CTL-Tumor Cell Interaction: The Generation of Molecular Probes of Monitoring the HLA-A*0201-HER-2/neu Peptide Complex

: The overall goal of this project is to probe the CTL - tumor cell interaction by generating scFv probes that are able to recognize the HLA-A*0201-HER-2/neu369-377 peptide complex. In the 12 month period covered by this report, I have successfully generated HLA-A*0201-HER-2/neu369-377 complexes, and have isolated two scFv fragment clones that recognize this complex. In addition, I have started to analyze the expression levels of antigen processing machinery (APM) components, HLA class I antigens and beta2m in several breast carcinoma cell lines. This analysis takes advantage of the availability of a wide panel of mAb to these antigens that several investigators in our laboratory, including myself, have developed and characterized. Collectively, the results we have obtained strongly support our future analysis to correlate the expression levels of APM components, HLA class I antigens, beta2m and HER-2/neu with the levels of HLA-A*0201-HER-2/neu369-377 complexes on breast carcinoma cells and lesions. The information derived from these studies is expected to contribute to our knowledge of the variables that influence the levels of HLA class I antigen-TAA derived peptide complex expression on breast carcinoma cells.