Autologous patient-specific tumor antigens (Neoantigens)

Autologous patient-specific tumor antigens, commonly referred to as neoantigens, are unique proteins formed by somatic mutations within a patient's tumor cells that are not present in healthy tissues (NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms). These antigens arise from various genetic alterations, including single nucleotide variants, insertions, deletions, and chromosomal rearrangements, making them highly specific targets for the immune system (Schumacher & Schreiber, Science 2015). In the context of oncology, neoantigens play a critical role in the cancer-immunity cycle by serving as the primary signals for T-cell recognition and subsequent tumor cell lysis (Chen & Mellman, Immunity 2013). Therapeutic strategies targeting these antigens involve the development of personalized cancer vaccines—such as mRNA, DNA, or peptide-based platforms—and adoptive cell therapies like tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) (Sahin & Türeci, Science 2018). By focusing on these patient-specific markers, clinicians aim to induce a robust and durable anti-tumor immune response while minimizing off-target toxicity to normal cells. The identification and selection of these antigens typically require advanced genomic sequencing and bioinformatic algorithms to predict which mutated peptides will effectively bind to the patient's specific HLA molecules (Zhang et al., Frontiers in Immunology 2021).

Other names

NeoantigensTumor-specific antigensTSAsPersonalized tumor antigensSomatic mutation-derived antigens

Stimulation of a patient-specific immune response by presenting unique, mutation-derived peptides to T-cells, leading to the selective destruction of tumor cells expressing those antigens (Sahin & Türeci, Science 2018).