Title:  Use of heat shock protein 70 preparations in vaccination against cancer and infectious disease

United States Patent:  6,610,659

Issued:  August 26, 2003

Inventors:  Pramod; Srivastava K. (Riverdale, NY)

Assignee:  Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University (New York, NY)

Appl. No.:  454734

Filed:  December 6, 1999

Abstract

The use of cognate heat shock protein 70-peptide complex to elicit an immune response against cancer and viral, bacterial and other infectious agents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an immunogenic composition comprising complexes of heat shock protein 70 and antigenic peptides derived from tumor cells or cells infected with a virus, bacteria or other agent. This invention also relates to a method of eliciting an immune response in a mammal comprising the steps of isolating heat shock protein 70-peptide complex from tumor cells or cells infected with a virus, bacteria or other agent and administering the heat shock protein 70-peptide complex to the mammal in an amount effective to elicit an immune response. The claimed invention provides a novel method of eliciting antigen-specific cellular immunity against tumors, endogenous antigens, bacterial and viral antigens.

This invention further relates to a method of preparing a heat shock protein 70-peptide complex capable of eliciting an immune response in a mammal comprising the steps of obtaining tumor cells from the mammal or cells which are infected with a virus, bacteria or other infectious agent, preparing an aqueous cell extract, purifying the extract through column chromatography and harvesting a heat shock protein 70-peptide complex in the absence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

This invention additionally relates to a method of preparing an antigenic peptide composition comprising obtaining cells from a mammal wherein the cells are tumor cells or cells infected with a virus, bacteria or other infectious agent, harvesting a heat shock protein 70-peptide complex from the cells wherein the heat shock protein 70-peptide complex is prepared in the absence of ATP and separating peptides from the heat shock protein 70-peptide complex, wherein the separated peptides are capable of eliciting an immune response in the mammal.

This invention also relates to an immunogenic composition comprising complexes of heat shock protein 70 and antigenic peptides derived from tumor cell lines or cell lines infected with a virus or bacteria. The invention further relates to a method of preparing a heat shock protein 70-peptide complex capable of eliciting an immune response in a mammal comprising preparing an aqueous cell extract from tumor cell lines or cell lines infected with a bacteria or virus, purifying the extract through column chromatography and harvesting a heat shock protein 70-peptide complex in the absence of ATP.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

It has been found that vaccination of mice with heat shock protein 70 (hsp 70) preparations derived from methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma (Meth A), e.g., a hydrocarbon-induced sarcoma, but not from normal tissues renders the mice immune to a substantial challenge with Meth A sarcoma. This immunity is tumor-specific. It has also been found that hsp 70 loses its antigenicity upon treatment with ATP. Such treatment is known to result in dissociation of hsp 70 from a spectrum of peptides. Considering that there are no known differences in the structure of hsp 70 per se between normal and cancer cells, and that hsp 70 binds a wide spectrum of peptides in an ATP-dependent manner, it appears that the antigenicity of hsp 70 derives, not from hsp 70 per se, but from associated peptides. Thus, the claimed invention provides a novel method of utilizing the peptide binding property of hsp 70 comprising isolating a heat shock protein 70-peptide complex from tumor cells or cells infected with a virus, bacteria or infectious agent and administering the heat shock protein 70-peptide complex to a mammal in an amount effective to elicit an immune response. In this regard, immunization with this hsp 70-peptide complex is believed to elicit a CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response and is therefore useful in promoting cell-mediated immunity which is particularly important as a defense against viral and bacterial infections or tumors.

In addition, the present invention provides for a method for purifying hsp 70 which leaves intact the association between hsp 70 and the antigenic peptides which it "chaperones". This method, set forth in detail in the example sections which follow, may be applied to either tumor cells and virus or bacteria-infected cells to the same effect. In the case of tumor cells, hsp 70 in association with tumor-specific antigenic peptides is purified, and in the case of virus-infected cells, hsp 70 in association with viral antigenic peptides is purified, and in the case of bacteria-infected cells, hsp 70 in association with bacterial antigenic peptides is purified. In this regard, purification of the hsp 70 associated with antigenic peptides must be performed in the absence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which appears to displace the antigenic peptides associated with hsp 70.

The present invention further provides for the purification and isolation of antigenic peptides which are associated (or "chaperoned") by hsp 70 in virus or bacteria-infected or tumor cells. A non-denaturing method may be used to elute chaperoned peptides from the hsp 70-peptide complex described above. In a specific, non-limiting embodiment of the invention, an hsp 70-peptide complex (e.g., as prepared in the example sections which follow, or from the same methods as applied to virus or bacteria-infected cells) may be centrifuged through a Centricon 10 assembly in order to remove any low molecular weight material loosely associated with it. The large molecular weight fraction may be recovered and analyzed by SDS-PAGE while the low molecular weight material may be analyzed by HPLC, as described infra. The hsp 70 preparation in the large molecular weight fraction may be incubated with ATP at a final concentration of about 10 mM at room temperature for 30 minutes and centrifuged through Centricon 10 as before. The two fractions may be recovered, and the ATP treatment of the large molecular weight hsp 70 fraction may be repeated two or more times. The lower molecular weight fractions may then be pooled, concentrated by evaporation in a Speed Vac and then dissolved in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). This material may then be applied to a VYDAC C18 reverse phase HPLC column pre-equilibrated with 0.1% TFA. The bound material may then be eluted at a flow rate of about 0.8 ml/min by a linear gradient of 0 to 79.9% acetonitrile in 0.1% TFA. The ultraviolet light absorbance at 210 nm may be monitored to identify fractions containing antigenic peptide. Antigenic peptides prepared in this manner may be used in immunogenic compositions which may be used to elicit immunity in a mammal in need of such treatment. It may, in certain circumstances, be desirable to administer such peptides linked to or otherwise associated with a carrier molecule, so as to promote immunity.

The present invention also provides for immunogenic compositions which comprise either hsp 70-peptide complex or antigenic peptides. Such compositions may further comprise a suitable carrier such as phosphate-buffered saline (5 mM Na phosphate buffer, 150 mM NaCl, pH 7.1) or other physiologically compatible solution. The immunogenic composition may optionally comprise one or more adjuvants. Suitable adjuvants include, but are not limited to, pluronic tri-block copolymers, muramyl dipeptide and its derivatives, detoxified endotoxin, saponin and its derivatives such as QS-21 and liposomes. The present invention further envisages sustained release formulations in which antigen is released over a protracted period of time. In preferred, non-limiting embodiments of the invention, the amount of hsp 70-peptide complex administered may be about 50-1000 micrograms/kg body weight of the mammal, most preferably 100-250 micrograms/kg body weight, per immunization, and in particular, about 7.5 mg to 18.75 mg for an approximately 75 kilogram human subject. The quantities of hsp 70-peptide complex administered to human subjects may not be extrapolated directly from the amounts used in mice, as would be the case for antibiotics and metabolic drugs. Because of the immune system's ability to amplify responses extremely efficiently, smaller quantities of hsp 70-peptide complex may be required to immunize human subjects than would be expected from a direct extrapolation from mice. Further, the quantities may vary depending upon the adjuvant formulation which may be administered along with the hsp 70-peptide complex.

The immunogenic compositions of the invention may be administered in immunogenic amounts to subjects in need of such treatment using standard protocols, which would include, but not be limited to, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intradermal, intraperitoneal, intravenous, intravaginal, intrarectal, oral, sublingual, transcutaneous, and intranasal administration. It may be desirable to provide a series of immunizations in order to optimize the immune response.

The hsp 70-peptide complex can be prepared from tumor cells, including, but not limited to, adenocarcinomas, colon carcinoma, melanoma, breast carcinoma, leukemia, lymphoma, sarcomas (including fibrosarcoma and osteosarcoma), gastric carcinoma, glioblastoma, astrocytoma, bladder carcinoma, pleural mesothelioma, oat cell carcinoma, and bronchogenic carcinoma, as well as tumors induced by chemical carcinogens or radiation. Chemical carcinogens include carcinogens associated with cigarette smoking, such as hydrocarbons and carcinogenic air, food, cosmetic or other pollutants.

The hsp 70-peptide complex can also be prepared from virus-infected cells where the virus may be influenza, varicella, herpes simplex I or II, HIV-I or HIV-II, hepatitis A, B or C, adenovirus, measles, mumps, etc.

The hsp 70-peptide complex may also be prepared from bacteria-infected cells including, but not limited to, cells infected with bacteria causing tuberculosis, gonorrhea, typhoid, meningitis, osteomyelitis, meningococcal septicemia, endometritis, conjunctivitis, peritonitis, pyelonephritis, pharyngitis, septic arthritis, cellulitis, epiglottitis, salpingitis, otitis media, shigella dysentery, gastroenteritis, etc.

The hsp 70-peptide complex can also be prepared from tumor cell lines or cell lines infected with a virus or bacteria. In addition, the hsp 70-peptide complex may be prepared from viral gene transfected cells.

Immunization with an hsp 70-peptide complex offers a number of significant and unique advantages over other methods of immunization against viruses, bacteria or cancer. Hsp 70 protein-peptide complex carries a variety of immunogenic peptides derived from the cells from which it is isolated. Thus, immunization with an hsp 70-peptide complex obviates the necessity for isolation and characterization of antigenic molecules. In addition, immunization with biochemically undefined tumor or other extracts inevitably carries the risk of inoculating the mammal recipient with potentially transforming or immunosuppressive agents such as transforming DNA or tumor growth factor beta (TGFB). Immunization with purified hsp 70-peptide complex eliminates these risks. Moreover, it has been found that immunization with hsp 70-peptide complex elicits significant tumor immunity without the use of adjuvants. While adjuvants which may further potentiate the immunity elicited by the hsp 70-peptide complex may be sought, their availability is not a pre-condition for a significant protective response. This is a very significant advantage for human subjects because the availability of adjuvants for human use is rather limited.

The claimed invention is one of the very few methods of vaccination which elicit cellular immunity without the use of live (attenuated or otherwise) agents. The immunogenic compositions prepared from hsp 70-peptide complex in accordance with the invention are an ideal vaccination means for infections for which either the protective immunogenic epitopes are yet undefined, where binding to a single epitope may not be sufficient for eliciting immunity, or where the infectious agent is so highly variable (in a population, season or individual-specific manner) that the prospect of identifying the immunogenic epitopes for each variant is simply impractical. In addition, the hsp 70-peptide complex has a number of different peptides associated with it, which potentially may include a number of different antigens capable of binding to a variety of epitopes. As hsp 70 molecules are non-polymorphic, i.e., show no allelic diversity, even though there are several families, they are capable of binding the entire spectrum of antigenic peptides regardless of the MHC haplotype of a given cell. Thus, an hsp 70-peptide complex isolated from cells of any given haplotype may be used to vaccinate individuals of other haplotypes. Moreover, the recent recurrence of antibiotic-resistant strains of a number of infectious diseases presently treated by antibiotics and metabolic drugs such as tuberculosis, highlights the need for a general method as provided by the claimed invention which can be rapidly mobilized against a variant without having to define its molecular characteristics.

Claim 1 of 12 Claims

I claim:

1. A composition comprising an amount of a purified population of peptides, wherein said purified population of peptides is produced by a method comprising the steps of:

a) isolating a population of non-covalently associated heat shock protein 70-peptide complexes from mammalian tumor cells in the absence of ATP;

b) eluting the peptides from said population of complexes to produce dissociated peptides; and

c) recovering the dissociated peptides.

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