Yeast-based identification of prostate tumor antigens provides an effective vaccine platform.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate cancer/testis (CT) antigens as targets for immunotherapy or vaccine approaches in prostate cancer.


METHODS
We investigated the antibody response in 181 patients with prostate cancer, 83 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) patients, and 39 healthy donors against 13 different CT antigens recombinantly expressed on yeast surface (RAYS) and compared the results to antigen expression in tumor tissue. We then used the yeast clone expressing the most promising antigen directly as a vaccine to elicit potent cellular immunity.


RESULTS
The antibody response to NY-ESO-1 was more frequent (20%) and strong compared to other investigated antigens, and was associated with progressive disease. Interestingly, it was also detected in several BPH patients (9%). Feeding dendritic cells with NY-ESO-1-expressing yeast cells resulted in efficient HLA presentation and activation of specific CD3(+) T-cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The RAYS approach offers a fast means of analyzing serological autoreacitvity in cancer patients and serves as an effective anticancer vaccine platform.
Jung
Volker
V
University Hospital Zurich, Department of Oncology, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Fischer
Eliane
E
Imig
Jochen
J
Kleber
Sascha
S
Nuber
Natko
N
Reinshagen
Frank
F
Kamradt
Jörn
J
Grobholz
Rainer
R
Knuth
Alexander
A
Renner
Christoph
C
Wadle
Andreas
A
D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D015003:Yeasts / Q000276:immunology*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; C104948:CTAG1B protein, human; C510162:CTAG2 protein, human; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; C095366:GAGE2A protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C093962:synovial sarcoma X breakpoint proteins