title: [Prediction synthesis and identification of HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes of the tumor antigen MAGE-n].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To predict, synthesize, and identify HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes of the tumor the novel antigen MAGE-n.
  
  
  METHODS
  Long-distance prediction system SYFPEITHI combined with polynomial method was used to predict the HLA-A2-restricted CTL epitopes of the tumor antigen MAGE-n. The candidate epitopes were synthesized with solid phase strategies, purified with reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry, The binding affinity and biding stability of the synthesized peptides were examined by cellular competition-based HLA-A2 peptide binding assay, T2 peptide stabilization assay, and peptide-major histocompatibility complex dissociation assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five HLA-A2-restricted CTL epitopes of MAGE-n were selected: The epitopes QLVFGIEVV (159-167), IMPKTGGLI (195-203), and FLIIVLMI (201-209) with high HLA-A2 binding affinity (LC(50) < 15 micro mol/L) and binding stability (DT(50) > 6 h) were selected as candidate epitopes for further study in immunotherapy for tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epitope prediction combined with epitope reconstruction improves the study of HLA-A2-restricted CTL epitopes of the tumor antigen MAGE-n. The selected epitopes of MAGE-n may be used in the design of therapeutic peptide vaccine for hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Hai-long
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yan-fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Sui
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Zeng-shan
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Xiu-min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guang-sheng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shao-ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen