IQGAP3 epitope peptides and vaccines containing the same

Abstract

Peptide vaccines against cancer are described herein. In particular, the present invention describes epitope peptides derived from IQGAP3 that elicit CTLs. The present invention also provides established CTLs that specifically recognize HLA-A24 or HLA-A02 positive target cells pulsed with the peptides. Antigen-presenting cells and exosomes that present any of the peptides, as well as methods for inducing antigen-presenting cells are also provided. The present invention further provides pharmaceutical agents containing the IQGAP3 polypeptides or polynucleotides encoding thereof, as well as exosomes and antigen-presenting cells as active ingredients. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for treating and / or prophylaxis of (i.e., preventing) cancers (tumors), and / or prevention of postoperative recurrence thereof, as well as methods for inducing CTLs, methods for inducing anti-tumor immunity, using the IQGAP3 polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, exosomes or antigen-presenting cells presenting the polypeptides, or the pharmaceutical agents of the present invention. The cancers to be targeted include, but are not limited to, renal, esophageal, gastric, lung, breast, bladder and pancreatic cancer.

Description

technical field [0001] priority [0002] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 61 / 060,538, filed June 11, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. technical field [0003] The present invention relates to the field of biological sciences, more specifically to the field of cancer treatment. Specifically, the present invention relates to novel peptides that are highly effective as cancer vaccines, and drugs for treating and preventing tumors. Background technique [0004] It has been demonstrated that CD8-positive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) recognize tumor-associated antigen (TAA)-derived epitope peptides found on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules and then kill tumor cells . Since the discovery of the first TAA, the melanoma antigen (MAGE) family, many other TAAs have been discovered mainly by immunological methods (Boon T, Int J Cancer 1993 May 8, 54(2): 177-80; Boon T & van der ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, only low objective response rates have been observed so far in these cancer vaccine trials (Belli F et al., J Clin Oncol 2002 Oct 15, 20(20): 4169-80; Coulie PG et al., Immunol Rev 2002 Oct, 188:33-42; Rosenberg SA et al., Nat Med 2004 Sep, 10(9):909-15).

Images