A NEW GENE CODING FOR AN ANTIGEN RECOGNIZED BY AUTOLOGOUS CYTOLYTIC T-LYMPHOCYTES ON A HUMAN RENAL-CARCINOMA

Previous reports have described antigens that are recognized on human melanoma cells by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL). The genes coding for a number of these antigens have been identified. Here we re port the cloning of a gene that codes for an antigen recognized by aut ologous CTL on a human renal carcinoma cell line. This antigen is pres ented by HLA-B7 and is encoded by a new gene that we have named RAGE1. No expression of RAGE1 was found in normal tissues other than retina. RAGE1 expression was found in only one of 57 renal cell carcinoma sam ples, and also in some sarcomas, infiltrating bladder carcinomas, and melanomas. This represents the first identification of an antigen reco gnized by autologous CTL on a renal tumor.