As previously described [20, 22], T2 cells (1 × 106 cells/ml) were incubated overnight with 50 μm of each peptide in serum-free RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 3 μg/ml β2-M at 37 °C. Cells were washed twice to remove free peptides, then incubated with brefeldin A (10 μg/ml, Sigma, St Louis, MO, USA) for 1 h, washed, and incubated at 37 °C for 0,

2, 4, 6 h. Cells were then washed twice, stained and analysed by flow cytometry. DC50 was defined as the time required for 50% dissociation of the HLA-A*0201/peptide complex stabilized at t = 0 h. It was calculated from the FI values at the peptide concentration of 50 μm. Induction of peptide-specific CTLs by COX-2-derived peptides from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).  Epacadostat chemical structure CTLs induction in vitro was performed in accordance with the procedures previously described [23, 24]. Briefly, PBMCs of six HLA-A*02+ healthy donors were first obtained with centrifugation at a Ficoll-Paque density gradient APO866 concentration and then cultured in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% FBS, 100 units/ml penicillin, and 100 units/ml streptomycin. Then, these cells were stimulated once a week with the synthetic peptides, respectively, at a final concentration of 10 μg/ml. Human recombinant IL-2 was added to the culture media at the concentration of 30 units/ml on day 3 and also 1 day after each stimulation. The cytotoxic assay and enzyme-linked

immunospot (ELISPOT) assay were performed on day 21. Enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay.  ELISPOT assay was performed by using a commercial kit (Dakewe, China). The assay was performed in accordance with the procedures previously described [25, 26]. Briefly, T2 cells incubated with p321 and irrelevant peptide

(50 μg/ml) for 4 h were used as stimulators; effector cells (1 × 105) PLEK2 and stimulator cells (p321-pulsed T2 cells, 1 × 105) were seeded into an anti-human (or anti-mouse) IFN-γ antibody-coated 96-well plate. After incubation at 37 °C for 16 h, cells were removed and plates were processed. The number of spots was determined automatically by using a computer-assisted spot analyzer (Dakewe, China). Generation of CTLs from HLA-A2.1/Kb transgenic mice.  In vivo generation of peptides-specific CTLs was performed in accordance with the procedures previously described [27]. Briefly, each HLA-A2.1/Kb transgenic mouse was injected subcutaneously at the base of the tail with 100 μg peptide emulsified in IFA in the presence of 140 μg of the T helper epitope. Mice were injected three times on days 0, 5 and 10 under the same condition. On day 11, spleen lymphocytes (5×107 cells in 10 ml) were separated and stimulated once by peptide (10 μg) in vitro. At day 6 of the stimulation, the specific cytotoxicity and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays were performed. Cytotoxicity assay.  Cytotoxic activity was tested based on the measurement of LDH release [28] by using the non-radioactive cytotoxicity assay kit (Promega, Madison, WI, USA) at gradient E:T ratio.