Comparative study on the immunogenicity between an HLA-A24-restricted cytotoxic T-cell epitope derived from survivin and that from its splice variant survivin-2B in oral cancer patients

BACKGROUND: We previously reported an HLA-A24-restricted cytotoxic T-cell epitope, Survivin-2B80-88, derived from a splice variant of survivin, survivin-2B. In this report, we show a novel HLA-A24-restricted T-cell epitope, Survivin-C58, derived from a wild type survivin, and compared their immunogenicity in oral cancer patients. METHODS: By stimulating peripheral blood lymphocytes of HLA-A24-positive cancer patients with Survivin-C58 peptide in vitro, the peptide-specific CTLs were induced. In order to compare the immunogenic potential between C58 peptide and 2B80-88 peptide, peripheral blood T-cells from thirteen HLA-A24-positive oral cancer patients were stimulated with either or both of these two peptides. RESULTS: Survivin-2B80-88 peptide-specific CTLs were induced from four patients, and C58 peptide-specific CTLs were induced from three out of eight patients with over stage II progression. The CTLs exerted cytotoxicity against HLA-A24-positive tumor cells. In contrast, CTL induction failed from a healthy volunteer and all four patients with cancer stage I. CONCLUSION: It was indicated that a splicing variant-derived peptide and wild type survivin-derived peptide might have a comparable potency of CTL induction, and survivin targeting immunotherapy using survivin-2B80-88 and C58 peptide cocktail should be suitable for HLA-A24+ oral cancer patients.