Recombinant hydrophilic human gp100: uptake by dendritic cells and stimulation of autologous CD8+ lymphocytes from melanoma patients.

Native gp100, a glycoprotein highly expressed in the majority of melanomas, contains several immunogenic peptides that are recognized by cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of dendritic cells (DCs) from melanoma patients to take up gp100 protein and stimulate specific autologous CTL. The gp100 used in this study was a recombinant molecule with diminished hydrophobicity, HR-gp100, produced in Escherichia coli bacteria and in Pichia pastoris yeast.