TY - JOUR T1 - BNIP3L Is a New Autophagy Related Prognostic Biomarker for Melanoma Patients Treated With AGI-101H JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 3723 LP - 3732 DO - 10.21873/anticanres.14361 VL - 40 IS - 7 AU - URSZULA KAZIMIERCZAK AU - TOMASZ KOLENDA AU - DARIUSZ KOWALCZYK AU - JACEK MACKIEWICZ AU - ANDRZEJ MACKIEWICZ Y1 - 2020/07/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/40/7/3723.abstract N2 - Background/Aim: Skin melanoma belongs to the most invasive malignancies with no cure for a progressing disease. Personalized therapy would allow for the selection of patients that will benefit from treatment. For this purpose, proper predictive biomarkers must be defined. Materials and Methods: Allogeneic whole-cell gene-modified therapeutic melanoma vaccine (AGI-101H) was applied in advanced melanoma patients. Humoral responses were analyzed using SEREX, and in silico gene expression analysis in TCGA melanoma patients was performed. Results: A specific antibody response was raised against an antigen identified as BNIP3L, which correlated with a good prognosis. Moreover, AGI-101H directs an immune response against autophagy, as BNIP3L is a marker of this process. Medium and high expression of BNIP3L was also linked with longer overall survival. Conclusion: BNIP3L is a candidate prognostic marker of clinical outcome of melanoma patients treated with AGI-101H, and may be considered as a prediction marker for patient survival. ER -