Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “CTL”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources

The epithelial cell-specific integrin, CD103 (alpha E integrin), defines a novel subset of alloreactive CD8+ CTL.

The interaction of CD8+CTL with epithelial layers is an important but poorly defined aspect of organ allograft rejection. We herein report that CD103 (formerly alpha E integrin), a known receptor for the epithelial cell-specific ligand E-cadherin, is expressed by a major subset of CD8 + CTL elicited in response to allogeneic renal epithelial cells (REC). In contrast, CD103 was expressed poorly on CD8 + CTL generated in the conventional manner by stimulation with allogeneic leukocytes, although expression could be dramatically up-regulated by supplementing cultures with REC or exogenous TGF-beta 1. That TGF-beta controls the expression of CD103 on CD8+ CTL was further supported by the capacity of anti-TGF-beta mAb to block the generation of such cells in anti-REC cultures. Clonal analyses of anti-REC cultures revealed that individual CD8+ CTL clones were discretely CD103+ or CD103-, nd maintained their respective phenotypes independently of the cell type used for clonal restimulation. In a mouse model of graft-vs-host disease, 16.4 +/- 2.7% of CD8 cells that infiltrated host kidneys were CD103+ (n = 4). CD8 kidney-infiltrating lymphocytes were predominantly of donor origin and displayed an activated/memory phenotype (CD62L-, CD44high), consistent with expression of CD103 on a CD8 effector subset elicited in vivo following allogeneic transplantation. Taken together, the present data demonstrate that CD103 identifies a novel CD8 effector subset and, moreover, that such cells may comprise a significant component of the response to allogeneic tissues. The potential for CD103+ CTL as an important effector mechanism in organ allograft rejection, and more generally, as a mechanistic basis for tissue-specific immune phenomena, is discussed.

Animals↗

Distinct CD4+ T cell helper requirements in Theileria parva-immune and -naive bovine CTL precursors.

There is strong evidence that class I MHC-restricted parasite-specific CD8+ CTL protect cattle against the protozoan parasite Theileria parva. As part of an effort to develop a subunit vaccine for the induction of these responses, we have investigated the factors involved in the generation of T. parva-specific CTL in cattle. Purified populations of bovine immune and naive CD8+ T cells were cocultured with autologous T. parva-infected lymphoblasts (TpL) in the presence or absence of immune CD4+ T cells or cytokine preparations. Neither population developed CTL activity when cultured with TpL alone, whereas incorporation of immune CD4+ T cells in the cultures supported the generation of parasite-specific CTL from both immune and naive CD8+ precursors. The helper function of parasite-specific CD4+ T cells for immune, but not naive, CTL precursors could be replaced by CD4+ T cells responding to an unrelated Ag or by the addition of T cell growth factors or recombinant bovine IL-2. In experiments with two-chamber culture plates, in which cocultures of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with TpL were separated by a semipermeable membrane, CTL activity was observed to develop only in immune precursor populations. Hence, although bovine T. parva-specific CD8+ memory T cells need no helper signals other than IL-2 for activation, their naive counterparts require close contact with responding parasite-specific CD4+ T cells. This may reflect essential receptor-ligand interactions, or alternatively, a requirement for more stringent microenvironmental cytokine conditions.

Animals↗

Creating CTL targets with epitope-linked beta 2-microglobulin constructs.

Eliciting a strong CTL response is dependent upon displaying suitably high levels of specific class I MHC/peptide complexes at the cell surface. In an effort to enhance the presentation of defined CTL target structures, two unique peptide-linked beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) molecules were constructed. The first, designated NP(366-374)-L8-h beta 2m, links the carboxyl terminus of the H-2Db-restricted influenza nucleoprotein (NP) epitope NP(366-374) to the amino terminus of h beta 2m through an eight-amino acid glycine/serine linker. The second molecule, designated NP(147-155)-L12-h beta 2m, similarly couples the H-2Kd-restricted influenza NP epitope NP(147-155) to h beta 2m via a 12-residue polypeptide linker. Transfection of the NP(366-374)-L8-h beta 2m vector into H-2b-expressing cell lines sensitized these cells for lysis by NP(366-374)-specific CTLs. Free NP peptide could not be detected when class I bound peptides were acid-extracted from the surface of NP(366-374)-L8-h beta2m transfectants, indicating that CTL killing was mediated by recognition of the peptide linked to h beta 2m and not by a degradation by-product. CTL target structure formation was also achieved by an exogenous presentation pathway. H-2d-expressing target cells were sensitized for lysis when pulsed with NP(147-155)-L12-h beta 2m protein derived from an Escherichia coli cell lysate. The effect of recombinant NP(147-155)-L12-h beta 2m was inhibited by competitor wild-type h beta 2m, indicating that the active peptide-h beta 2m fusion protein remained intact. The observation that beta 2m with covalently attached peptide can effectively create CTL target structures in vitro offers new possibilities for the in vivo induction of epitope-specific CTL responses by either DNA immunization or injection of the purified epitope-linked beta 2m.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Enhanced generation of specific tumor-reactive CTL in vitro by selected Melan-A/MART-1 immunodominant peptide analogues.

The Melan-A/MART-1 gene, which is expressed by normal melanocytes as well as by most fresh melanoma samples and melanoma cell lines, codes for Ags recognized by tumor-reactive CTL. HLA-A*0201-restricted Melan-A-specific CTL recognize primarily the Melan-A(27-35) (AAGIGILTV) and the Melan-A(26-35) (EAAGIGILTV) peptides. The sequences of these two peptides are not necessarily optimal as far as binding to HLA-A*0201 is concerned, since both lack one of the dominant anchor amino acid residues (leucine or methionine) at position 2. In this study we introduced single amino acid substitutions in either one of the two natural peptide sequences with the aim of improving peptide binding to HLA-A*0201 and/or recognition by specific CTL. Surprisingly, analogues of the Melan-A(27-35) peptide, which bound more efficiently than the natural nonapeptide to HLA-A*0201, were poorly recognized by tumor-reactive CTL. In contrast, among the Melan-A(26-35) peptide analogues tested, the peptide ELAGIGILTV was not only able to display stable binding to HLA-A2.1 but was also recognized more efficiently than the natural peptide by two short-term cultured tumor-infiltrated lymph node cell cultures as well as by five of five tumor-reactive CTL clones. Moreover, in vitro generation of tumor-reactive CTL by stimulation of PBMC from HLA-A*0201 melanoma patients with this particular peptide analogue was much more efficient than that observed with either one of the two natural peptides. These results suggest that the Melan-A(26-35) peptide analogue ELAGIGILTV may be more immunogenic than the natural peptides in HLA-A*0201 melanoma patients and should thus be considered as a candidate for future peptide-based vaccine trials.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

CTL effector function within the central nervous system requires CD4+ T cells.

CTL responses induced during most viral infections are independent of help derived from the CD4+ T cell population. However, clearance of virus from the central nervous system (CNS) during infection with the neurotropic JHM strain of mouse hepatitis virus is inhibited in the absence of CD4+ T cells. Adoptive transfer of activated CD8+ T cells with virus-specific cytolytic activity into CD4+ T cell-depleted hosts demonstrated that CD4+ T cells were one component of the host response required for expression of CTL effector function(s) within the CNS. Analysis of mice infected with the JHM strain of mouse hepatitis virus demonstrated that, in contrast to CD8+ T cells, few CD4+ T cells entered the brain parenchyma. Although fewer CD8+ T cells entered the brain parenchyma in mice depleted of CD4+ T cells, access of CTL was not inhibited in the absence of CD4+ T cells. The number of apoptotic lymphocytes in the CNS increased in the absence of CD4+ T cells, suggesting that CTL enter the CNS during viral infection in a CD4-independent manner. However, these cells rapidly undergo apoptosis, indicating that expression of CTL effector function with the parenchyma of the CNS is CD4 dependent. These data raise the possibility that programmed cell death of CD8+ T cells within the CNS is due to the increased Ag present in the CNS of infected CD4 depleted mice or that autocrine cytokines, which maintain CTL activity within peripheral tissues, are inhibited in the microenvironment of the CNS.

Animals↗

Immunodominance in the CTL response against minor histocompatibility antigens: interference between responding T cells, rather than with presentation of epitopes.

We have investigated mechanisms involved in immunodominance of the CTL response of C57BL/6 (B6) mice against cells of BALB.B origin. This transplantation barrier consists of at least 40 minor histocompatibility (H) Ags. Insufficient presentation of nondominant epitopes in the presence of dominant epitopes was investigated as a possible mechanism for immunodominance. Ag presentation was assessed by recognition of dendritic cells of BALB.B origin, MLC restimulatory capacity, and quantification of cell surface presentation by peptide elution from intact cells. Cells from BALB.B mice, which fail to elicit CTL against nondominant epitopes, presented nondominant epitopes to a similar extent as cells from minor H congenic mice; the latter do elicit CTL against nondominant minor H Ags. Nevertheless, presentation of nondominant and dominant epitopes by the same APC appeared to be an important factor for immunodominance to occur, since simultaneous immunization with the epitopes on separate cells elicited CTL against both types of epitopes. This suggested that immunodominance is determined in the interaction between different responding T cells and the APC. Support for this was obtained in an in vitro model in which the CTL response against a nondominant epitope was inhibited by the concomitant response against a dominant epitope. This study suggests that immunodominance in the CTL response against certain minor H Ags results from interference between T cell responses and not from insufficient presentation of peptide epitopes. The study also provides an in vitro model for further investigations of the immunodominance phenomenon.

Animals↗

Polyclonality and multispecificity of the CTL response to a single viral epitope.

The molecular anatomy of an immunodominant, Ld restricted CTL epitope located between residues 28-39 in hepatitis B surface Ag was defined to explore the immunologic constraints on mutational escape from the CTL response during a viral infection. Using a panel of hepatitis B surface Ag residue 28-39-specific CTL clones, the response to this epitope was found to be extremely diverse at the level of TCR fine specificity and beta-chain usage. Although each clone recognized shared as well as unique residues within the epitope as TCR contact sites, even the shared residues were recognized differently by different TCRs. Despite these differences, all clones were comparably cytolytic following Ag stimulation and produced similar amounts of antiviral cytokines previously shown to inhibit HBV replication. These results demonstrate that the CTL response to individual viral epitopes can be markedly polyclonal and multispecific, such that mutational inactivation of a single TCR contact site will not usually lead to viral escape from all CTL clones of the same epitope specificity. Given these constraints and the fact that the CTL response is usually directed against several different epitopes during most viral infections, mutational inactivation of a single epitope is not likely to be sufficient to cause viral persistence.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

A single specific amino acid residue in peptide antigens is sufficient to activate memory CTL: potential role of cross-reactive peptides in memory T cell maintenance.

In the present study, we examined the structural requirements of peptide Ags for productive interactions with the TCR of CTL. For this purpose, we used as a model a previously identified immunodominant epitope that represents the target of EBV-specific HLA-A11-restricted CTL responses. By the use of peptides having minimal sequence homology with the wild-type epitope, we demonstrated that it is possible to selectively expand and reactivate memory CTL precursors without triggering the lytic mechanisms of wild-type specific effectors. In fact, stimulation of PBL from EBV-seropositive donors by polyalanine analogues, sharing only the putative TCR contact residue with the natural epitope, exclusively induced clonal expansion and reactivation of EBV-specific memory CTL precursors. Interestingly, these polyalanine peptides failed to trigger the cytotoxic function of CTLs specific for the wild-type viral epitope. This clearly indicates that reactivation of memory CTL precursors and triggering of the cytotoxic function have different requirements. The same phenomenon was observed using as stimulators naturally occurring peptides carrying the appropriate TCR contact residue. These data strongly suggest that cross-reactive peptides may play an important role in the expansion and reactivation of CTL clones from the memory T cell pool, and may be involved in long-term maintenance of T cell memory.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Isolation of high avidity melanoma-reactive CTL from heterogeneous populations using peptide-MHC tetramers.

Immunogenic peptides of human tumor Ag have been used to generate antigen-specific CTL. However, the vast majority of these peptide-specific CTL clones are of low avidity and are peptide, but not tumor, reactive. Peptide-MHC tetramers have been shown to bind specific TCRs with sufficient affinity to be useful reagents for flow cytometry. In this paper we demonstrate that peptide-MHC tetramers can also be used to selectively identify high avidity tumor-reactive CTL and enrich, from a heterogeneous population, the subpopulation of peptide-reactive T cells that can lyse tumor targets. The melanoma proteins, MART-1 and gp100, were used to induce potentially tumor-reactive T cells, and the intensity of T cell staining by TCR binding of specific peptide-MHC tetramers was assessed. A range of fluorescence intensity was detected, and the magnitude of tetramer binding was correlated with T cell avidity. The population of peptide-reactive T cells was phenotypically similar with regard to expression of TCR and adhesion molecules, suggesting that this differential avidity for tumor cells reflected differential affinity of the TCR for its peptide-MHC ligand. Sorting, cloning, and expansion of tetramerhigh CTL from a heterogeneous population of peptide-stimulated PBMCs enabled rapid selection of high avidity tumor-reactive CTL clones, which retained their functional and tetramerhigh phenotype on re-expansion. These results demonstrate that the avidity of a T cell for its tumor target is due to the specific affinity of the TCR for its peptide-MHC ligand, that this interaction can be described using peptide-MHC tetramers and used to isolate high avidity tumor-reactive CTL.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

Cyclophosphamide enhances anti-tumor effect of wild-type p53-specific CTL.

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is overexpressed in up to 50% of all human malignancies, both in solid tumors as well as hematological malignancies, and is therefore an attractive target for immunotherapy. We have recently shown that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), raised in p53 gene deficient (p53 -/-) mice and recognizing a murine wild-type (wt) p53 peptide, were able to eradicate a mutant p53-induced and overexpressing tumor in p53 +/+ nude mice. These CTL also prevented the outgrowth of a more aggressive p53-overexpressing tumor in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice. Importantly, this occurred in the absence of demonstrable damage to normal tissue. Possibly due to the aggressive nature of the latter tumor, adoptive transfer of wtp53-specific CTL did not result in the eradication of established tumors, either in nude or immunocompetent mice. Therefore, we explored whether the cytotoxic drug cyclophosphamide (CY) could potentiate the therapeutic activity of wtp53-specific CTL. We show here that CY acts synergistically with adoptively transferred wtp53-specific CTL in controlling the growth of an aggressive mutant p53-induced and overexpressing tumor. Previously described mechanisms underlying the synergism between CY and immune T cells were evaluated, but were not found to be operational in this model.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Association between HIV-specific T helper responses and CTL activities in pediatric AIDS.

We examined the relationship between the profile of HIV-specific T helper (Th) cell responses, cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity, HIV viral load, and CD4(+) T cell counts during longitudinal studies in children with perinatal HIV infection. Patients with AIDS demonstrated undetectable or low levels of HIV-specific Th and CTL activities, and exhibited almost exclusively Th0 type of responses with low IFN-gamma and IL-4 production. The levels of IL-2 expression in the envelope (env) peptide-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were increased in children with a slowly progressive disease, concomitant with higher numbers of CD45RO(+) memory T cells and increased proportions of Th1 clones. In these patients, high levels of env peptide-specific IL-2 expression correlated with increases in HIV-specific CTL responses, whereas a delay in the generation of HIV-specific CTL activity was associated with lower IL-2 production and elevated Th2 responses. Patients with slow disease progression produced higher levels of beta-chemokines than those detected in children with AIDS. These results suggest that an impaired development of HIV-specific cellular responses and inhibition of T cell differentiation during infancy are associated with fast disease progression. They also point to a protective role of noncytotoxic antiviral activity that might complement HIV-specific CTL responses in children with a slowly progressive disease.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Maintenance of memory CTL responses by T helper cells and CD40-CD40 ligand: antibodies provide the key.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are essential for control of primary infections by many pathogens and in particular by non-cytopathic viruses. It has been proposed that long-term maintenance of CTL memory and control of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is dependent upon the presence of T helper cells and interaction of antigen-presenting cells and CTL via CD40 and its ligand CD40L. However, we demonstrate here that CD40-CD40L interaction maintains CTL memory by induction of virus-specific antibodies. In fact, loss of CTL memory responses and spread of virus in mice lacking CD40 or its ligand is prevented by repetitive therapeutic injections of LCMV-specific antibodies. This indicates that antibodies are essential for long-term control of non-cytopathic virus and to maintain protective memory. Transfer of neutralizing antibodies or induction of antibodies by therapeutic vaccination within weeks after infection may therefore prove beneficial for the treatment of chronic virus infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. See accompanying article http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.200324844

Animals↗

Cross-typic specificity and immunotherapeutic potential of a human HPV16 E7-specific CTL line.

Cervical cancer (CaCx) is strongly associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, particularly HPV types 16 and 18. The constitutive expression of HPV E6 and E7 proteins in CaCx makes them attractive targets for CTL based immunotherapy. However cervical carcinomas may have features, e.g., antigen processing defects, that limit the effectiveness of HPV specific CTL. Furthermore most vaccine development has concentrated on HPV type 16, and it is not clear whether such vaccines could induce CTL able to cross-react on related oncogenic HPV types, e.g., HPV31 and 52. To investigate these potentially important parameters in vitro, we used a CTL (D4) specific for HPV16 E7(11-20). D4 was able to kill a variety of HPV16+ CaCx cell lines including those with suspected (CaSki) or known antigen processing defects (C33A), and with low HPV DNA copy number (SiHa). D4 was also able to cross react on a related peptide from HPV52 E7 but not HPV31 E7. Further analysis suggested that D4 cross reactivity against related peptides was influenced both by TCR contact residues and a certain threshold for peptide binding. The HPV cross-reactivity was confirmed at the whole protein level as D4 was also able to recognize the endogenously processed forms of HPV16 and 52 E7 but not 31 E7. These results suggest that HPV16 E7(11-20) would be a useful epitope for immunotherapy in both HPV 16 and 52 tumours. Despite this, it is difficult to generate these CTL in response to vaccination, emphasizing the need for definition of novel epitopes and more efficient vaccination strategies.

Cell Line, Tumor↗

Differences in phenotype and function between spontaneously occurring melan-A-, tyrosinase- and influenza matrix peptide-specific CTL in HLA-A*0201 melanoma patients.

Melanoma-specific T cells can occur spontaneously or in response to vaccination or other therapies, but the frequency is much lower than observed in viral infections. The presence of tumor-specific T cells does not necessarily translate into clinical regressions for a variety of reasons such as an insufficient frequency, activation state or homing capacity of the T cells or escape strategies of the tumor. Having screened melanoma patients prior to inclusion in vaccination trials for spontaneous tumor-specific T cells either by Elispot or tetramer-staining, we have identified 3 patients with sufficient numbers of tumor-reactive T cells to more than 1 TAA and at least 1 virus-antigen to perform phenotypic and functional analysis directly ex vivo. These stage IV melanoma patients showed specific CTL against melan-A.A2, tyrosinase.A2 and influenza matrix peptide (IMP).A2 readily detectable in peripheral blood. T-cell receptor (TCR) staining using the tetramer technology was combined with phenotypic characterization and functional assays. In contrast to IMP-specific CTL, melanoma-specific CTL were predominantly terminally differentiated effector cells. However, analysis of melan-A- and tyrosinase-specific T-cell lines showed that only a part of the melanoma-specific CTL were able to lyse peptide-loaded target cells. Interestingly, the described phenotypic and functional differences of melan-A- and tyrosinase-specific CTL appeared not only between patients but were also evident within patients, suggesting that the immune response against various tumor antigens is regulated independently.

Adult↗

Human normal CTL clones: generation and properties.

This study reports the production of clones of human killer T cells grown in the presence of TCGF4 following sensitization in MLC against (1) allogeneic cells, (2) autologous Bebv+ lymphocytes, or (3) autologous lymphoma cells. Sensitization against the tumor cells required the addition of macrophages. The expression of the cytotoxic activity of the cloned T lymphocytes required re-stimulation with the specific stimulator cells. The cytotoxic activity seemed to be MHC-restricted, since (1) cloned allosensitized CTL lysed their corresponding allogeneic targets, but did not lyse autologous Bebv+ cell or K562 cells; (2) cloned CTL sensitized against autologous Bebv+ cells lysed their autologous targets but not allogeneic Bebv+ targets or K562 cells; and (3) cloned CTL sensitized against autologous Burkitt lymphoma cells lysed their corresponding lymphoma targets or autologous Bebv+ targets but did not lyse allogeneic lymphoma cells or Bebv+ cells from the same allogeneic lymphoma cells or Bebv+ cells from the same allogeneic donors. The cloned CTL were homogeneous in expressing the OK T8 molecules and in being negative for T4, T10 or M1. At any given time, 25-45% of the cloned cells manifested lytic activity. The ultrastructural properties and cell surface OK T markers were different from those of cloned human NK cells. Emphasis is focused on the differences between the structural, functional and culture characteristics of CTL clones produced by direct isolation of MLC responder cells forming conjugates with specific target cells and those of clones from transformed T-cell lines or from T hybridomas.

Antigens, Surface↗

Lysis of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells by autologous HLA-class I-restricted cytolytic T-lymphocyte (CTL) clones.

From the primary site of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma (patient BE) a permanent cell line (MZ-PC-2) was established in tissue culture. In the course of mixed lymphocyte-tumor-cell cultures (MLTC) with autologous blood-derived lymphocytes, we isolated CTL clones that lysed autologous tumor cells but not autologous EBV-transformed B cells (EBV-B) and not K562. Pre-treatment of MZ-PC-2 cells with IFN-gamma was required to obtain significant lysis in 4-hr cytotoxicity assays. IFN-gamma was superior to IFN-alpha in that respect. Among MLTC responder lymphocytes, tumor-reactive CTL proliferated more strongly in response to MZ-PC-2 cells treated with IFN-gamma than to untreated tumor cells. Three CTL clones derived from MLTC were chosen for further analysis. They were CD3+, CD8+, TCR-alpha/beta+ and behaved identically in all functional aspects tested. They all expressed the same TCR-beta chain, indicating that they descended from a common precursor lymphocyte and were directed against the same antigen. According to antibody-inhibition experiments, BE-CTL recognized their targets via an HLA-B molecule carrying the Bw6 supertypic determinant. Irrespective of pre-incubation with IFN-gamma, low levels of tumor-cell lysis, or none, were seen when MZ-PC-2 cells were kept in medium supplemented with autologous serum or serum pooled from healthy volunteers instead of FCS. Lysability was restored when TNF-alpha was added to human serum. Serum-free medium was found to enhance the susceptibility of MZ-PC-2 cells to lysis by autologous CTL.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Peptide-specific CTL in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes from metastatic melanomas expressing MART-1/Melan-A, gp100 and Tyrosinase genes: a study in an unselected group of HLA-A2.1-positive patients.

Peptide specificity of cultured tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) was systematically investigated in a group of HLA-A2.1+ metastatic melanoma patients consecutively referred to our department for surgical treatment. Seven samples from 6 patients were studied. All surgical specimens showed evidence of gp 100, MART-1/Melan-A and Tyrosinase gene expression as detectable by reverse PCR (rPCR). Cultured TIL from 2 patients displayed cytotoxic activity against autologous or HLA-matched EBV-transformed cells previously pulsed with MART-1/Melan-A27-35 peptide. In contrast, no CTL activity against gp100(280-288) or tyrosinase1-9 peptides could be observed. TIL were then repeatedly stimulated in vitro with the same peptides. After 6 restimulation courses at weekly intervals, specific recognition of gp100(280-288) and MART-1/Melan-A peptides was detectable in 3 and 5 TIL populations, respectively. In one case Tyrosinase1-9-specific CTL could be demonstrated. Two TIL populations from metastases resected from a melanoma patient at 6 months' distance showed a different peptide specificity pattern, and no specific CTL could be generated from simultaneously sampled peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). All peptide-specific CTL populations also displayed significant cytotoxic activity against HLA-A2.1 matched melanoma cell lines expressing the antigens under investigation. Our data indicate that CTL specific for MART-Melan-A27-35, gp100(280-288) or Tyrosinase1-9 peptides could be expanded with varying frequency from TIL derived from 4 out of 6 HLA-A2.1+ patients whose tumors expressed the genes encoding these tumor-associated antigens (TAA).

Adult↗

Correlation between direct binding ability of synthetic T. gondii SAG1 peptides to HLA-A2 measured by a sensor for surface plasmon resonance and antigenicity of the peptides for T. gondii-infected cell-specific CTL.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) -infected B lymphoma cells present T. gondii antigens in the context of major histocompatibility complex molecules to T. gondii-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTL). HLA-A2 molecules of T. gondii-infected human cells have been shown to be used in presenting T. gondii antigens to CD8+ CTL. SAG1, one of the major antigenic molecules of T. gondii, is an antigen for T. gondii-specific CTL, and represents a possible basis for vaccines. The direct binding of nonamer SAG1 peptides to HLA-A2 was assayed here using an automated biosensor system with a sensor for surface plasmon resonance detection. The antigenicity of synthetic SAG1 peptides to T. gondii-specific CD8+ CTL also was assayed. The present study found a high correlation between the binding ability of synthetic SAG1 peptides to HLA-A2 and the antigenicity of peptides to T. gondii-infected cell-specific CD8+ CTL.

Animals↗