Two new tumor‐specific antigenic peptides encoded by gene MAGE‐C2 and presented to cytolytic T lymphocytes by HLA‐A2
Ma W., Germeau C., Vigneron N., Maernoudt A., Morel S., Boon T., Coulie PG., Van den Eynde BJ.
AbstractWe have identified 2 antigens recognized by several melanoma‐specific cytolytic T lymphocyte clones isolated from a melanoma patient with a clinical history of tumor regression after immunotherapy. Both antigens are presented by HLA‐A2 and encoded by gene MAGE‐C2, a cancer‐germline gene shown previously to be silent in normal somatic tissues and expressed in 40% of melanomas and in other tumor types. One antigen corresponds to peptide ALKDVEERV336–344, whereas the other corresponds to peptide LLFGLALIEV191–200. The CTL clones recognizing these 2 peptides also recognized allogeneic tumor cell lines expressing MAGE‐C2 and HLA‐A2. These 2 new peptides are the first known MAGE‐C antigens and represent promising targets for cancer immunotherapy. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.