To Identify HLA-A1101-restricted Peptide Epitopes Derived From Novel Oncoantigens (URLC10, KIF20A, and CDCA1) Applicable for Cancer Vaccine in Singapore

Aim: To identify HLA-A1101-restricted peptide epitopes derived from novel Oncoantigens (URLC10, KIF20A, and CDCA1) applicable for Cancer Vaccine in Singapore.

Methods: The panel of candidate peptides are synthesized and tested for their ability to induce peptide-specific CTL responses, in order to screen the peptide epitopes applicable for the cancer vaccination. Briefly, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) derived from HLA-A1101(+) healthy donors are taken and cultured in the presence of the each candidate peptide with recombinant IL-2 for 2 weeks, and then, re-stimulated with dendritic cell pulsed with the peptide following another 2 week culture. Thereafter, CD8(+) T lymphocytes were negatively selected with CD4-magnetic beads from cultured lymphocytes and tested for their peptide specificity employing enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. These conditions are completely performed in in-vitro system. Importance in medicine: If one could identify the peptide epitopes from novel Oncoantigens, it is applicable for clinical trials of cancer vaccination.

Benefits & Risks : There is no risk except for the matter of venipuncture in each individuals.

The ideal target molecules for cancer vaccination are thought to be selectively expressed in tumor cells, but not in the normal cells, with high frequent and homogenous expression within tumor. We have proved that novel Oncoantigens, URLC10, KIF20A and CDCA1, have these characters as ideal target molecules for the cancer vaccination and are highly expressed in a variety of tumor type such as gastric, lung, and pancreas cancer. Since HLA-A1101 haplotype is most frequent in Singaporean, it is essential to indentify the HLA-A1101-restriced peptides derived from these Oncoantigens to develop cancer vaccination.