In vitro quantification of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response against human telomerase reverse transcriptase in breast cancer

  • Authors:
    • Shoba Maria Prescilla Amarnath
    • Charlotte Emma Dyer
    • Aswatha Ramesh
    • Obi Iwuagwu
    • Philip John Drew
    • John Greenman
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: July 1, 2004     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.25.1.211
  • Pages: 211-217
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Abstract

Telomerase is expressed in approximately 90% of breast cancers but not in normal somatic cells. The catalytic subunit of telomerase, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), is a widely expressed tumour-associated antigen against which specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses have been identified. Human CD8+ CTL have been shown to recognise hTERT synthetic peptides in an HLA-restricted manner and to lyse hTERT+ tumour cells. This study has investigated the specific CD8+ CTL response in a defined cohort of primary breast cancer patients against 3 hTERT peptides using an IFNγ ELISpot assay. A specific CD8+ CTL response against at least one of the hTERT peptides was observed in 75% of cancer patients, with 8/17 patients responding to both HLA-A2 restricted peptides. In contrast, 38% of normal healthy female controls responded against a single peptide only. This suggests that a specific immune response exists against hTERT in breast cancer patients and that hTERT is a suitable target for tumour-based immunotherapy.

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July 2004
Volume 25 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Amarnath SM, Dyer CE, Ramesh A, Iwuagwu O, Drew PJ and Greenman J: In vitro quantification of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response against human telomerase reverse transcriptase in breast cancer. Int J Oncol 25: 211-217, 2004
APA
Amarnath, S.M., Dyer, C.E., Ramesh, A., Iwuagwu, O., Drew, P.J., & Greenman, J. (2004). In vitro quantification of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response against human telomerase reverse transcriptase in breast cancer. International Journal of Oncology, 25, 211-217. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.25.1.211
MLA
Amarnath, S. M., Dyer, C. E., Ramesh, A., Iwuagwu, O., Drew, P. J., Greenman, J."In vitro quantification of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response against human telomerase reverse transcriptase in breast cancer". International Journal of Oncology 25.1 (2004): 211-217.
Chicago
Amarnath, S. M., Dyer, C. E., Ramesh, A., Iwuagwu, O., Drew, P. J., Greenman, J."In vitro quantification of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response against human telomerase reverse transcriptase in breast cancer". International Journal of Oncology 25, no. 1 (2004): 211-217. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.25.1.211