# IMMUNOLOGY OF UNIQUE TUMOR-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 1991 · $154,578

## Abstract

The main objectives are to: 1) Determine whether or not decisive
genetic evidence for  truly tumor-specific antigens can be obtained
and 2) determine the basis for the  seemingly endless diversity of
unique tumor-specific antigens on independently induced  tumors.
A new bank of 131 UV-induced and spontaneous murine tumors was
isolated and  autochthonous nonmalignant control cells were
isolated from each original tumor-bearing host.  These controls
will allow the exclusion of residual heterozygosity, new germline
mutations or antigenic drift as sources of error.  The tumors
demonstrate a wide range  immunogenicity from very poorly to
extremely immunogenic, which ensures that at least  some of these
tumors will be comparable to human cancers.  Several monoclonal
antibodies  and/or cloned CTL probes have already been developed
that react with unique tumor-specific antigens on these new tumors
but not with autochthonous normal cells or second  autochthonous
malignancies.  The aims are to: 1) generate additional antibody
and CTL probes, 2) determine by variant selection whether the
unique tumor-specific antigenicity of cancer may consist of
multiple genetically independent components expressed on a single
malignant cell, 3) determine which unique tumor-specific antigens
are lost or which are retained during tumor progression, and 4)
determine the genetic origin(s) of unique tumor-specific antigens.
For the last aim, several powerful but independent nov approaches
are available.  For determining the genetic origin(s) of CTL-
defined unique antigens, insertional mutagenesis with a newly
constructed with replication-deficient amphotropic virus will be
used for recovering cellular flanking sequences from the CTL-
selected antigen loss variants.  This procedure is used to generate
single copy probes for the isolation of the relevant genes from the
unmutagenized tumor.  For determining the genetic origins of
monoclonal antibody-defined unique tumor antigens, cDNA of the
particular tumor is inserted into a newly constructed mammalian
expression vector followed by transfection into COS cells.
Selection by panning on antibody-coated dish and finally cloning
of the relevant gene after repeated cycles of selection.
Comparison of the genes and their predicted amino acid sequence
will indicate: 1) possible homologies with other proteins.  2)
whether or not unique tumor antigens belong in a family of related
genes, and 3) whether the antigens are truly tumor-specific, i.e.
arise as a result of somatic mutation in the tumor or its
precursor.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3174905
- **Project number:** 5R01CA037156-07
- **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:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $154,578
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-07-01 → 1993-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3174905

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3174905, IMMUNOLOGY OF UNIQUE TUMOR-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS (5R01CA037156-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3174905. Licensed CC0.

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