HLA superfamily assignment is a predictor of immune response to cancer testis antigens and survival in ovarian cancer.
To characterize the association between major histocompatibility complex (MHC) types and spontaneous antibody development to the cancer testis (CT) antigen NY-ESO-1.



Tumor expression of NY-ESO-1 and serum antibodies to NY-ESO-1 were characterized in addition to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. HLA types were assigned to structure-based superfamilies and statistical associations were examined. HLA types were compared to existing reference libraries of HLA frequencies in a European-Caucasian American population.



Out of 126 patients identified, 81% were expression positive and 48% had spontaneous antibody responses to NY-ESO-1. There was an association between HLA-B superfamily and seropositivity among patients with tumors expressing NY-ESO-1 (p<0.001). The differences in HLA-B superfamily assignment were driven by HLA-B44. Among all patients, the B27 superfamily was over-represented compared with the general population (p<0.001).



HLA type appears to be associated with spontaneous anti-CT antigen antibodies, as well as with the overall risk of ovarian cancer.
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, United States; Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, United States.
J Brian
JB
Szender
Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, United States.
Kevin H
KH
Eng
Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, United States.
Junko
J
Matsuzaki
Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, United States.
Anthony
A
Miliotto
Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
Sacha
S
Gnjatic
Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, United States.
Takemasa
T
Tsuji
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, United States; Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, United States. Electronic address: kunle.odunsi@roswellpark.org.
Kunle
K
Odunsi
D000368:Aged; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D059948:HLA-B44 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C104948:CTAG1B protein, human; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; D059948:HLA-B44 Antigen; D008565:Membrane Proteins