Antigen specific multi epitope vaccines

Abstract

The presently described subject matter relates to cancer vaccines composed of the signal peptide domain of tumor associated antigens or proteins. The described peptide vaccines have multiple MHC class I and class II epitopes which are highly abundant in the population. Therefore, these vaccines induce a strong, comprehensive immune response against the target proteins in the majority of the vaccinated population, and thereby induce an immune reaction against tumors expressing such target proteins. Specifically, the presently described subject matter relates to peptide vaccines composed of the signal peptide domain of Mucin (MUC1), BAGE-1 or ARMET, and their use for the treatment of cancers which express Mucin (MUC1), BAGE-1 or ARMET.

1 . A method of enriching a T cell population in vitro, the method comprising: contacting said T cell population with a polypeptide comprising a signal peptide or derivative thereof, thereby obtaining an enriched T cell population responsive to said signal peptide or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polypeptide consists of at most 50 amino acids. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polypeptide consists of at most 25 amino acids. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said signal peptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-39. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said signal peptide is a MUC1 signal peptide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said MUC1 signal peptide or derivatives thereof comprise the amino acid sequence MTPGTQSPFFLLLLLTVLTVV (SEQ ID NO. 10). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said MUC1 signal peptide or derivatives thereof comprise an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 29-39. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said MUC1 signal peptide or derivatives thereof comprise an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 31-39. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said MUC1 signal peptide or derivatives thereof comprise at least two peptides selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 29-39. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said MUC1 signal peptide or derivatives thereof consists of no more than 25 amino acids and comprises at least one of SEQ ID NO: 10, 32-33 and 36-39 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said signal peptide or derivatives thereof is a vaccine. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said T cells comprise CD8 positive T cells. 
     
     
         13 . An enriched T cell population produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method of treating or inhibiting cancer in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising: administering to said subject an enriched T cell population produced by the method of  claim 1 , thereby treating or inhibiting cancer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said cancer is a MUC1 expression cancer and said signal peptide is a MUC1 signal peptide. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said cancer is selected from the group consisting of: colon cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, renal cell (RC) cancer, transitional cell (TC) cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, ovary cancer, thyroid cancer, lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma (MM). 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said cancer is MM. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said cancer expresses a tumor associated antigen selected from Table 1 and wherein said signal peptide is the signal peptide of said antigen provided in Table 1.