Patient-specific tumor-associated antigens on autologous melanoma cells (NeoAg)

Patient-specific tumor-associated antigens, commonly known as neoantigens, are unique proteins resulting from non-synonymous somatic mutations within an individual's tumor (Nature Reviews Cancer, 2017). In melanoma, which typically exhibits a high mutational burden, these antigens are processed into peptides and presented on the cell surface by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules (NEJM, 2017). Because these neoantigens are absent from the normal proteome, they are recognized as "non-self" by the immune system, minimizing the risk of central tolerance and off-target toxicity (Science, 2015). Therapeutic interventions, such as personalized mRNA or peptide vaccines, aim to identify these specific sequences and deliver them to the patient to stimulate a robust, polyclonal T-cell response (The Lancet, 2024). This targeted approach allows for the precise destruction of autologous melanoma cells while potentially establishing long-term immunological memory to prevent disease recurrence (Nature, 2017). The clinical success of this strategy often depends on the accurate identification of immunogenic mutations and the efficient delivery of these antigens to professional antigen-presenting cells (Cell, 2021).

Other names

NeoantigensTumor-specific antigensTSAsPersonalized tumor antigensAutologous tumor antigensPatient-specific tumor-associated antigens

Stimulation of a patient-specific T-cell response against unique tumor neoepitopes to induce targeted lysis of autologous melanoma cells.