Generation of HLA-DRB1*1501-restricted p190 minor bcr-abl (ela2)-specific CD4(+) T lymphocytes

A small population of cells in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is characteriz ed by a specific translocation of the c-nhl oncogene on chromosome 9 to the break point cluster lesion (bcr) on chromosome 22, t(9;22)(q34;q11) (e1a2) . Theoretically, the junction-spanning sequences of oncogene fusion protein s might be ideal targets for immunotherapy because these are not present in normal cells. In this study, we show for the first time that in vitro immu nization with a 17-mer e1a2 peptide representing the p190 minor bcr-abl fus ion protein resulted in HLA-DRB1*1501-restricted peptide-specific prolifera tive CD4(+) T lymphocytes, using peptide-pulsed monocyte-derived dendritic cells as the antigen-presenting cells.