Kv. Kesari et J. Geliebter, INTRODUCTION OF A DISULFIDE BOND IN THE ALPHA-1 DOMAIN OF THE H-2K(B)MOLECULE CONFERS IMMUNOGENICITY TO THE TRANSFECTED RMA-S TUMORS, Cancer research, 54(17), 1994, pp. 4580-4585
The use of major histocompatibility complex class I genes is an emergi
ng approach for the immunotherapy of human cancer. The conformational
stability of class I molecules is important for their immunologic reco
gnition. We have engineered a disulfide bond in the alpha 1 domain of
a murine class I molecule, Kb. The expression of the engineered, but n
ot the wild-type, K-b molecules conferred immunogenicity to a nonimmun
ogenic and antigen presentation-defective tumor cell line, RMA-S. Mice
that rejected the engineered K-b-transfected RMA-S cells developed a
long-lived antitumor immune response. These data indicate the possibil
ity of genetically engineering class I molecules to improve their ther
apeutic potential.