| Abstract
| - In this study we determined TCR α and β chain nucleotide sequences of HLA-Cw*1601 -restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones obtained from the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of a melanoma patient. These clones were previously shown to be involved In the recognition of melanoma-associated antlgenic epitopes SAYGEPRKL and AARAVFLAL encoded by gene MAGE-1 and BAGE respectively. All (3/3) antl-MAGE-1 CTL clones displayed TCRBV5 usage and one clonotype was found twice, >1 year apart, in patient's PBL. Two out of three anti-BAGE CTL clones showed the same TCRAV/AJ and TCRBV/BJ combinations and differed in the α chain CDR3 for two residues and in the β chain CDR3 for a single nucleotide which, however, did not change translation. These results suggest a pattern of TCR conservation in CTL selected for recognition of MAGE-1 or BAGE peptides on the autologous melanoma.
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