TAP1-TAP2 heterodimeric complexes are recognized as the transporter associated with antigen processing of major histocompatibility complex class I peptides for recognition by tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. In this study, we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of TAP1 and TAP2 in 160 patients with breast cancer and correlated their expression levels with clinicopathologic parameters. The median age of the patient cohort was 52.5 years (range, 30–86 years). Both TAP1 and TAP2 immunohistochemical expression levels correlated significantly with breast cancer characteristics (P < .001). TAP1 expression levels were low to negative in stage I breast tumors. TAP1 and TAP2 levels were significantly higher in grade 3 tumors than low-grade (grade 1 and 2) tumors. TAP1 and TAP2 expression levels were not significantly different among different levels of HER2-expressing tumors and did not vary by estrogen and progesterone receptor status or patient age. Both TAP1 and TAP2 overexpression in breast cancer might be an indicator of an aggressive breast tumor.

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular cancer and has a high incidence of metastasis, which lacks any effective treatment. Here, we present zebrafish models of UM, which are driven by melanocyte-specific expression of activating GNAQ or GNA11 alleles, GNAQ/11 , the predominant initiating mutations for human UM. When combined with mutant tp53, GNAQ/11 transgenics develop various melanocytic tumors, including UM, with near complete penetrance. These tumors display nuclear YAP localization and thus phenocopy human UM. We show that GNAQ/11 expression induces profound melanocyte defects independent of tp53 mutation, which are apparent within 3 days of development. First, increases in melanocyte number, melanin content, and subcellular melanin distribution result in hyperpigmentation. Additionally, altered melanocyte migration, survival properties, and evasion of normal boundary cues lead to aberrant melanocyte localization and stripe patterning. Collectively, these data show that GNAQ/11 is sufficient to induce numerous protumorigenic changes within melanocytes.

Cytotoxic CD8 T cells constitute a subgroup of T cells that are capable of inducing the death of infected or malignant host cells1. These cells express a specialized receptor, called the T cell receptor (TCR), which can recognize a specific antigenic peptide bound to HLA class I molecules2. Engagement of infected cells or tumor cells through their HLA class I molecule results in production of lytic molecules such as granzymes and perforin resulting in target cell death. While it is useful to determine frequencies of antigen-specific CD8 T cells using assays such as the ELIspot or flow cytometry, it is also helpful to ascertain the strength of CD8 T cell responses using cytotoxicity assays3. The most recognizable assay for assessing cytotoxic function is the Chromium Release Assay (CRA), which is considered a standard assay4. The CRA has several limitations, including exposure of cells to gamma radiation, lack of reproducibility, and a requirement for large numbers of cells. Over the past decade, there has been interest in adopting new strategies to overcome these limitations. Newer approaches include those that measure caspase release4, BLT esterase activity5 and surface expression of CD1076. The impedance-based assay, using the Roche xCelligence system, was examined in the present paper for its potential as an alternative to the CRA. Impedance or opposition to an electric current occurs when adherent tumor cells bind to electrode plates. Tumor cells detach following killing and electrical impedance is reduced which can be measured by the xCelligence system. The ability to adapt the impedance-based approach to assess cell-mediated killing rests on the observation that T cells do not adhere tightly to most surfaces and do not appear to have much impact on impedance thus diminishing any concern of direct interference of the T cells with the measurement. Results show that the impedance-based assay can detect changes in the levels of antigen-specific cytotoxic CD8 T cells with increased sensitivity relative to the standard CRA. Based on these results, impedance-based approaches may be good alternatives to CRAs or other approaches that aim to measure cytotoxic CD8 T cell functionality.

Patients with HER-2/neu-expressing breast cancer remain at risk for relapse following standard therapy. Vaccines targeting HER-2/neu to prevent relapse are in various phases of clinical testing. Many vaccines incorporate the HER-2/neu HLA-A2 binding peptide p369–377 (KIFGSLAFL), since it has been shown that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) specific for this epitope can directly kill HER-2/neu overexpressing breast cancer cells. Thus, understanding how tumors process this epitope may be important for identifying the patients that would benefit from immunization. Proteasome preparations were used to determine if p369–377 was processed from larger HER-2/neu derived fragments. HPLC, mass spectrometry, cytotoxicity assays, IFN-γ ELIspot, and human breast cancer cell lines were used to assess the proteolytic fragments. Processing of p369–377 was not detected by purified 20S proteasome and immunoproteasome, indicating that tumor cells may not be capable of processing this antigen from the HER-2/neu protein and presenting it in the context of HLA class I. Instead, we show that other extracellular domain HER-2/neu peptide sequences are consistently processed by the proteasomes. One of these sequences, p373–382 (SLAFLPESFD), bound HLA-A2 stronger than p369–377. CTLs specific for p373–382 recognized both p373–382 and p369–377 complexed with HLA-A2. CTL specific for p373–382 also killed human breast cancer cell lines at higher levels than p369–377 specific CTL. Conversely, CTLs specific for p369–377 recognized p373–382. Peptide p373–382 is a candidate epitope for breast cancer vaccines as it is processed by proteasomes and binds HLA-A2.