Tumor antigen based on products of the tumor suppressor gene WT1

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
An isolated polypeptide which consists of at most 12 contiguous amino acid residues of a human WT1 protein, wherein the polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 5, binds to MHC proteins, and the polypeptide induces killer T cells when bound to MHC class I antigen.
2.
The polypeptide of claim 1, which consists of SEQ ID NO: 5.
3.
The polypeptide of claim 1, which binds to MHC class I antigen and MHC class II antigen.
4.
A composition suitable for pharmaceutical use, comprising the polypeptide of claim 2 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
5.
The composition of claim 4, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is an adjuvant, surfactant, polyanion, or oil.
6.
A method of inducing killer T cells against cancer, comprising administering an effective amount of the polypeptide of claim 1 to a patient.
7.
The method of claim 6, wherein the cancer is accompanied by increased expression of the WT1 gene.
8.
A method of inducing killer T cells against cancer, comprising administering an effective amount of the polypeptide of claim 2 to a patient.
9.
The method of claim 8, wherein the cancer is accompanied by increased expression of the WT1 gene.




Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to tumor antigens based on the products of WT1, the tumor suppressor gene of Wilms tumor.
The tumor antigens are useful as anti-cancer vaccines against tumors of the blood such as leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, multiple myeloma, and malignant lymphoma, or solid tumors such as gastric cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, germ cell tumor, hepatic cancer, skin cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer, as well as all cancers that express WT1.
BACKGROUND ART The immunological mechanisms to reject foreign material are generally comprised of: the humoral immunity which involves macrophages that recognize antigens and function as antigen presenting cells, helper T cells that activate other T cells etc