CD8+ T-cell response against MUC1-derived peptides in gastrointestinal cancer survivors.
The tumor-associated antigens CEA, MUC1 and Her2/neu are broadly expressed in gastrointestinal tumors, and are attractive candidates for targeting by T-cell-based immunotherapy. However, little is known about the natural cytotoxic T-cell response of patients suffering from colorectal or gastric carcinoma against these three as well as other antigens. Using a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-based assay for IFN-gamma, we analyzed the CD8+ T-cell repertoire present in the blood of HLA-A2+ gastrointestinal tumor survivors against five known epitopes derived from CEA, MUC1 and Her2/neu. The results show that most of the patients (16 from 22 tested) have detectable, peripheral CD8+ T cells directed against at least one of these three proteins. Interestingly, the majority of these patients reacts to the two MUC1-derived HLA-A*0201 epitopes tested (14 from 16), demonstrating that this protein represents one dominant target for CD8+ T cells in gastrointestinal cancer.
Dittmann
Jasmin
J
Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
Keller-Matschke
Karin
K
Weinschenk
Toni
T
Kratt
Thomas
T
Heck
Tobias
T
Becker
Horst-Dieter
HD
Stevanović
Stefan
S
Rammensee
Hans-Georg
HG
Gouttefangeas
Cécile
C
D000368:Aged; D000917:Antibody Formation; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D017741:Survivors
D000939:Epitopes; D018396:Mucin-1