title: Neoantigens encoded in the cancer genome.
abstract: Somatic mutations in the genome represent one of the major drivers of malignancy. However, non-synonymous mutations are also a source of mutated peptides that are presented by HLA molecules to induce protective CD4 and CD8 T cell responses. Consistent with this notion, the mutation burden of a tumor is correlated with local immunity as well as outcome of therapy and patient survival. Furthermore, neoantigen-specific T cells appear sufficient to control tumors prophylactically and therapeutically. While the role of neoantigens as a determinant of the foreignness of human cancers is now well established, major questions, including the relative importance of clonal vs subclonal neoantigens, and CD4 vs CD8 T cells, remain unanswered. We expect continued animal studies to address some of the open issues and ongoing clinical trials to establish the utility of therapeutic strategies to enhance neoantigen-specific T cell responses in human cancer.
authors: Division of Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: t.schumacher@nki.nl.
authors: Ton N
authors: TN
authors: Schumacher
authors: Cancer Center and Center for Cancer Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. Electronic address: nhacohen@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors: Nir
authors: N
authors: Hacohen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm