Identification of a Novel Immunodominant HLA-B*07: 02-restricted Adenoviral Peptide Epitope and Its Potential in Adoptive Transfer Immunotherapy

J Immunother. 2015 Sep;38(7):267-75. doi: 10.1097/CJI.0000000000000087.

Abstract

Adenovirus infections of immunocompromised patients, particularly following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, are associated with morbidity and mortality. Immunotherapy by adoptive transfer of hexon-specific and penton-specific T cells has been successfully applied, but many approaches are impeded by the low number of HLA class I-restricted adenoviral peptide epitopes described to date. We use a novel method to identify naturally presented adenoviral peptide epitopes from infected human cells, ectopically expressing defined HLA, using peptide elution and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. We show that the previously described HLA-A*01:01-restricted peptide epitope LTDLGQNLLY from hexon protein is naturally presented, and demonstrate the functionality of LTDLGQNLLY-specific T cells. We further identify a novel immunodominant HLA-B*07:02-restricted peptide epitope VPATGRTLVL from protein 13.6 K, and demonstrate the high proliferative, cytotoxic, and IFN-γ-producing capacity of peptide-specific T cells. Lastly, LTDLGQNLLY-specific T cells can be detected ex vivo following adoptive transfer therapy, and LTDLGQNLLY-specific and VPATGRTLVL-specific T cells have memory phenotypes ex vivo. Given their proliferative and cytotoxic capacity, such epitope-specific T cells are promising candidates for adoptive T-cell transfer therapy of adenovirus infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / immunology*
  • Adenoviridae Infections / immunology
  • Adoptive Transfer / methods
  • Capsid Proteins / immunology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • HLA-B7 Antigen / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunodominant Epitopes / immunology*
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / methods
  • Peptides / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • HLA-B*07:02 antigen
  • HLA-B7 Antigen
  • Immunodominant Epitopes
  • Peptides