Soluble plasma HLA peptidome as a potential source for cancer biomarkers.

ABSTRACT: The HLA molecules are membrane-bound transporters that carry peptides from the cytoplasm to the cell surface for surveillance by circulating T lymphocytes. Although low levels of soluble HLA molecules (sHLA) are normally released into the blood, many types of tumor cells release larger amounts of these sHLA molecules, presumably to counter immune surveillance by T cells. Here we demonstrate that these sHLA molecules are still bound with their authentic peptide repertoires, similar to those of the membranal HLA molecules (mHLA). Therefore, a single immunoaffinity purification of the plasma sHLA molecules, starting with a few milliliters of patients' blood, allows for identification of very large sHLA peptidomes by mass spectrometry, forming a foundation for development of a simple and unive

SUBMITTER: Bassani-Sternberg M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2973870 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature