Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 2, 2026

Patient Derived Cell Culture and Isolation of CD133+ Putative Cancer Stem Cells from Melanoma
12:16

Patient Derived Cell Culture and Isolation of CD133+ Putative Cancer Stem Cells from Melanoma

Published on: March 13, 2013

Expression of transporter associated with antigen processing 1 and 2 (TAP1/2) in malignant melanoma cell lines

P Thor Straten1, A F Kirkin, T Seremet

  • 1Department of Tumor Cell Biology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen.

International Journal of Cancer
|March 4, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Loss of TAP1/2 or LMP2/7 expression is not a common immune escape mechanism in melanoma. All 39 cell lines maintained TAP1 and TAP2 mRNA, indicating these pathways are generally intact for antigen presentation.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) complex, comprising TAP1 and TAP2, is crucial for presenting antigens via MHC class I molecules.
  • Understanding immune escape mechanisms in malignant melanoma is vital for developing effective immunotherapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if the loss of TAP1 or TAP2 expression is a frequent immune escape strategy in malignant melanoma.
  • To investigate other potential factors contributing to immune evasion, including LMP2, LMP7, HLA class I, and beta2-microglobulin expression.

Main Methods:

  • Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze TAP1, TAP2, LMP2, LMP7, and beta2-microglobulin mRNA expression in 39 melanoma cell lines.
  • Flow cytometry (FACS) analysis was employed to evaluate HLA class I and specific HLA-A allele expression.

Main Results:

  • All 39 melanoma cell lines expressed TAP1 and TAP2 mRNA, as well as LMP2, LMP7, and beta2-microglobulin.
  • One cell line (FM37) exhibited a loss of HLA class I molecule expression, specifically the HLA-A2 heavy chain.
  • No cell lines demonstrated a loss of HLA-A1 heavy chain expression.

Conclusions:

  • Loss of TAP1/2 or LMP2/7 expression is not a prevalent mechanism for immune escape in the studied in vitro melanoma cell lines.
  • While rare instances of HLA class I loss occur, they do not appear to be linked to TAP or LMP downregulation in this cohort.

More Related Videos

A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model08:49

A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model

Published on: May 18, 2018

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells06:09

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells

Published on: June 7, 2019

Related Concept Videos

The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...