Identification of MAGE-C1 (CT-7) epitopes for T-cell therapy of multiple myeloma

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2011 Jul;60(7):985-97. doi: 10.1007/s00262-011-1009-3. Epub 2011 Apr 3.

Abstract

Multiple myeloma is incurable with standard therapies but is susceptible to a T-cell-mediated graft versus myeloma effect after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. We sought to identify myeloma-specific antigens that might be used for T-cell immunotherapy of myeloma. MAGE-C1 (CT-7) is a cancer-testis antigen that is expressed by tumor cells in >70% of myeloma patients and elicits a humoral response in up to 93% of patients with CT-7(+) myeloma. No CD8(+) T-cell epitopes have been described for CT-7, so we used a combination of reverse immunology and immunization of HLA-A2 transgenic mice with a novel cell-based vaccine to identify three immunogenic epitopes of CT-7 that are recognized by human CD8(+) T-cells. CT-7-specific T-cells recognizing two of these peptides are able to recognize myeloma cells as well as CT-7 gene-transduced tumor cells, demonstrating that these epitopes are naturally processed and presented by tumor cells. This is the first report of the identification of immunogenic CD8(+) T-cell epitopes of MAGE-C1 (CT-7), which is the most commonly expressed cancer-testis antigen found in myeloma, and these epitopes may be promising candidate targets for vaccination or T-cell therapy of myeloma or other CT-7(+) malignancies.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / physiology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Multiple Myeloma / genetics
  • Multiple Myeloma / immunology*
  • Multiple Myeloma / therapy*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / immunology*
  • Peptide Fragments / administration & dosage
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • MAGEC1 protein, human
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Interferon-gamma