Broad cross-presentation of the hematopoietically derived PR1 antigen on solid tumors leads to susceptibility to PR1-targeted immunotherapy

J Immunol. 2012 Dec 1;189(11):5476-84. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1201221. Epub 2012 Oct 26.

Abstract

PR1 is a HLA-A2-restricted peptide that has been targeted successfully in myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy. PR1 is derived from the neutrophil granule proteases proteinase 3 (P3) and neutrophil elastase (NE), which are both found in the tumor microenvironment. We recently showed that P3 and NE are taken up and cross-presented by normal and leukemia-derived APCs, and that NE is taken up by breast cancer cells. We now extend our findings to show that P3 and NE are taken up and cross-presented by human solid tumors. We further show that PR1 cross-presentation renders human breast cancer and melanoma cells susceptible to killing by PR1-specific CTLs (PR1-CTL) and the anti-PR1/HLA-A2 Ab 8F4. We also show PR1-CTL in peripheral blood from patients with breast cancer and melanoma. Together, our data identify cross-presentation as a novel mechanism through which cells that lack endogenous expression of an Ag become susceptible to therapies that target cross-presented Ags and suggest PR1 as a broadly expressed tumor Ag.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / pharmacology
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / drug effects
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Cross-Priming
  • Female
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Leukocyte Elastase / chemistry
  • Leukocyte Elastase / immunology*
  • Melanoma / immunology
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Melanoma / therapy*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Myeloblastin / chemistry
  • Myeloblastin / immunology*
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • Skin Neoplasms / immunology
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / therapy*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Leukocyte Elastase
  • Myeloblastin