title: Identification of HLA-A*0201-restricted CTL epitopes encoded by the tumor-specific MAGE-2 gene product.
abstract: MAGE-2 is expressed in many tumors, including melanoma, laryngeal tumors, lung tumors and sarcomas, but not in healthy tissue, with the exception of testis. Thus, MAGE-2-derived peptides that bind to HLA class I molecules and elicit cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses could be of significant therapeutic importance. In this study, we show that several MAGE-2-derived peptides bind with high affinity to HLA-A*0201. Three of them form complexes with HLA-A*0201 that are stable at 37 degrees C and are immunogenic in HLA-A*0201Kb transgenic mice. Moreover, CTLs against 2 of them (M2 112-120, and M2 157-166) specifically recognize cells that express both the MAGE-2 protein and HLA-A*0201Kb. These 2 peptides are processed and presented in the context of HLA-A*0201. Therefore, these peptides are candidate components in peptide-based vaccines for the treatment and prevention of several types of MAGE-2-expressing cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immuno-hematology and Blood Bank, Leiden University Hospital, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Visseren
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: van der Burg
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: van der Voort
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Schrier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van der Bruggen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Melief
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Kast
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D019556:COS Cells; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000939:Epitopes; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D000939:Epitopes; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; C072012:MAGEB2 protein, human; C512965:Mageb2 protein, mouse; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins