Immunotherapy for prostate cancer using recombinant bacille calmette-guerin expressing prostate specific antigens

Abstract

The present invention relates to the treatment of prostate cancer. Methods and compositions comprising recombinant BCG are provided for eliciting potent immune responses against prostate specific antigens that are effective for treatment of prostate cancer and metastatic disease.

1 . A method of eliciting an immune response against prostate specific antigen (PSA) in a mammal comprising administering an effective amount of a recombinant bacille Calmette-Guérin (rBCG) strain expressing PSA. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immune response comprises a cell mediated response response. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immune response comprises a humoral response. 
     
     
         4 . A method of inducing an immune response against prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) comprising administering an effective amount of a recombinant bacille Calmette-Guérin (rBCG) strain expressing PSMA or a fragment thereof selected from the amino-terminal 437 amino acids and the carboxy-terminal 446 amino acids. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the immune response comprises a cell mediated response response. 
     
     
         6 . A recombinant bacille Calmette-Guérin (rBCG) strain that comprises an expressible polynucleotide that encodes prostate specific antigen (PSA). 
     
     
         7 . The recombinant bacille Calmette-Guérin strain of  claim 6 , that expresses PSA. 
     
     
         8 . A recombinant bacille Calmette-Guérin (rBCG) strain that comprises an expressible polynucleotide that encodes prostate specific membrane antigen PSMA or a fragment thereof selected from the amino-terminal 437 amino acids and the carboxy-terminal 446 amino acids. 
     
     
         9 . The recombinant bacille Calmette-Guérin strain of  claim 8 , that expresses PSMA or a fragment thereof selected from the amino-terminal 437 amino acids and the carboxy-terminal 446 amino acids.