# IMMUNOLOGY OF UNIQUE TUMOR-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 1993 · $156,480

## Abstract

The broad long-term objective is to determine the genetic origins of
unique tumor antigens, which can serve as highly effective targets for
tumor rejection.  In particular, the goal is to determine whether these
unique antigens are encoded by tumor-specific mutations or by normal
genes that are present but silent in healthy cells, and whether they are
products of known mutant oncogenes or suppressor genes.  The first two
specific Aims are to determine the genetic origins of a unique CD4+ T
cell-recognized antigen and a unique CD8+ T cell-recognized antigen from
UV-induced murine tumors.  The third Aim is to determine the genetic
origin of a unique monoclonal antibody-defined antigen expressed by a
spontaneous murine tumor.  For the first Aim, our uniquely tumor-specific
CD4+ T cell hybridoma which produces IL-2 on interaction with specific
antigen will be used to screen HPLC fractions and thus to purify the
antigen.  Alternatively, we will screen a cDNA library that produces
peptides fused to protein A for positive bacterial colonies producing the
antigen, again using antigen-specific IL-2 release from the hybridoma as
indicator.  For the second Aim, an antigen that elicits a highly
restricted CTL response will be studied with "subtractive" HPLC mass
spectroscopy using the parental tumor and two closely related tumor cell
variants: an H-2 K molecule-negative variant to establish the signal to
noise ratio and a K molecule-positive, antigen-negative variant to
determine which peptides are irrelevant in the sensitizing HPLC fraction.
This will be done by comparing the profiles of peptides that have been
"fingerprinted" by unique mass to charge ratio.  This subtractive
approach should require relatively few peptides to be sequenced and
synthesized in order to determine which have sensitizing activity.  For
the third Aim, specifically immunoprecipitated antigen will be separated
by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, and partially sequenced.  Sequences will be
entered into GENBANK to search for identity with known sequences or will
be used to design genetic probes for cloning the relevant gene.  While
the unique antigens recognized by CD4+ or by CD8+ T cells have different
but important roles in tumor rejection, determining the genetic origin of
an antibody-recognized antigen on a spontaneous tumor is important
because this spontaneous tumor may represent a model for common human
tumors.  Resolving the molecular origins of unique antigens on such
tumors may suggest new approaches to make these antigens targets for
tumor destruction.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3174900
- **Project number:** 2R01CA037156-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** ZUE9HKT2CLC9
- **Principal Investigator:** Hans Schreiber
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $156,480
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1984-07-01 → 1997-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3174900

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3174900, IMMUNOLOGY OF UNIQUE TUMOR-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS (2R01CA037156-09). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3174900. Licensed CC0.

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