MHC Class I Antigen Processing and Presenting Machinery: Organization, Function, and Defects in Tumor Cells (original) (raw)

TAP expression level in tumor cells defines the nature and processing of MHC class I peptides for recognition by tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2013

We identified that the antigen preprocalcitonin (ppCT) is recognized on a human lung carcinoma by a cytotoxic T lymphocyte clone derived from autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The antigenic peptide ppCT 16-25 is encoded by the gene calcitonin-related polypeptide alpha (CALCA), which codes for CT and is overexpressed in several lung carcinomas compared with normal tissues. The ppCT peptide is derived from the C-terminal region of the signal peptide and is processed independently of proteasomes and the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP)1/TAP2 heterodimeric complexes. Instead, processing occurs within the endoplasmic reticulum by a novel mechanism involving signal pepsidase (SP) and signal peptide peptidase (SPP). Although lung cancer cells bearing the ppCT 16-25 epitope displayed low levels of TAP, restoration of TAP expression by interferon (IFN)-␥ treatment or by TAP1/TAP2 gene transfer inhibited ppCT antigen presentation. Thus, the ppCT 16-25 human tumor epitope requires low TAP expression for efficient presentation. These results indicate that emerging SP-generated peptides represent alternative T cell targets that permit cytotoxic T lymphocytes to destroy TAP-impaired tumors, a process that helps to overcome tumor escape from CD8 + T cell immunity. Additionally, our data suggest that ppCT is a promising candidate for cancer immunotherapy.

Down-regulation of the transporter for antigen presentation, proteasome subunits, and class I major histocompatibility complex in tumor cell lines

Cancer research, 1998

Tumor cells may alter the expression of proteins involved in antigen processing and presentation, allowing them to avoid recognition and elimination by cytotoxic T cells. In this study, reverse transcription-PCR was used to assess the expression in human tumor cell lines of mRNA for multiple components of the class I MHC antigen-processing pathway, including several proteasome subunits that have been implicated in antigen processing but have not been previously examined in this context (e.g., low molecular weight polypeptide proteasome subunit (LMP) 10, proteasome activator (PA) 28alpha, and PA28beta). Deficiencies in the expression of antigen-processing genes were demonstrated in 9 of 27 cell lines, representing a variety of histological types. In some cases, virtually complete deficiencies were observed in the expression of the four genes encoded within the MHC (TAP1, TAP2, LMP2, and LMP7), as well as LMP10, which is encoded outside the MHC. Combined deficiencies of these gene pro...

Proteasome subtypes and regulators in the processing of antigenic peptides presented by class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex

Biomolecules, 2014

The proteasome is responsible for the breakdown of cellular proteins. Proteins targeted for degradation are allowed inside the proteasome particle, where they are cleaved into small peptides and released in the cytosol to be degraded into amino acids. In vertebrates, some of these peptides escape degradation in the cytosol, are loaded onto class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and displayed at the cell surface for scrutiny by the immune system. The proteasome therefore plays a key role for the immune system: it provides a continued sampling of intracellular proteins, so that CD8-positive T-lymphocytes can kill cells expressing viral or tumoral proteins. Consequently, the repertoire of peptides displayed by MHC class I molecules at the cell surface depends on proteasome activity, which may vary according to the presence of proteasome subtypes and regulators. Besides standard proteasomes, cells may contain immunoproteasomes, intermediate proteasomes and thymo...

Tumor antigens and proteomics from the point of view of the major histocompatibility complex peptides

Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2003

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) peptide repertoire of cancer cells serves both as a source for new tumor antigens for development of cancer immunotherapy and as a rich information resource about the protein content of the cancer cells (their proteome). Thousands of different MHC peptides are normally displayed by each cell, where most of them are derived from different proteins and thus represent most of the cellular proteome. However, in contrast to standard proteomics, which surveys the cellular protein contents, analyses of the MHC peptide repertoire correspond more to the rapidly degrading proteins in the cells (i.e. the transient proteome). MHC peptides can be efficiently purified by affinity chromatography from membranal MHC molecules, or preferably following transfection of vectors for expression of recombinant soluble MHC molecules. The purified peptides are resolved and analyzed by capillary high-pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry, and the data are deciphered with new software tools enabling the creation of large databanks of MHC peptides displayed by different cell types and by different MHC haplotypes. These lists of identified MHC peptides can now be used for searching new tumor antigens, and for identification of proteins whose rapid degradation is significant to cancer progression and metastasis. These lists can also be used for identification of new proteins of yet unknown function that are not detected by standard proteomics approaches. This review focuses on the presentation, identification and analysis of MHC peptides significant for cancer immunotherapy. It is also concerned with the aspects of human proteomics observed through large-scale analyses of MHC peptides.

Peptide Loading on MHC Class I Molecules of Tumor Cells

BIO-PROTOCOL, 2016

MHC class I molecules present peptides to cytotoxic T cells allowing the immune system to scan for intracellular pathogens and mutated proteins. The generation of antigenic peptides is a multistep process that ends in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Only peptides with the right length and sequence will bind nascent MHC class I molecules in the ER. This protocol allows for detachment of the endogenous peptides bound to MHC class I molecules by preserving them for the binding of high affinity synthetic peptides. The complete dissociation of endogenous peptides by mild acid treatment as well as the binding of synthetic peptides to MHC class I molecules will be evaluated measuring HLA class I molecules express on the cell surface by flow cytometry. The mouse antibody W6/32 which recognizes β2m associated HLA-A,-B,-C,-E and-G heavy chains is suitable for this propose. Any tumor cell line that expresses surface HLA class I molecules is suitable for the assay. Another important aspect is to know the HLA class I typing of tumor cell line to allow selection of the known high affinity peptides. Materials and Reagents 16. Trypan-Blue 17. Na2HPO4 (Sigma-Aldrich, catalog number: S5136)

Immunogenicity of tumor peptides: importance of peptide length and stability of peptide/MHC class II complex

Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy, 1999

Nonameric P815AB, a cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte-de®ned minimal core peptide encoded by the murine mastocytoma gene P1A, fails to initiate CD4 + cell-dependent reactivity in vivo to class-I-restricted epitopes when mice are administered peptide-pulsed dendritic cells. Eective immunization requires T helper eects, such as those mediated by coimmunization with class-II-restricted (helper) peptides or by the use of recombinant interleukin-12 (rIL-12). Although P815AB does possess class-II-restricted epitopes, they are likely suboptimal, resulting in poor anity and/or stability of MHC/P815AB complexes and inadequate activation of the antigen-presenting cell function of dendritic cells. The present study has examined a series of longer, P815AB-centered peptides (11±14 amino acids in length, all P1A-encoded) for their ability to initiate CD4 + and CD8 + cell-mediated responses to the nonamer in vivo, their ability to bind class II MHC in vitro, and their ability to assemble class II molecules stably. By means of a class-I-restricted skin test assay in mice receiving peptide-pulsed dendritic cells, we found that a 12-mer and a 13-mer eectively immunized against the core P815AB peptide, and that this correlated with IL-2 production in vitro by CD4 + cells in response to the nonamer. In vitro studies, involving anity-puri®ed class II molecules, showed that the capacity to assemble class II molecules stably, more than the anity for class II MHC, correlated with the ability of the dierent P815AB peptides to prime the host to the core peptide seen by the T cells.