title: Melanoma antigens recognised by CD8+ and CD4+ T cells.
abstract: The field of melanoma immunobiology has made tremendous strides in the past decade, resulting in the molecular identification of a vast array of tumour-expressed antigens that contain determinants that are recognised by patient T cells or immunoglobulins. The integration of these antigens, their derivative peptides or improved analogues in vaccine trials allows for the augmentation of melanoma-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in situ that may prove clinically efficacious in the adjuvant or therapeutic setting. Indeed, melanoma peptide-based immunotherapies targeting the activation of anti-tumour CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes have proven successful (i.e. yielding objective clinical responses), particularly when combined with T cell growth factors or potent antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells. Vaccine approaches implementing poly-epitope and/or melanoma peptides recognised by CD4+ T cells are anticipated to yield still better clinical outcomes due to the in vivo promotion and maintenance of a diversified, poly-specific effector T cell repertoire directed against resident tumours.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgery and Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Melanoma Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Storkus
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Zarour
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D016207:Cytokines; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte