Universitéde Montreal

Rsem, Limited Partnership

Valorisation-recherche, Limited Partnership

Biosystemix Ltd.

Claude Perreault

Pierre Thibault

Sébastien Lemieux

Diana Paola Granados

Roland Somogyi

Chantal Baron

Larry D Greller

Sriranganadane Dev

Mohamed Tariq Daouda

Olivier Caron-Lizotte

Jean-Sébastien Delisle

Céline Laumont

T cells, notably CD8 T cells, are known to be essential players in tumor eradication as the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILS) in several cancers positively correlates with a good prognosis. To eliminate tumor cells, CD8 T cells recognize tumor antigens, which are MHC I-associated peptides present at the surface of tumor cells, with no or very low expression on normal cells. Described herein a proteogenomic approach using RNA-sequencing data from cancer and normal-matched mTECsamples in order to identify non-tolerogenic tumor-specific antigens derived from (i) coding and non-coding regions of the genome, (ii) non-synonymous single-base mutations or short insertion/deletions and more complex rearrangements as well as (iii) endogenous retroelements, which works regardless of the sample's mutational load or complexity.

Proteogenomic-based method for identifying tumor-specific antigens

Novel minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHAs) are described. These novel MiHAs were selected based on two features: (i) they are encoded by loci with a minor allele frequency (MAF) of at least 0.05; and (ii) they have adequate tissue distribution. Compositions, nucleic acids and cells related to these novel MiHAs are also described. The present application also discloses the use of these novel MiHAs, and related compositions, nucleic acids and cells, in applications related to cancer immunotherapy, for example for the treatment of hematologic cancers such as leukemia.

Minor histocompatibility antigens and uses thereof

A novel method for human minor histocompatibility antigen (MiHA) discovery, novel MiHAs identified using this method, as well as uses of the novel MiHAs, are described. One of the features of the novel method is the inclusion of personalized translated transcriptome and/or exome in the database used for peptide identification by mass spectroscopy (MS). Candidate MiHAs are identified by comparing the personalized transcriptome and/or exome to a reference genome and/or to the transcriptome and/or exome of an HLA-matched subject.

Method for identifying novel minor histocompatibility antigens

Methods of assessing and reducing risk of graft versus host disease (GVHD) based on gene expression profiling are described, as well as methods of selecting a suitable transplant donor. Corresponding reagents and kits are also described.

Assessment and reduction of risk of graft-versus-host disease

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Outremont, Canada

Claude Perreault