Melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer and is resistant to existing chemotherapeutic agents. Immunotherapy holds great promise in the treatment of metastatic melanoma because melanoma antigens have been identified and patients generate T and B cell responses specific for these antigens which in some cases lead to spontaneous remission. Effective immunotherapy requires presentation of tumor antigens in the context of MHC class II for the activation of CD4+ T lymphocytes to generate and sustain the anti-tumor immune response. Additionally, since many melanoma antigens represent self-antigens present in benign melanocytes, a productive anti-tumor response requires the avoidance of tolerance mechanisms which suppress the immune response to self-antigens. We propose to address the role of MHC class II antigen processing components, in particular gamma-interferon inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT), in the immune recognition of melanoma. Melanoma antigens including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, TRP-2 and gplOO are likely to be substrates for lysosomal reduction by GILT, because these melanosomal membrane proteins are present in the MHC class II loading compartment and contain internal disulfide bonds. We have demonstrated that GILT is essential for the MHC class II processing of TRP-1 in vitro. In this proposal, we plan to explore the role of GILT in the development of tolerance to TRP-1 using a TRP-1-specific T cell receptor transgenic mouse model. We next plan to determine the role of GILT in the overall immune response to tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2 and gplOO and to evaluate the role of GILT in protection from melanoma challenge by comparing in vivo immune responses in GILT-deficient compared to wild-type mouse strains. To explore the relevance in human disease, we will determine the expression of GILT in human melanoma. These studies will identify key features of antigen processing required to generate an immune response to melanoma and may aid in the understanding of mechanisms that lead to immune evasion. The long-term goal of these studies is to aid the development of effective immunotherapy for melanoma. ? ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
5K08AR054388-02
Application #
7483748
Study Section
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Special Grants Review Committee (AMS)
Program Officer
Baker, Carl
Project Start
2007-09-01
Project End
2012-08-31
Budget Start
2008-09-01
Budget End
2009-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$124,227
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Arizona
Department
Other Basic Sciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
806345617
City
Tucson
State
AZ
Country
United States
Zip Code
85721
Nguyen, Jennifer; Bernert, Richard; In, Kevin et al. (2016) Gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase is upregulated in human melanoma. Melanoma Res 26:125-37
Rausch, Matthew P; Hastings, Karen Taraszka (2015) An exhaustion-like phenotype constrains the activity of CD4+ T cells specific for a self and melanoma antigen. PLoS One 10:e0123332
Phipps-Yonas, Hannah; Cui, Haiyan; Sebastiao, Noemi et al. (2013) Low GILT Expression is Associated with Poor Patient Survival in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Front Immunol 4:425
Phipps-Yonas, Hannah; Semik, Vikki; Hastings, Karen Taraszka (2013) GILT expression in B cells diminishes cathepsin S steady-state protein expression and activity. Eur J Immunol 43:65-74
Rausch, Matthew P; Hastings, K Taraszka (2012) GILT modulates CD4+ T-cell tolerance to the melanocyte differentiation antigen tyrosinase-related protein 1. J Invest Dermatol 132:154-62
Hastings, Karen Taraszka; Cresswell, Peter (2011) Disulfide reduction in the endocytic pathway: immunological functions of gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase. Antioxid Redox Signal 15:657-68
Rausch, Matthew P; Irvine, Kari R; Antony, Paul A et al. (2010) GILT accelerates autoimmunity to the melanoma antigen tyrosinase-related protein 1. J Immunol 185:2828-35