Functional analysis of CD8+ T cell responses to the onconeural self protein cdr2 in patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is linked to an immune response against cerebellar degeneration related antigen 2 (cdr2) co-expressed in tumor and Purkinje neurons. Here, comprehensive immune-assessment assays were used to analyze CD8+ T cells from 7 PCD patients, but no evidence was found of CD8+ T cells specific for either of two previously described cdr2 epitopes (cdr2-1 and cdr2-2). In contrast, viral-specific CD8+ T cells from healthy volunteers and PCD patients were measurable. These findings are inconsistent with an obligate role for cdr2-1- or cdr2-2-specific CD8+ T cells in the pathogenesis of PCD.