To study the impact of the binding strength of peptide to HLA molecules on the functional responses of human tumor-reactive CD8 T cells, we generated two panels of HLA-A*0201-restricted peptide variants of the tumor-associated (TA) antigen Melan-A/MART-126-35 (EAAGIGILTV) and the cancer testis (CT) antigen NY–ESO-1157-165 (SLLMWITQC) native peptides (50, 51). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and testicular cancer.