# MOLECULAR IMMUNOGENETICS OF NOVEL MHC TUMOR ANTIGENS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 1987 · $142,849

## Abstract

The long-term objective is to define the role of MHC class I
transplantation antigens in tumor progression, in order to identify
immunological and molecular interactions which might be relevant to the
origins and treatment of human cancer.  These studies are intended to
address the molecular origin and functional significance of novel class I
products on murine tumors.

The experiments are intended to probe the generality and significance of
the phenomena defined by the UV-induced C3H fibrosarcoma, 1591.  This tumor
expresses at least three novel class I products, encoded by genes which
appear to have been derived by recombination.  Two complementary sets of
studies are proposed.  First, DNA from a large variety of tumors will be
examined by genomic Southern blot analysis for evidence of class I
alterations comparable to those observed in 1591.  A variety of
chemotherapeutic and mutagenic treatments will be tested for their
potential to elicit class I alterations in vitro.  These studies will
address the etiologic component of class I alterations.

The second set of experiments involve the characterization of the novel
class I product expressed on the C3Hf adenocarcinoma, LT85.  Peptide
mapping studies suggest that, as in the case of 1591, the gene encoding the
LT85 molecule was generated by recombination from an endogenous H-2 gene.
Furthermore, 40% of the C3Hf tumors tested express immunologically
cross-reactive molecules suggesting that the LT85 mutational event occurs
reproducibly.  The gene encoding this novel antigen will be cloned, and its
origin identified.  Specific molecular probes will be generated, and the
generality of the LT85 event will be analyzed in other C3Hf tumors.  The
potential reproducibility of the class I alterations in the C3Hf system
might afford histological identification of the activation of altered class
I molecules in nascent C3Hf tumors and to help elucidate the subtle
consequences of their expression on the process of tumorigenesis.

Given the complexity of the human HLA system as well as the absence of
appropriate transplant hosts to determine the immunogenicity of human
tumors, immunobiological studies of genetically defined models, such as
those described here, are essential in providing fundamental biological
information applicable to the molecular characterization of comparable
phenomena in human disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3174784
- **Project number:** 2R01CA037099-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GS3YEVSS12N6
- **Principal Investigator:** ROBERT S GOODENOW
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $142,849
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1984-03-01 → 1992-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3174784

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3174784, MOLECULAR IMMUNOGENETICS OF NOVEL MHC TUMOR ANTIGENS (2R01CA037099-04). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3174784. Licensed CC0.

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