MUC-1 derived peptides

Abstract

Described are peptides and polypeptides derived from the MUC-1 polypeptide which are able to activate Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte (CTL) response, analogues of such peptides and polypeptides nucleotide sequences encoding such peptides and polypeptides and therapeutic uses thereof. Moreover, indications for selecting appropriate minimal antigenic MUC-1 polypeptides with reference to the HLA-type of the patient to be treated or tested are described.

1 - 29 . (canceled)  
     
     
         30 . A method of identifying a MHC class I restricted T cell response, said method comprising contacting a population of cells comprising MHC class I restricted T cells with: 
 a polypeptide comprising at least one amino acid sequence of at most 20 consecutive amino-acids defined in SEQ ID NO: 1, said polypeptide binding at least one MHC-1 glycoprotein, with the proviso that said polypeptide is different from SEQ ID NO: 2, or with an analogue of said polypeptide which is capable of inhibiting the binding of the polypeptide or of an epitope contained in said polypeptide to a T cell receptor either by directly binding to the same T cell receptor or by binding to the same T cell receptor after being processed, under conditions suitable for the presentation of the polypeptide or analogue of the T cells,    or    a product that selectively binds a T cell receptor which recognizes an epitope contained in said polypeptide or a fragment of said T cell receptor which can recognize the epitope or cells comprising said product; and    determining whether the CD8 T cells recognize the polypeptide, analogue, the product or the cell, recognition by the T cells indicating the presence of a MHC class I restricted T cell response.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , in which the determination of the T cell recognition is done by detecting the expression of a substance by the T cells, the expression of the substance indicating that the T cells have recognized the polypeptide, the analogue, the product or the cell.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , in which the substance which is detected is IFN-γ.  
     
     
         33 - 37 . (canceled)