WP 2: Discovery of the hepatocellular carcinoma HLA class II-ligandome

The major objective of this WP is the isolation and characterization of naturally presented HLA class II-restricted tumour associated antigens (TAA) in HCC. As for the WP1, the HCC class-II-ligandome will be identified by the XPRESIDENT™ technology in cells derived from HCC patients with different HLA-haplotypes upon transfection ex vivo with the major MHC class II Transactivator CIITA. HLA class-II peptides selected will be included in the novel HCC “off-the-shelf” vaccine together with HLA class-I peptides discovered in WP1.