title: Induction of HLA-A*33-restricted cytotoxic lymphocytes against renal cell carcinoma targeting galectin 9 and PINCH.
abstract: Galectin 9, a ligand of T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3), and PINCH, an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-promoting molecule, are expressed at much higher levels in cancerous lesions of clear cell type renal cell carcinoma (RCC) compared to normal renal tissues, and their expression levels are extremely low in normal tissues, except for galectin 9 in the spleen. Galectin 9- and PINCH-derived peptides have previously been shown to induce human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*2402-restricted and HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) with specific and highly cytotoxic activities toward RCC cells. The present study aimed to identify the peptides that induced HLA-A*33-restricted CTLs that exhibited specific and highly cytotoxic activities toward RCC cells. Specific CTLs were induced significantly, as shown by cluster of differentiation 107a degranulation stimulated with VMRC-RCW renal carcinoma cells. Therefore, peptide vaccines targeting galectin 9 and PINCH appear to be promising for clinical application.
authors.affiliation: Shirahama Hamayu Hospital, Shirahama, Wakayama 649-2211, Japan ; Department of Urology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawamura
keywords: PINCH; cytotoxic T lymphocytes; epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; galectin 9; immune checkpoints; renal cell carcinoma