Method and composition for reconforming multi-epitopic antigens to intiate an immune response

Abstract

The invention concerns methods and compositions for initiating and/or enhancing an immune response by contacting a binding reagent with a soluble antigen, wherein the binding reagent-antigen pair generates an immune response to the antigen.

1 . A method for treating cancer comprising
 contacting a multi-epitopic tumor-associated antigen expressed in the host serum with a composition comprising a binding reagent that specifically binds to a single epitope on the tumor-associated antigen; and   allowing the binding reagent to bind to the antigen to form a reagent-antigen pair, whereby the formation of the reagent-antigen pair elicits a host immune response.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the binding reagent comprises a monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the target multi-epitopic tumor associated antigen is CA 125. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the target multi-epitopic tumor associated antigen is CA 19.9. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the target multi-epitopic tumor associated antigen is CA 15.3. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the tumor-associated antigen is an ovarian tumor antigen. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the host immune response is a cellular immune response. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the host immune response is a humoral immune response. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the host immune response is both a humoral immune response and a cellular response. 
     
     
         10 . A method for eliciting an immune response comprising
 contacting a multi-epitopic tumor-associated antigen expressed in the host serum with a composition comprising a binding reagent that specifically binds to a single epitope on the tumor-associated antigen; and   allowing the binding reagent to bind to the antigen to form a reagent-antigen pair, whereby the formation of the reagent-antigen pair elicits a host immune response.   
     
     
         11 . A method for increasing the immunogenicity of an antigen comprising
 contacting a multi-epitopic tumor-associated antigen expressed in the host serum with a composition comprising a binding reagent that specifically binds to a single epitope on the tumor-associated antigen; and   allowing the binding reagent to bind to the antigen to form a reagent-antigen pair, whereby the formation of the reagent-antigen pair elicits a host immune response.   
     
     
         12 . A method for re-conforming a multi-epitopic tumor associated antigen expressed in a host serum and for recognizing and initiating an immune response, comprising contacting a multi-epitopic tumor-associated antigen expressed in the host serum with a composition comprising a binding reagent that specifically binds to a single epitope on the tumor-associated antigen; and
 allowing the binding reagent to bind to the antigen to form a reagent-antigen pair, whereby the formation of the reagent-antigen pair elicits a host immune response.   
     
     
         13 . A delivery system for a multi-epitopic tumor associated antigen expressed in a host serum, and for recognizing and initiating an immune response, comprising a composition comprising a binding reagent that specifically binds to a single epitope on a multi-epitopic tumor-associated antigen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the formation of the reagent-antigen pair elicits a host immune response that overcomes tolerance of the antigen. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the contacting step is ex vivo or in vivo.