Methods and compositions for prostate cancer immunotherapy

Abstract

The present invention features methods and compositions (e.g., immune response stimulating peptides (e.g., ERG or SIM2 peptides), activated immune cells, antigen-presenting cells, and antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof) for generating an immune response for the treatment of cancer (e.g., prostate cancer).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating prostate cancer in a subject comprising administering to said subject a composition comprising a peptide having a sequence with at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 3, wherein said peptide has at least 7 but fewer than 50 amino acid residues. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises a sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to amino acids 319 to 330 of SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said peptide comprises amino acids 319 to 330 of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises a sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to amino acids 308 to 333 of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said peptide comprises amino acids 308 to 330 of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises the sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 33-38. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide is capable of activating immune cells in said subject when all or a portion of said peptide is bound to an antigen-presenting molecule. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said immune cells are cytotoxic T lymphocytes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said antigen-presenting molecule is an HLA molecule. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said HLA molecule is an HLA class I molecule. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said subject is a human. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide is conjugated to a heterologous compound. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said heterologous compound is a therapeutic or cytotoxic agent. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is a vaccine. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said composition comprises an adjuvant or an additional therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method further comprises administering a cytokine or hormone therapy. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said hormone therapy comprises androgen ablation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent, excipient, or carrier. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is formulated for oral, topical, sublingual, nasal, intraoptical, vaginal, or rectal administration, for administration by inhalation, or for intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, or intradermal injection. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises an isolated antigen-presenting cell comprising a surface-bound antigen-presenting molecule, wherein said peptide is bound to said antigen-presenting molecule. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said antigen-presenting cell is a dendritic cell or a macrophage, and wherein said antigen-presenting molecule is an HLA class I molecule.