title: Detection of T lymphocytes specific for human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) in patients with seminoma.
abstract: Human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) is distinctive among the retroviruses that comprise about 8% of the human genome in that multiple HERV-K proviruses encode full-length viral proteins, and many HERV-K proviruses formed during recent human evolution. HERV-K gag proteins are found in the cytoplasm of primary tumor cells of patients with seminoma. We identified HERV-K-specific T cells in patients with a past history of seminoma using the interferon-gamma ELISPOT assay and an MHC-HERV-K peptide-specific tetramer. A minority of apparently healthy subjects without evident germ cell tumors also made HERV-K-specific T cell responses. In summary, we detected T cell reactivity to HERV-K peptides in both past seminoma patients and a minority of apparently healthy controls.
authors.affiliation: J.D. Gladstone Institutes, Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, California 94158, USA.
authors.forename: Seth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rakoff-Nahoum
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kuebler
authors.forename: Jonas J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heymann
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: E Sheehy
authors.forename: Gabriel M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: S Ogg
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Barbour
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Steinfeld
authors.forename: Douglas F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Nixon
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018239:Seminoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016662:Virus Integration
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral