Identification of Point Mutations in Genes Coding for tum-Antigens. A Step Towards the Understanding of Mouse and Human Tumor-Specific Transplantation Antigens?

Most experimental tumors induced with chemical carcinogens or UV radiation express individually specific transplantation antigens that elicit a T cell-mediated immune rejection in the syngeneic animals (Prehn and Main 1957; Klein et al. 1960; Kripke 1981; Uyttenhove et al. 1983). The characterization of these transplantation antigens has proved very difficult and several different approaches have been followed. One involves the search for specific antibodies to isolate the antigen by immunoprecipitation. Unfortunately, tumors seldom elicit antibodies directed against their specific transplantation antigens. One notable exception is UV-induced tumor 1591, and the molecules that were isolated…

Two tyrosinase nonapeptides recognized on HLA-A2 melanomas by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes

A number of cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones derived from several melanoma patients have been found to recognize a majority of melanomas from HLA-A2 patients. We have reported previously that two such CTL clones recognize a product of the tyrosinase gene that is presented by HLA-A2. Here we show that one of these CTL clones recognizes a peptide encoded by the first nine amino acids of the putative signal sequence of tyrosinase. The other CTL clone recognizes a different tyrosinase peptide corresponding to amino acids 368-376. Both peptides contain consensus motifs of HLA-A2 binding peptides.

T-lymphocytotoxicity in malignant melanoma: Induction with autologous mutagenized tumor cell clones