Identification of fibroblast growth factor-5 as an overexpressed antigen in multiple human adenocarcinomas

Methodology for identifying tumor-associated antigens recognized by T cells has been successfully used to clone antigens from melanoma cells. Similar efforts for nonmelanoma tumors have had limited success with few antigens i dentified. To identify potentially relevant tumor-associated antigens expre ssed in renal cell carcinoma cell lines, a tamer-specific CTL done was esta blished from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from a regressing pulmonary les ion, This CTL recognized nonmutated fibroblast growth factor-5 (FGF-5), Qua ntitative real-time reverse transcription PCR revealed that FGF-5 was overe xpressed in the majority of renal cell carcinomas, as well as in some prost ate carcinoma and breast carcinoma lines, FGF-5 expression by quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR in normal tissues was below the recogni tion threshold for this CTL, As a normal protein with significant overexpre ssion by multiple adenocarcinomas and little normal tissue expression, FGF- 5 represents an immunotherapy target with potential utility against a broad array of nonmelanoma cancers.