Induction of anti B-cell malignance CTL response by subfamily-shared peptides derived from variable domain of immunoglobulin heavy chain

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2005 Nov;54(11):1106-14. doi: 10.1007/s00262-005-0696-z. Epub 2005 May 12.

Abstract

The variable domain of immunoglobulin heavy chain (Ig HV) is well-characterized tumor associated antigen expressed in B-cell malignancies, which may function as a T-cell target. However, T-cell epitopes derived from shared framework regions (FRs) of each IgHV subfamily capable of inducing cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) against the B-cell malignancy, have not been identified. Using the specific PCR primers of seven IgHV gene subfamilies, we amplified the IgHV gene rearrangement for 108 cases of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients. The IgHV gene rearrangement fragments of B-ALL patients were directly sequenced then classified into seven different subfamilies. The T-cell epitopes encoded by the IgHV gene in the B-ALL patients were predicted by SYFPEITHI and BIMAS programs and compared with those from 56 representative germline IgHV sequences in the genebank. For the HLA-A*0201 locus, we found 1 or 2 top score shared epitopes from each subfamily and got 12 epitopes altogether. Results showed that ten of them were in the FRs. Using an antigen-specific T-cell expansion system, we generated the peptide-special CTLs in vitro, which were capable of killing B lymphoma cell lines that belonged to the same IgHV subfamily in a peptide-specific and HLA-restricted manner. Furthermore, we proved that the cytotoxicity of CTLs was IgHV subfamily-specific. These data indicate possible immunotherapy approaches for B-cell malignances patients based on IgHV gene subfamilies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Burkitt Lymphoma / immunology
  • Burkitt Lymphoma / therapy*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte*
  • Gene Rearrangement
  • Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta
  • HLA-A Antigens / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics*
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics*
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology*

Substances

  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-A Antigens
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Peptide Fragments