Characterization of cloned class I MHC-restricted, CD8+ anti-Meth A cytotoxic T-lymphocytes: recognition of an epitope derived from the Meth A gp110 tumor rejection antigen.

Meth A gp110 has been tentatively identified as a tumor rejection antigen. Following isolation of a class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted, CD8+ anti-Meth A cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL), we sought to determine whether the determinant recognized by this CTL was: (a) functional in tumor rejection of Meth A sarcoma; and (b) derived from Meth A gp110. Initially, we isolated an anti-Meth A CTL-resistant variant of Meth A sarcoma, Meth A4R, by immunoselection. The results of the subsequent analysis of Meth A4R cells showed the CTL-defined determinant as having a functional role in transplantation rejection of Meth A sarcoma. Walker et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 89: 7915-7918, 1993) showed that the cationic lipid, N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N- trimethylammonium-methyl sulfate, mediated delivery of a recombinant glycoprotein into the cytosol of target cells, making it available for processing and presentation by class I MHC molecules. As a result, the cells were sensitized for cytolysis by a class I MHC-restricted CD8+ CTL, which recognized an epitope expressed by the glycoprotein. In a similar manner, we treated the SV40-transformed BALB/c cell line, SVBalb, which is relatively insensitive to cytolysis by the anti-Meth A CTL, with Meth A gp110 and N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium methyl sulfate. The sensitivities of the treated cells and control cell lines to the anti-Meth A CTL were then examined. The results of these experiments permit us to conclude that the determinant recognized by the anti-Meth A CTL line is derived from Meth A gp110.