The immune system can recognize self antigens expressed by cancer cells. Differentiation antigens are prototypes of these self antigens, being expressed by cancer cells and their normal cell counterparts. The tyrosinase family proteins are well characterized differentiation antigens recognized by antibodies and T cells of patients with melanoma. However, immune tolerance may prevent immunity directed against these antigens. Immunity to the brown locus protein, gp75/ tyrosinase-related protein-1, was investigated in a syngeneic mouse model. C57BL/6 mice, which are tolerant to gp75, generated autoantibodies against gp75 after immunization with DNA encoding human gp75 but not syngeneic mouse gp75. Priming with human gp75 DNA broke tolerance to mouse gp75. Immunity against mouse gp75 provided significant tumor protection. Manifestations of autoimmunity were observed, characterized by coat depigmentation. Rejection of tumor challenge required CD4 ϩ and NK1.1 ϩ cells and Fc receptor ␥ -chain, but depigmentation did not require these components. Thus, immunization with homologous DNA broke tolerance against mouse gp75, possibly by providing help from CD4 ϩ T cells. Mechanisms required for tumor protection were not necessary for autoimmunity, demonstrating that tumor immunity can be uncoupled from autoimmune manifestations. ( J. Clin. Invest. 1998. 102: 1258-1264.)

SummaryIn tumor transplantation models in mice, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are typically the primary effector cells. CTLs recognize major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-associated peptides expressed by tumors, leading to tumor rejection. Peptides presented by cancer cells can originate from viral proteins, normal self-proteins regulated during differentiation, or altered proteins derived from genetic alterations. However, many tumor peptides recognized by CTLs are poor immunogens, unable to induce activation and differentiation of effector CTLs. We used MHC binding motifs and the knowledge of class I:peptide:TCR structure to design heteroclitic CTL vaccines that exploit the expression of poorly immunogenic tumor peptides. The in vivo potency of this approach was demonstrated using viral and self-(differentiation) antigens as models. First, a synthetic variant of a viral antigen was expressed as a tumor antigen, and heteroclitic immunization with peptides and DNA was used to protect against tumor challenge and elicit regression of 3-d tumors. Second, a peptide from a relevant self-antigen of the tyrosinase family expressed by melanoma cells was used to design a heteroclitic peptide vaccine that successfully induced tumor protection. These results establish the in vivo applicability of heteroclitic immunization against tumors, including immunity to poorly immunogenic self-proteins.

The redistribution of charge and electronic kinetic energy was studied during rotation about the S—N bonds of sulfonamide and fluorosulfonamide. The rotational potentials and electronic topological features of both compounds were evaluated at the HF/6-3 1G* level of theory and their electron densities partitioned into atomic contributions using FASTINT, an updated version of the PROAIM program. The results indicate that the stability of each rotamer is strongly dependent upon the hybridization of the sulfonamide nitrogen. The hybridization of the nitrogen was determined by examination of the positions and magnitudes of the electrostatic and Laplacian minima in the nonbonded region of the sulfonamide nitrogen atom. Independent assessments of hybridization were made using nitrogen pyramidalization altitudes. The rotational barriers in these compounds were found to arise mainly from energetic penalties resulting from adding electrons to already electron-rich sulfonyl oxygens while removing electron density from other more electronegative atoms. The fluorine-substituted analogue provided an example in which the sulfur and oxygen atoms were much less electron rich, causing an enhancement of the nitrogen rehybridization effects. The extent of covalent bonding between pertinent pairs of atoms in sulfonamide and fluorosulfonamide was assessed throughout the rotational pathway using the BONDER program. In contrast with much existing dogma, all of these findings were consistent with the same general model of charge and energy flow that has been shown to determine the internal rotational barriers in amides. Key words: sulfonamide, electron density analysis, rotational barrier, hybridization, atoms-in-molecules calculations.