Method 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 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An isolated nucleic acid encoding SEQ ID NO.: 110. 
     
     
         21 . The isolated nucleic acid sequence of  claim 20  that is SEQ ID NO.: 111. 
     
     
         22 . An expression vector comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         23 . An expression vector comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         24 . The expression vector of  claim 22  wherein the vector is a bacterial or a viral vector. 
     
     
         25 . The expression vector of  claim 24  wherein the viral vector is selected from the group consisting of adenovirus, alphavirus, lentivirus, and poxvirus. 
     
     
         26 . The expression vector of  claim 25  wherein poxvirus is selected from the group consisting of vaccinia, fowlpox, avipox, orthopox, canary pox, swinepox, TROVAC, NYVAC, ALVAC(1), ALVAC(2), MVA, Wyeth and Poxvac-TC. 
     
     
         27 . The expression vector of  claim 25  wherein the poxvirus selected from the group consisting of NYVAC, ALVAC, and ALVAC(2). 
     
     
         28 . A method for inducing an immune response to a tumor antigen in a mammal comprising administering a tumor antigen in a first form directly into at least one lymph node of the mammal and subsequently administering the tumor antigen in a second form different from the first form directly into the at least one lymph node. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28  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, fragments thereof and modified versions thereof. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 28  wherein at least one of said forms is a nucleic acid encoding the tumor antigen and the nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of viral nucleic, acid, bacterial DNA, plasmid DNA, naked DNA, and RNA. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30  wherein the viral nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of adenoviral, alpha viral and poxviral nucleic acid. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31  wherein the poxviral nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of avipox, orthopox and suipox nucleic acid. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 31  wherein the poxviral nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of vaccinia, fowl pox, canarypox and swinepox nucleic acid. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 31  wherein the poxviral nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of MVA, NYVAC, TROVAC, and ALVAC nucleic acid. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 28  wherein the first form is a nucleic, acid and the second form is a peptide.