Vaccination against the self-tumor associated antigen protein D52 (TPD52)
Abstract
Tumor protein 052 (052) is an intracellular tumor-associated self-protein
that is frequently over-expressed in human cancers. The unique characteristics
and distribution of 052 make it a worthwhile target for cancer vaccine study. To
examine the capacity of this protein to function as a cancer vaccine,
immunocompetent DBA/2 mice were immunized with the murine orthologue of
human 052, mD52, as a plasmid DNA-based vaccine or as a protein vaccine in
combination with oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN). The vaccinated mice were
challenged with syngeneic P815 tumor cells, a murine mastocytoma that
naturally over-expresses mD52 and monitored for subcutaneous tumor growth.
We hypothesize that immunization with mD52 will provide a significant delay to
onset of tumor growth as compared to control immunizations. The ideal
challenge dose of P815 tumor cells was determined empirically and
ubcutaneous P815 tumor formation was evaluated following vaccination. Fifty
s
percent of mice immunized with m052 protein admixed with ODN remained
tumor-free 31 days post-challenge (2/4) while only 10 percent of control mice
remained tumor-free (1/10). These data suggest that vaccination with mD52- protein-based vaccines prolongs tumor-free survival following challenge with
P815 tumor cells.