Induction of cytotoxic T-cell responses against the oncofetal antigen-immature laminin receptor for the treatment of hematologic malignancies

Blood. 2003 Dec 15;102(13):4416-23. doi: 10.1182/blood-2003-01-0198. Epub 2003 Jul 17.

Abstract

The oncofetal antigen immature laminin receptor protein (OFA-iLRP) is a highly conserved protein that is preferentially expressed in fetal tissues and in many types of cancer, including hematopoietic malignancies, whereas OFA-iLRP is not detectable on healthy differentiated adult cells. To investigate whether OFA-iLRP-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are capable of killing OFA-iLRP-expressing hematologic targets, CTLs were generated from healthy HLA-A*0201-positive volunteers by incubating T cells with autologous dendritic cells (DCs) transfected with OFA-iLRP RNA. OFA-iLRP-specific CTLs lysed HLA-A2+ OFA-iLRP+ tumor cells, including several lymphoma and leukemia cell lines, as well as fresh leukemic targets from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL), indicating that OFA-iLRP-derived peptides are naturally processed and presented by hematologic tumors. Healthy OFA-iLRP-negative target cells (CD14+ monocytes, activated B cells, DCs, bone marrow cells) were not attacked by OFA-iLRP-specific CTLs. Furthermore, in an established murine B-cell lymphoma model (A20), treatment with syngeneic DCs transfected with OFA-iLRP-coding RNA resulted in powerful antitumor effects in a significant portion of mice. For the first time, these data show that OFA-iLRP can be used as a target for T-cell-based immunotherapeutic strategies against hematologic malignancies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor / immunology
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / transplantation*
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / therapy
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / immunology*
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • Protein Precursors / genetics
  • Protein Precursors / immunology*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / isolation & purification
  • Receptors, Laminin / genetics
  • Receptors, Laminin / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology*
  • Transfection
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Protein Precursors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Laminin
  • oncofetal antigens