Minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1: target antigen for immunotherapy of tumors

摘要

Allogeneic stem cell transplants (SCT) can induce curative Graft versus Tumor (GvT) reactivities in patients with hematological malignancies. The GvT reaction is mainly mediated by allo immune donor T-cells specific for polymorphic minor Histocompatibility antigens (mHags). Among these, the mHag HA-1 was found to be restricted to the hematopoietic system. Here, the expression of HA-1 by non-hematopoietic tumor cells is reported. While absent in normal epithelial cells, tumor cells and tumor cell lines, particularly from epithelial origin, also express HA-1 and are recognized by HA-1 cytotoxic T-cells. The invention provides, among others, means and methods for HA-1-specific immunotherapy for HA-1-positive patients with non-hematopoietic tumor cells.