Human p53(264-272) HLA-A2 binding peptide is an immunodominant epitope in DNA-immunized HLA-A2 transgenic mice.

C57BL/10 mice transgenic for HLA-A2 were immunized with either a full-length DNA-construct of the tumor suppressor p53 or with a minigene encoding the p53-derived immunodominant peptide p53(264)LLGRNSFEV272 (L9V). Vaccination with the full-length p53 construct induced potent cytotoxic activity of splenocytes against L9V-pulsed target cells after in vivo re-stimulation. Vaccination with the L9V-encoding minigene likewise induced specific anti-L9V cytotoxicity in vitro.