Meanwhile, LA/DC-CTL could exert significant cytotoxicity against HLA-A2.1+/ECM1+ breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and BT-549), while no notable cytotoxicity on HLA-A2.1+/ECM1− breast epithelial cell line MCF-10A or HLA-A2.1−/ECM1+ breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was detected (Fig. 2d, Additional file 1: Figs. S2f, S3b). This evidence concerns the gene ECM1 and breast cancer.