Polypeptides

Abstract

The present invention relates to polypeptides, and nucleic acids DNA encoding these polypeptides, capable of eliciting an immune reaction against cancer, methods for generating T lymphocytes capable of recognising and destroying tumour cells, and pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment, prophylaxis or diagnosis of cancer.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule that comprises
 a) a strand that encodes a polypeptide;   b) a strand that is complementary to the strand described in a) above; or   c) a strand that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the strand described in a) or b) above,   wherein the polypeptide comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:3, 4, 5, 6, and 11, and wherein the polypeptide is capable of inducing a T cell response.   
     
     
         20 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , further comprising a polypeptide capable of inducing a T cell response directed against a polypeptide produced by an oncogene or against a mutant tumor suppressor protein. 
     
     
         21 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 20 , wherein the oncogene or mutant tumor suppressor protein is p21-ras, Rb, p53, abl, gip, gsp, ret, or trk. 
     
     
         22 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent, additive, stabilizer, and/or adjuvant, or a combination thereof, the composition optionally further including one or more of a cytokine or a growth factor. 
     
     
         23 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the composition is an immunogenic composition. 
     
     
         24 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 23 , wherein the immunogenic composition is a vaccine. 
     
     
         25 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19 , further comprising a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of inducing a T cell response directed against a polypeptide produced by an oncogene or against a mutant tumor suppressor protein. 
     
     
         26 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 25 , wherein the oncogene or mutant tumor suppressor protein is p21-ras, Rb, p53, abl, gip, gsp, ret, or trk. 
     
     
         27 . A method of treating cancer comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 19  to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The method of treating cancer according to  claim 27 , wherein the cancer is mammalian cancer. 
     
     
         29 . The method of treating cancer according to  claim 28 , wherein the cancer is human cancer. 
     
     
         30 . The method of treating cancer according to  claim 27 , wherein the cancer is breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, malignant melanoma, leukemia, lymphoma, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, or a biliary tract carcinoma. 
     
     
         31 . The method of treating cancer according to  claim 27 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is an immunogenic composition. 
     
     
         32 . The method of treating cancer according to  claim 31 , wherein the immunogenic composition is a vaccine. 
     
     
         33 . A diagnostic for diagnosing cancer comprising a nucleic acid molecule that comprises
 a) a strand that encodes a polypeptide;   b) a strand that is complementary to the strand described in a) above; or   c) a strand that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the strand described in a) or b) above,   wherein the polypeptide comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:3, 4, 5, 6, and 11, and wherein the polypeptide is capable of inducing a T cell response.   
     
     
         34 . The diagnostic for diagnosing cancer according to  claim 33 , wherein the cancer is mammalian cancer. 
     
     
         35 . The diagnostic for diagnosing cancer according to  claim 34 , wherein the cancer is human cancer. 
     
     
         36 . The diagnostic for diagnosing cancer according to  claim 33 , wherein the cancer is breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, malignant melanoma, leukemia, lymphoma, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, or a biliary tract carcinoma. 
     
     
         37 . The diagnostic for diagnosing cancer according to  claim 33 , wherein the diagnostic is provided in a kit.