Immunogenic epitopes of ngep antigen

Abstract

The invention provides a peptide comprising a human cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope from the human tumor-associated antigen (TAA) New Gene Expressed in Prostate (NGEP), which can be used in vaccine prevention or therapy of prostate cancer, as well as a nucleic acid encoding the peptide, a vector comprising the nucleic acid, a cell comprising the peptide, nucleic acid, or vector, and compositions thereof.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . An isolated peptide having no more than 20 amino acid residues and comprising LVWEEDLKL (SEQ ID NO: 2), WLLPAAVVGT (SEQ ID NO: 3), GLGGPPLPTL (SEQ ID NO: 4), IVFEHVVFSV (SEQ ID NO: 5), or FLDNIRAAGL (SEQ ID NO: 6). 
     
     
         4 . The peptide of  claim 3 , wherein the peptide consists of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, or SEQ ID NO: 6. 
     
     
         5 . An isolated nucleic acid encoding the peptide of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         6 . A vector comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         7 . The vector of  claim 6 , wherein the vector is selected from the group consisting of a plasmid, yeast, poxvirus, retrovirus, adenovirus, herpes virus, polio virus, alphavirus, baculorvirus, and Sindbis virus. 
     
     
         8 . The vector of  claim 7 , wherein the vector is a poxvirus selected from the group consisting of orthopox, vaccinia, avipox, fowlpox, capripox, and suipox. 
     
     
         9 . An isolated cell comprising the peptide of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         10 . The cell of  claim 9 , wherein the cell is human. 
     
     
         11 . The cell of  claim 9 , wherein the cell is an antigen presenting cell or tumor cell. 
     
     
         12 . A composition comprising:
 (a) the peptide of  claim 3 , and   (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.   
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12 , further comprising an immunostimulatory/regulatory molecule. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the immunostimulatory/regulatory molecule is selected from the group consisting of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, IL-12, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, B7.1, B7.2, ICAM-1, LFA-3, CD70, RANTES, G-CSF, OX-40L, 41 BBL, anti-CTLA-4, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the immunostimulatory/regulatory molecule is selected from the group consisting of (i) a plasmid encoding IL-12 complexed with chitosan and (ii) recombinant IL-12 admixed with chitosan. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 12 , further comprising a chemotherapeutic drug, antibiotic, antiviral drug, antifungal drug, cyclophosphamide, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 12 , further comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of alum, aluminum salts, aluminum phosphate, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum silica, calcium phosphate, incomplete Freund's adjuvant, QS21, and RIBI DETOX™. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the adjuvant is granulocyte monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 12 , further comprising liposomes. 
     
     
         21 . A method of enhancing an immune response against New Gene Expressed in Prostate (NGEP-L) prostate cancer cells in a host comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of  claim 12  to the host, wherein the immune response against NGEP-L-expressing prostate cancer cells in the host is enhanced. 
     
     
         22 . A method of inhibiting New Gene Expressed in Prostate (NGEP-L) prostate cancer cells in a host comprising:
 (a) obtaining lymphocytes from the host,   (b) stimulating the lymphocytes with an antigen presenting cell pulsed with the immunogenic epitope of  claim 3  to generate cytotoxic T lymphocytes; and   (c) contacting the host with the cytotoxic T lymphocytes,   wherein the NGEP-L-expressing prostate cancer cells prostate cancer in the host are inhibited.   
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An isolated cell comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         25 . A composition comprising:
 (a) the nucleic acid of  claim 5 , and   (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.   
     
     
         26 . A method of enhancing an immune response against New Gene Expressed in Prostate (NGEP-L)-expressing prostate cancer cells in a host comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of  claim 25  to the host, wherein the composition further comprises an adjuvant, thereby enhancing the immune response against NGEP-L-expressing prostate cancer cells in the host. 
     
     
         27 . The nucleic acid of  claim 5 , wherein the nucleic acid is operatively linked to nucleic acid sequence capable of directing expression of the peptide. 
     
     
         28 . An isolated cell comprising the vector of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         29 . A composition comprising:
 (a) the vector of  claim 6 , and   (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.   
     
     
         30 . A method of enhancing an immune response against New Gene Expressed in Prostate (NGEP-L)-expressing prostate cancer cells in a host comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of  claim 29  to the host, wherein the composition further comprises an adjuvant, thereby enhancing the immune response against NGEP-L-expressing prostate cancer cells in the host.