Simultaneous cellular and humoral immune response against mutated p53 in a patient with lung cancer

We recently identified several Ags recognized by tumor-infiltrating B lymphocyte-derived Ab using SCID mice and a xenografted non-small cell lung cancer system. One of these identified Ags was mutated p53 with a point mutation resulting in the alteration of codon 158 from Arg to Leu. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether cellular immunity against mutated p53 exists in the same patient together with humoral immunity. Two different nona peptides (mutated p53(150) and p53(155) peptides), including a mutated amino acid derived from p53, were synthesized according to the binding motif of HLA class I of the established cancer cell line A904L from the patient. Mediastinal lymph node lymphocytes of the patient were stimulated weekly with the peptides. The mutated p53(155) peptide-stimulated lymphocytes showed specific cytotoxicity against both autologous EBV-transformed B cells pulsed with mutated p53(155) peptide and A904L. The mutated p53(155) peptide-specific CTL clone in an HLA-Cw*0702 restriction was established and analyzed for its TCR usage. Clonotypic PCR using CDR3-specific primers was applied to the tumor tissue containing the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The specific amplification of PCR was found in the tumor tissue. These results demonstrated that not only B lymphocytes producing specific Ab against the p53 protein, but also CTL against mutated p53, expressed in autologous lung cancer cells exist in the tumor tissue. This approach may allow us to better understand the mechanisms of T and B cell immunity against the same tumor Ag in cancer patients.