Novel tumor antigens elicit anti-tumor humoral immune reactions in a subset of patients with polycythemia vera.
We attempted to determine whether the immune reactions elicited by aberrantly expressed testis antigens contribute to the beneficial responses to interferon (IFN)-alpha therapy and other therapies in patients with polycythemia vera (PV). We screened a human testis cDNA library using SEREX (serological analysis of tumor antigens by screening an expression cDNA library with sera from three patients with PV who had undergone IFN-alpha-induced or other therapeutics-induced remission). We identified two novel PV associated tumor antigens, PV65 (eIF-2alpha) and PV13 (protamine 2). These 2 antigens elicited IgG antibody reactions in a subset of PV patients but not in healthy donors, suggesting that they are authentic tumor antigens. Increased phosphorylation of PV65 in response to stimulation of IFN-alpha, and upregulation of PV13 in tumor cells might enhance their abilities in elicitation of immune reactions in patients. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism underlying the regulation of the self-antigen repertoire in eliciting anti-tumor immune reactions in patients with polycythemia vera, and suggest their potential as the targets of novel immunotherapy.
Xiong
Zeyu
Z
Department of Pharmacology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
Yan
Yan
Y
Liu
Enli
E
Silver
Richard T
RT
Verstovsek
Srdan
S
Yang
Fan
F
Wang
Hong
H
Prchal
Josef
J
Yang
Xiao-Feng
XF
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D015852:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D020014:K562 Cells; D008297:Male; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D011479:Protamines / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D013737:Testis / Q000276:immunology; D020298:U937 Cells
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015852:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011479:Protamines; C068621:protamine 2