Detection of RET/PTC-associated class I and II-restricted phosphopeptides as tumor specific antigens. (101.25)

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy continues to be a viable potential therapy for many tumor types, however, discovering the existence of and breaking tolerance to tumor specific antigens remains a challenge. In our strategy we will take advantage of a common theme of all cancer cell types - the constitutive activation of signal transduction members that promote cell survival and proliferation. Post-translational modification of tyrosine, serine, and threonine via the addition of a phosphate group can both activate signal transduction pathways and generate the production of “neophosphoantigens”. Here we use both sodium vanadate and a model fusion oncogene, RET/PTC, to transform fibroblasts and examine the immunoreactivity of phosphoantigens derived from class I and class II.