Methods of Inducing and/or Enhancing an Immune Response To Tumor Antigens

Abstract

An improved method of inducing and/or enhancing an immune response to a tumor antigen is disclosed. The method involves administering the tumor antigen, nucleic acid coding therefor, vectors and/or cells comprising said nucleic acid, or vaccines comprising the aforementioned to a lymphatic site.

1 . A method for inducing an immune response in an animal to a tumor antigen comprising administering an effective amount of a tumor antigen or a nucleic acid sequence encoding a tumor antigen to a lymphatic site in the animal. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the tumor antigen is selected from the group consisting of CEA, gp100, the MAGE family of proteins, DAGE, GAGE, RAGE, NY-ESO 1, Melan-A/MART 1, TRP-1, TRP-2, tyrosinase, HER-2/neu, MUC-1, p53, KSA, PSA, PSMA, and fragments and modified versions thereof. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein the lymphatic site is a lymph node. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  3  wherein the nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of viral nucleic acid, bacterial DNA, plasmid DNA, naked/free DNA, and RNA. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein the viral nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of adenoviral, alphaviral and poxviral nucleic acid. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the poxviral nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of avipox, orthopox and suipox nucleic acid. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the poxviral nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of vaccinia, fowl pox, canarypox and swinepox nucleic acid. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the poxviral nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of MVA, NYVAC, TROVAC, and ALVAC nucleic acid. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  8  wherein the nucleic acid is contained in a vector. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the vector is a recombinant virus or bacteria. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein the recombinant virus is selected from the group consisting of adenovirus, alphavirus and poxvirus. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the poxvirus is selected from the group consisting of avipox,  orthopox  and suipox. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the poxvirus is selected from the group consisting of vaccinia, fowlpox, canarypox and swinepox. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the poxvirus is selected from the group consisting of MVA, NYVAC, TROVAC, and ALVAC. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  8  wherein the nucleic acid is contained in a cell. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  14  wherein the tumor antigen or nucleic acid coding therefor is contained in a vaccine. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  16  wherein the tumor antigen is gp100, CEA or a fragment or modified version of gp100 or CEA. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the modified gp100 comprises the sequence IMDQVPFSY (SEQ ID NO: 1) and/or YLEPGPVTV (SEQ ID NO:2). 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the modified CEA comprises the sequence shown in  FIG. 8  (SEQ ID NO:112) and/or YLSGADLNL (SEQ ID NO:113).