A large array of antigens that are recognized by tumor-specific T cells has been identified and shown to be generated through various processes. We describe a new mechanism underlying T cell recognition of melanoma cells, which involves the generation of a major histocompatibility complex class I–restricted epitope after tumor-mediated uptake and processing of an extracellular protein—a process referred to as cross-presentation—which is believed to be restricted to immune cells. We show that melanoma cells cross-present, in an αvβ3-dependent manner, an antigen derived from secreted matrix metalloproteinase–2 (MMP-2) to human leukocyte antigen A*0201-restricted T cells. Because MMP-2 activity is critical for melanoma progression, the MMP-2 peptide should be cross-presented by most progressing melanomas and represents a unique antigen for vaccine therapy of these tumors.

The M88.7 T cell clone recognizes an antigen presented by HLA B*1302 on the melanoma cell line M88. A cDNA encoding this antigen (NA88-A) was isolated using a library transfection approach. Analysis of the genomic gene's sequence identified it is a processed pseudogene, derived from a retrotranscript of mRNA coding for homeoprotein HPX42B. The NA88-A gene exhibits several premature stop codons, deletions, and insertions relative to the HPX42B gene. In NA88-A RNA, a short open reading frame codes for the peptide MTQGQHFLQKV from which antigenic peptides are derived; a stop codon follows the peptide's COOH-terminal Val codon. Part of the HPX42B mRNA's 3′ untranslated region codes for a peptide of similar sequence (MTQGQHFSQKV). If produced, this peptide can be recognized by M88.7 T cells. However, in HPX42B mRNA, the peptide's COOH-terminal Val codon is followed by a Trp codon. As a result, expression of HPX42B mRNA does not lead to antigen production. A model is proposed for events that participated in creation of a gene coding for a melanoma antigen from a pseudogene.