Identification of an immunogenic CD8+ T-cell epitope derived from gamma-globin, a putative tumor-associated antigen for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia

Blood. 2006 Oct 15;108(8):2662-8. doi: 10.1182/blood-2006-04-017566. Epub 2006 Jun 15.

Abstract

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a rare clonal myeloproliferative disorder. Although allogeneic stem cell transplantation can induce long-term remissions, relapse rates remain high and innovative approaches are needed. Since donor lymphocyte infusions have clinical activity in JMML, T-cell-mediated immunotherapy could provide a nonredundant treatment approach to compliment current therapies. Gamma-globin, an oncofetal protein overexpressed by clonogenic JMML cells, may serve as a target of an antitumor immune response. We predicted 5 gamma-globin-derived peptides as potential human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes and showed that 4 (g031, g071, g105, and g106) bind A2 molecules in vitro. Using an artificial antigen-presenting cell (aAPC) that can process both the N- and C-termini of endogenously expressed proteins, we biochemically confirmed that g105 is naturally processed and presented by cell surface A2. Furthermore, g105-specific CD8(+) CTLs generated from A2-positive healthy donors were able to specifically cytolyze gamma-globin(+), but not gamma-globin(-) JMML cells in an A2-restricted manner. These results suggest that this aAPC-based approach enables the biochemical identification of CD8(+) T-cell epitopes that are processed and presented by intact cells, and that CTL immunotherapy of JMML could be directed against the gamma-globin-derived epitope g105.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / isolation & purification*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Child
  • Epitopes / isolation & purification
  • Globins / immunology*
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / metabolism
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Epitopes
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Globins