title: Prostate-specific antigen-derived epitopes capable of inducing cellular and humoral responses in HLA-A24+ prostate cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We tried to identify prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-derived epitopes immunogenic in HLA-A24+ prostate cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were in vitro stimulated with each of four different PSA peptides carrying the HLA-A24 binding motif, and their HLA-A24-restricted anti-tumor responses were examined using a parental HLA-A24-negative prostate cancer cell line (PC93) and its HLA-A24-expressing transfectant line (PC93-A24). Serum levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) against PSA peptides were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  PBMCs, which were in vitro stimulated with either the PSA(152-160) or PSA(248-257) peptide, showed higher levels of IFN-gamma production and cytotoxicity against the PC93-A24 than against the PC93. IgG against the PSA(248-257) peptide was detected in half of the prostate cancer patients tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PSA(152-160) and PSA(248-257) peptides could be appropriate target molecules in use for specific immunotherapy of HLA-A24+ prostate cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. haramamo@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsueda
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Kyogo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D000939:Epitopes; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D059871:HLA-A24 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D059871:HLA-A24 Antigen; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen