesion and cloned by limiting dilution. Clonal and oligoclonal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were analyzed for major histocompatibility complex class I--presented melanoma peptide recognition by using acid-eluted and high-performance liquid chromatography--fractionated melanoma peptides presented by HLA-A2 as targets. The T-cell receptor variable regions of the alpha and beta chains of each individual T-cell clone or oligoclonal T-cell population were analyzed by mRNA extraction and reverse transcribed cDNA by polymerase chain reaction using a panel of T-cell receptor alpha and beta variable region specific primers.


RESULTS
We demonstrated that individual T-cell clones are capable of recognizing peptides within multiple high-performance liquid chromatography fractions containing melanoma epitopes, and that individual high-performance liquid chromatography fractions containing melanoma epitopes can be recognized by T-cell clones exhibiting limited usage of the T-cell receptor alpha and beta variable region chains.


CONCLUSIONS
These results confirm the heterogeneity of T-cell-defined melanoma antigens in a single individual and suggest the possibility of developing novel antimelanoma therapeutic reagents using either peptides (as immunogens) or the T-cell receptors themselves (as gene therapy when introduced into lymphoid effectors).
Maeurer
M J
MJ
Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Biological Therapy Program, Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania 15261, USA.
Hurd
S
S
Martin
D M
DM
Storkus
W J
WJ
Lotze
M T
MT
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002999:Clone Cells; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta