ATP6S1 elicits potent humoral responses associated with immune-mediated tumor destruction

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 May 14;99(10):6919-24. doi: 10.1073/pnas.102025999. Epub 2002 Apr 30.

Abstract

An important goal of cancer immunology is the identification of antigens associated with tumor destruction. Vaccination with irradiated tumor cells engineered to secrete granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) generates potent, specific, and long-lasting antitumor immunity in multiple murine tumor models. A phase I clinical trial of this vaccination strategy in patients with advanced melanoma demonstrated the consistent induction of dense CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltrates in distant metastases, resulting in extensive tumor destruction, fibrosis, and edema. Antimelanoma antibody and cytotoxic T cell responses were associated with tumor cell death. To characterize the targets of these responses, we screened an autologous cDNA expression library prepared from a densely infiltrated metastasis with postvaccination sera from a long-term responding patient. High-titer IgG antibodies detected ATP6S1, a putative accessory unit of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase complex. A longitudinal analysis of this patient revealed an association between the vaccine-induced increase in antibodies to ATP6S1 and tumor destruction. Three additional vaccinated melanoma patients and three metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma patients vaccinated with autologous GM-CSF-secreting tumor cells similarly showed a correlation between humoral responses to ATP6S1 and tumor destruction. Moreover, a chronic myelogenous leukemia patient who experienced a complete remission after CD4(+) donor lymphocyte infusions also developed high-titer antibodies to ATP6S1. Lastly, vaccination with GM-CSF-secreting B16 melanoma cells stimulated high-titer antibodies to ATPS1 in a murine model. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that potent humoral responses to ATP6S1 are associated with immune-mediated destruction of diverse tumors.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation
  • CD4 Antigens / immunology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / immunology*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / secondary
  • Female
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / immunology
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Melanoma, Experimental / immunology*
  • Melanoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / blood
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / genetics
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / immunology*

Substances

  • CD4 Antigens
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases