Identification of Tumor-Associated Antigens for Diagnosis and Therapy

Abstract

The invention relates to genetic products the expression of which is associated with cancer diseases. The invention also relates to the therapy and diagnosis of diseases in which the genetic products are expressed or aberrantly expressed, in particular cancer diseases.

1 .- 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) a tumor-associated antigen or a part thereof,   (ii) a nucleic acid which codes for a tumor-associated antigen or a part thereof,   (iii) an antibody which binds to a tumor-associated antigen or a part thereof,   (iv) an antisense nucleic acid which hybridizes specifically with a nucleic acid coding for a tumor-associated antigen,   (v) an siRNA directed against a nucleic acid coding for a tumor-associated antigen,   (vi) a host cell which expresses a tumor-associated antigen or a part thereof, and   (vii) isolated complexes between a tumor-associated antigen or a part thereof and an MHC molecule, said tumor-associated antigen having a sequence encoded by a nucleic acid which is selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a nucleic acid which comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 5, 1, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 28, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45, 49, 61, 62, and 64-67, a part or derivative thereof, 
 (b) a nucleic acid which hybridizes with the nucleic acid of (a) under stringent conditions, 
 (c) a nucleic acid which is degenerate with respect to the nucleic acid of (a) or (b), and 
 (d) a nucleic acid which is complementary to the nucleic acid of (a), (b) or (c). 
   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the host cell additionally expresses an MHC molecule which binds to the tumor-associated antigen or the part thereof. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the host cell is an antigen-presenting cell. 
     
     
         14 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the antibody is a monoclonal, chimeric or humanized antibody, or is a fragment of an antibody. 
     
     
         15 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the antibody is coupled to a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. 
     
     
         16 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 7 , for use in the treatment or prevention of cancer. 
     
     
         17 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the cancer is a lung tumor, a breast tumor, a prostate tumor, a melanoma, a colon tumor, a gastric tumor, a pancreatic tumor, an ENT tumor, a renal cell carcinoma or a cervical carcinoma, a colon carcinoma or a mammary carcinoma. 
     
     
         18 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the tumor-associated antigen comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 6, 51-57, 2, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 29, 31, 36, 40, 42, 46, 50, 58-60, 63, 68, and 69, a part thereof, or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         19 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method of treating or preventing a disease characterized by expression or abnormal expression of a tumor-associated antigen, which method comprises the step of administration of a pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 7 , said tumor-associated antigen having a sequence encoded by a nucleic acid which is selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a nucleic acid which comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 5, 1, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 28, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45, 49, 61, 62, and 64-67, a part or derivative thereof,   (b) a nucleic acid which hybridizes with the nucleic acid of (a) under stringent conditions,   (c) a nucleic acid which is degenerate with respect to the nucleic acid of (a) or (b), and   (d) a nucleic acid which is complementary to the nucleic acid of (a), (b) or (c).   
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A method of treating a patient having a disease characterized by expression or abnormal expression of a tumor-associated antigen, which method comprises the steps of:
 (i) providing a sample containing immunoreactive cells,   (ii) contacting said sample with a host cell expressing said tumor-associated antigen or a part thereof, under conditions which favor production of cytolytic or cytokine-releasing T cells against said tumor-associated antigen or said part thereof, and   (iii) introducing the cytolytic or cytokine-releasing T cells into the patient in an amount suitable for lysing cells expressing the tumor-associated antigen or a part thereof, said tumor-associated antigen having a sequence encoded by a nucleic acid which is selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a nucleic acid which comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 5, 1, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 28, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45, 49, 61, 62, and 64-67, a part or derivative thereof, 
 (b) a nucleic acid which hybridizes with the nucleic acid of (a) under stringent conditions, 
 (c) a nucleic acid which is degenerate with respect to the nucleic acid of (a) or (b), and 
 (d) a nucleic acid which is complementary to the nucleic acid of (a), (b) or (c). 
   
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 34 , in which-the host cell recombinantly or endogenously expresses an MHC molecule binding to the tumor-associated antigen or to a part thereof. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , in which the tumor-associated antigen comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 6, 51-57, 2, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 29, 31, 36, 40, 42, 46, 50, 58-60, 63, 68, and 69, a part or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         39 . An antibody, which binds specifically to a protein or polypeptide or to a part thereof, said protein or polypeptide being encoded by a nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a nucleic acid which comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 5, 1, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 28, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45, 49, 61, 62, and 64-67, a part or derivative thereof,   (b) a nucleic acid which hybridizes with the nucleic acid of (a) under stringent conditions,   (c) a nucleic acid which is degenerate with respect to the nucleic acid of (a) or (b), and   (d) a nucleic acid which is complementary to the nucleic acid of (a), (b) or (c).   
     
     
         40 . The antibody as claimed in  claim 39 , in which the protein or polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 6, 51-57, 2, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 29, 31, 36, 40, 42, 46, 50, 58-60, 63, 68, and 69, and a part or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The antibody as claimed in  claim 39 , in which the antibody is a monoclonal, chimeric or humanized antibody, or is a fragment of an antibody. 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A conjugate between an antibody as claimed in  claim 39  and a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. 
     
     
         47 . The conjugate as claimed in  claim 46 , in which the therapeutic or diagnostic agent is a toxin. 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . The method as claimed in  claim 34 , in which the tumor-associated antigen comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NOs: 6, 51-57, 2, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 29, 31, 36, 40, 42, 46, 50, 58, 59, 60, 63, 68, and 69, and a part or derivative thereof.