Method and compositions for treating hepatocellular cancer

Abstract

A method for preventing or for treating cancer in a mammal, where the cancer cells express at least a part of an alpha fetoprotein molecule at the cell surface. The method comprises creating an immune response in the mammal to at least part of the amino acid sequence of an alpha fetoprotein molecule, where the immune response comprises activating alpha fetoprotein peptide specific T lymphocytes against the cancer cells, and where the part of the alpha fetoprotein molecule is selected from the group consisting of residues 137-145 of SEQ ID NO:2, and residues 325-334 of SEQ ID NO:2 and a combination of the preceeding.

1 . A method for preventing or for treating cancer in a mammal, where the cancer cells express at least a part of an alpha fetoprotein molecule at the cell surface, the method comprising the step of creating an immune response in the mammal to at least part of the amino acid sequence of an alpha fetoprotein molecule; 
 where the immune response comprises activating alpha fetoprotein peptide specific T lymphocytes against the cancer cells; and    where the part of the alpha fetoprotein molecule is selected from the group consisting of residues 137-145 of SEQ ID NO:2, and residues 325-334 of SEQ ID NO:2 and a combination of the preceeding.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the alpha fetoprotein peptide specific T lymphocytes are cytotoxic T lymphocytes.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the alpha fetoprotein molecule is SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , where the step of creating an immune response comprises administering to the mammal one or more than one composition including a peptide comprising at least part of the alpha fetoprotein amino acid sequence; and 
 where the peptide is selected from the group consisting of residues 137-145 of SEQ ID NO:2, and residues 325-334 of SEQ ID NO:2 and a combination of the preceeding.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where the step of creating an immune response comprises administering to the mammal one or more than one composition including dendritic cells pulsed with one or more than one peptide that forms at least part of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where the step of creating an immune response comprises administering to the mammal one or more than one composition including dendritic cells transduced with a recombinant adenoviral vector encoding alpha fetoprotein.  
     
     
         9 . A method for preventing or for treating hepatocellular carcinoma in a human, where the cancer cells express at least a part of an alpha fetoprotein molecule at the cell surface, the method comprising the step of activating alpha fetoprotein cytotoxic T lymphocytes against the cancer cells to at least part of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 by administering to the human one or more than one peptide selected from the group consisting of residues 137-145 of SEQ ID NO:2, and residues 325-334 of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         10 . A method for preventing or for treating hepatocellular carcinoma in a human, where the cancer cells express at least a part of an alpha fetoprotein molecule at the cell surface, the method comprising the step of activating alpha fetoprotein cytotoxic T lymphocytes against the cancer cells to at least part of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 by administering to the human one or more than one composition including dendritic cells pulsed with one or more than one peptide that forms at least part of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and 
 where the one or more than one peptide is selected from the dendritic cells pulsed with one or more than one peptide is selected from the group consisting of residues 137-145 of SEQ ID NO:2, and residues 325-334 of SEQ ID NO:2.    
     
     
         11 . A method for preventing or for treating cancer in a human comprising the step of administering to the human an isolated peptide consisting of residues 137-145 of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         12 . A.method for preventing or for treating cancer in a human comprising the step of administering to the human an isolated peptide consisting of residues 325-334 of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         13 . A method for preventing or for treating cancer in a human comprising the step of administering to the human a composition for preventing or for treating cancer comprising peptide consisting of residues 137-145 of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , where the composition further comprises an adjuvant.  
     
     
         15 . A method for preventing or for treating cancer in a human comprising the step of administering to the human a composition for preventing or for treating cancer comprising peptide consisting of residues 325-334 of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , where the composition further comprises an adjuvant.