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Characterization of HLA class I altered phenotypes in a panel of human melanoma cell lines

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Abstract

Background

Altered HLA class I cell surface expression is one of the major mechanisms by which tumor cells escape from T lymphocytes. Immunohistochemistry-defined phenotypes of lost HLA class I expression have been described in human solid tumors, nut less information is available on melanoma cell lines.

Objectives

To describe the frequency and distribution of different types of HLA class I antigen alterations in 91 melanoma cell lines from the European Searchable Tumour Cell and Databank (ESTDAB).

Methods

The HLA class I expression was assessed by flow cytometry and HLA genotyping.

Results

We found various types of HLA class I cell surface alterations in about 67% of the melanoma cell lines. These alterations range from total to selective HLA class I loss due to loss of heterozygosity (LOH), haplotype loss, β2-microglobulin gene mutation, and/or total or selective down-regulation of HLA class I molecules. The most frequently observed phenotype is down-regulation of HLA-B locus that was reversible after treatment with IFN -γ.

Conclusions

In general, HLA class I alterations in the majority of the cells analyzed were of regulatory nature and could be restored by IFN-γ. Analysis of the frequency of distinct HLA class I altered phenotypes in these melanoma cell lines revealed specific differences compared to other types of tumors.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS), Red Genomica del Cancer (C03/10), Consejeria de Salud, Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Servicio Andaluz de Salud (SAS) in Spain, from the ESTDAB project (contract no. QLRI-CT-2001-01325), and from the European Network for the identification and validation of Antigens and biomarkers in Cancer and their application in clinical Tumor immunology (ENACT, contract No. 503306).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Análisis Clínicos, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Universidad de Granada, Avd. Fuerzas Armadas 2, 18014, Granada, Spain

    Rosa Méndez, Teresa Rodríguez, Ana Del Campo, Eva Monge, Isabel Maleno, Natalia Aptsiauri, Pilar Jiménez, Susana Pedrinaci, Francisco Ruiz-Cabello & Federico Garrido

  2. Center for Medical Research, University of Tübingen Clinical School, Tübingen, Germany

    Graham Pawelec

Authors
  1. Rosa Méndez
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  2. Teresa Rodríguez
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  3. Ana Del Campo
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  4. Eva Monge
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  5. Isabel Maleno
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  6. Natalia Aptsiauri
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  9. Graham Pawelec
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  10. Francisco Ruiz-Cabello
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  11. Federico Garrido
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Federico Garrido.

Additional information

Rosa Méndez and Teresa Rodríguez have equally contributed to this work and both should be considered as first authors.

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Méndez, R., Rodríguez, T., Del Campo, A. et al. Characterization of HLA class I altered phenotypes in a panel of human melanoma cell lines. Cancer Immunol Immunother 57, 719–729 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-007-0411-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-007-0411-3

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