# Patent

## Title
Dimerized peptide

## Abstract

The present invention provides a novel tumor antigen peptide and its cancer vaccine, specifically, a peptide dimer wherein two peptide monomers consisting of 7-30 amino acids including at least one cysteine residue and being capable of producing a tumor antigen peptide are bound each other through a disulfide bond.

## Background
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/541,821 filed Jul. 11, 2005, abandoned, which was a National Stage of PCT/JP2004/000254 filed Jan. 15, 2004 and claims the benefit of JP 2003-007122 filed Jan. 15, 2003.


TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to cancer vaccine therapy, more particularly to a peptide dimer which can produce a tumor antigen peptide having activity of inducing cytotoxic T cells, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same.
BACKGROUND ART
The cell mediated immunity, particularly a cytotoxic T cell (hereinafter, referred to as “CTL”) plays a significant role in the in vivo rejection of tumor cells or virus-infected cells. CTLs recognize a complex between an antigen peptide (“tumor antigen peptide”) derived from a tumor antigen protein and an MHC (major histocompatibility complex) class I antigen, which is referred to as “HLA antigen” in the case of human, on a cancer cell, and attack and kill the cell.
Typical examples of tumor antigen proteins include those listed in the Table of Immunity, vol. 10:281, 1999. Specific examples include the melanosome antigens such as melanocyte tissue-specific protein gp 100 (J. Exp. Med., 179: 1005, 1994), MART-1 (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91:3515, 1994) and tyrosinase (J. Exp. Med., 178: 489, 1993), and tumor markers as antigen proteins other than melanoma such as HER2/neu (J. Exp. Med., 181: 2109, 1995), CEA (J. Natl. Cancer. Inst., 87:982, 1995) and PSA (J. Natl. Cancer. Inst., 89:293, 1997).
A tumor antigen peptide is a peptide of around 8 to 11 amino acids that can be produced by intracellular processing of a tumor antigen protein by a protease in cells (Cur. Opin, Immunol., 5: 709, 1993; Cur. Opin, Immunol., 5: 719, 1993; Cell, 82: 13, 1995; Immunol. Rev., 146: 167, 1995). As described above, the so produced tumor antigen peptide is presented on the surface of a cell as a complex with an MHC class I antigen (HLA antigen) and recognized by CTLs. Accordingly, for the purpose of developing an immunotherapeutic agent for cancer (cancer vaccine) that makes use of the tumor cell destruction by CTLs, it is highly important to identify a tumor antigen peptide in a tumor antigen protein, which peptide is able to induce CTLs efficiently.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
One of purposes of the present invention is to provide a novel tumor antigen derived from a tumor antigen peptide useful in vivo.
The present inventors have found that some peptides having been demonstrated to be a tumor antigen peptide contain a cysteine residue(s) and that a dimer composed of such peptides surprisingly show an activity of inducing CTLs (“CTL-inducing activity”) equivalent to the monomer upon administration, and established the present invention.
Thus, the present invention encompasses the followings.

    (1) A peptide dimer wherein two peptide monomers each consisting of 7-30 amino acids including at least one cysteine residue and being capable of producing a tumor antigen peptide having CTL-inducing activity are bound each other through a disulfide bond(s).
    (2) The peptide dimer according to (1) above, which can produce a tumor antigen peptide having a CTL-inducing activity.
    (3) The peptide dimer according to (1) or (2) above, wherein two peptide monomers are bound through one or two disulfide bonds.
    (4) The peptide dimer according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the peptide monomers are derived from WT 1 that is an expression product of tumor suppressor gene.
    (5) The peptide dimer according to any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the peptide monomer is as follows:











(SEQ ID NO: 72)



Cys Xaa Thr Trp Asn Gln Met Asn Xaa






wherein Xaa at position 2 is an amino acid residue selected from Tyr, Phe, Met and Trp; and Xaa at position 9 is an amino acid residue selected from Phe, Leu, Ile, Trp and Met.

    (6) The peptide dimer according to any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the peptide monomer is selected from the following peptides.











(SEQ ID NO: 11)



Cys Met Thr Trp Asn Gln Met Asn Leu



 



(SEQ ID NO: 18)



Asp Phe Lys Asp Cys Glu Arg Arg Phe



 



(SEQ ID NO: 19)



Ala Tyr Pro Gly Cys Asn Lys Arg Tyr



 



(SEQ ID NO: 20)



Asn Ala Pro Tyr Leu Pro Ser Cys Leu



 



(SEQ ID NO: 21)



Gly Cys Asn Lys Arg Tyr Phe Lys Leu



 



(SEQ ID NO: 22)



Arg Trp Pro Ser Cys Gln Lys Lys Phe



 



(SEQ ID NO: 23)



Asp Ser Cys Thr Gly Ser Gln Ala Leu



 



(SEQ ID NO: 44)



Cys Tyr Thr Trp Asn Gln Met Asn Leu






    (7) A pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide dimer according to any one of (1) to (6) above together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
    (8) The pharmaceutical composition according to (7) above which is used as a cancer vaccine.
    (9) Use of a peptide dimmer according to any one of (1) to (6) above in the manufacture of a cancer vaccine.
    (10) A method of treating or preventing cancer, which comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of a peptide dimer according to any one of (1) to (6) above to a WT1-positive patient in need thereof.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a graph showing that a peptide dimer (SEQ ID NO: 44) induces CTLs in transgenic mouse.



BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In the peptide dimer of the present invention, two peptide monomers are dimerized through a disulfide bond(s) between SH groups of at least a pair of cysteine residues present in the peptide monomers.
The peptide dimer of the present invention has a CTL-inducing activity and the CTLs thus induced can exert an antitumor activity through the cytotoxic effects or the production of lymphokines. Accordingly, the peptide dimer of the present invention can be used as a cancer vaccine for treatment or prevention of cancers (tumors).
The peptide monomer constituting the peptide dimer of the present invention consists of 7-30 amino acid residues containing at least one cysteine residue, and produces a tumor antigen peptide having CTL-inducing activity. The phrase “produces a tumor antigen peptide” means that the peptide monomer has a characteristic of rendering a tumor antigen peptide capable of binding to an HLA antigen and being recognized by cytotoxic T cell (CTL). Any peptide monomer can be used in the present invention without limitation as far as it has a CTL-inducing activity; however, a peptide monomer which is derived from the tumor suppressor gene WT1 of human Wilms' tumor and comprises at least one cysteine residue is preferred. The tumor suppressor gene WT1 is expressed in various kinds of tumors (Cell, 60:509, 1990; NCBI data base Accession No. XP—034418, SEQ ID NO: 1). The WT1 gene was isolated from chromosome 11p13 as one of the causative genes of Wilms' tumors based on the analysis of the WAGR syndrome that was complicated by Wilms' tumors, aniridia, urogenital anomaly, mental retardation, etc. (Nature, 343: 774, 1990). The genomic DNA of WT1 is about 50 kb, and is composed of ten exons, and of which the cDNA is about 3 kb. The amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA is as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 (Cell., 60:509, 1990). The WT 1 gene has been suggested to promote the growth of leukemia cells from the facts that the WT1 gene is highly expressed in human leukemia, and that the leukemia cells are suppressed in their cellular growth by the treatment with WT1 antisense oligomers (JP-A-104627/1997). Then, the WT 1 gene has been demonstrated to be a new tumor antigen protein of leukemia and solid cancers (J. Immunol., 164: 1873-80, 2000, and J. Clin. Immunol., 20, 195-202, 2000) from the facts that the WT1 gene is also highly expressed in solid cancers such as gastric cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, embryonal cancer, skin cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer (JP-A-104627/1997, WO00/06602). Since cancer immunotherapy (cancer vaccine) is preferably applicable to as many cancer patients as possible, it is significant to identify tumor antigen peptides from WT 1 which is highly expressed in many kinds of cancers, and to develop cancer vaccines using the resultant tumor antigen peptides. In this regard, several natural-type tumor antigen peptides consisting of partial fragments of WT1 protein are described in WO00/06602 and WO00/18795; however, nothing has been known about their in vivo effects.
Other peptide monomers usable in the present invention include tumor antigen peptides containing at least one cysteine residue which are derived from tumor antigen proteins listed in the Table of Immunity, vol. 10:281, 1999.
The CTL-inducing activity can be confirmed by measuring the number of CTLs by HLA tetramer method (Int. J. Cancer: 100, 565-570 (2002)) or limiting dilution method (Nat. Med.:4, 321-327 (1998)). Alternatively, for example, in the case of HLA-A24-restricted CTL-induction, the activity can be determined using HLA-A24 model mouse according to the method described in WO02/47474 or Int. J. Cancer: 100, 565-570 (2002).
The peptide monomer consists of 7-30, preferably 8-12, more preferably 9-11 amino acid residues. The peptide monomer preferably contains 1 or 2 cysteine resides taking into account both the motif for binding with HLA and the length of peptide.
The peptide monomer can be synthesized according to a method generally used in the field of peptide chemistry. Such a method can be found in literatures including Peptide Synthesis, Interscience, New York, 1966; The Proteins, Vol. 2, Academic Press Inc., New York, 1976; Peptide Synthesis, Maruzen, Inc., 1975; Peptide-Gosei no Kiso to Jikken, Maruzen, Inc., 1985; and Iyakuhin no Kaihatsu (Zoku), Vol. 14, Peptide Synthesis, Hirokawa-syoten, 1991.
The resultant peptide monomers can be allowed to form an intermolecular disulfide bond according to a method generally used in the peptide chemistry. The method for forming a disulfide bond can be found in literatures including Peptide Synthesis, Interscience, New York, 1966; The Proteins, Vol. 2, Academic Press Inc., New York, 1976; Peptide Synthesis, Maruzen, Inc., 1975; Peptide-Gosei no Kiso to Jikken, Maruzen, Inc., 1985; and Iyakuhin no Kaihatsu (Zoku), Vol. 14, Peptide Synthesis, Hirokawa-syoten, 1991.
Specifically, a peptide monomer containing one cysteine residue can be synthesized by, for example, removing all the protecting groups including the one on the cysteine side chain, and then subjecting the resulting monomer solution to air-oxidation under alkali condition, or forming a disulfide bond(s) by adding an oxidizing agent under alkali or acidic condition. Examples of oxidizing agent include iodine, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), potassium ferricyanide, and the like.
A monomer peptide containing two or more cysteine residues can be also synthesized according to the method described above. In this case, isomers resulting from disulfide bonds of different binding manner can be obtained. A peptide dimer wherein a disulfide bond is formed between intended cysteine residues can be prepared by selecting a particular combination of protecting groups for cysteine side chains. Examples of the combination of protecting groups include MeBzl (methylbenzyl) and Acm (acetamidomethyl) groups, Trt (trityl) and Acm groups, Npys (3-nitro-2-pyridylthio) and Acm groups, S-Bu-t (S-tert-butyl) and Acm groups, and the like. For example, in the case of a combination of MeBzl and Acm groups, the preparation can be carried out by a method comprising removing protecting groups other than MeBzl group and a protecting group(s) on the cysteine side chain, and subjecting the resulting monomer solution to air-oxidation to form a disulfide bond(s) between the deprotected cysteine residues, followed by deprotection and oxidization with iodine to form a disulfide bond(s) between the cysteine residues previously protected by Acm.
The resultant peptide dimer can be purified according to processes generally used in the field of peptide chemistry. Such a purification method can be found in literatures including Peptide Synthesis, Interscience, New York, 1966; The Proteins, Vol. 2, Academic Press Inc., New York, 1976; Peptide Synthesis, Maruzen, Inc., 1975; Peptide-Gosei no Kiso to Jikken, Maruzen, Inc., 1985; and Iyakuhin no Kaihatsu (Zoku), Vol. 14, Peptide Synthesis, Hirokawa-syoten, 1991. A method using HPLC is preferred.
The resultant peptide dimer of the present invention shows excellent stability against an oxidizing agent or the like in solution and possesses a given quality and CTL-inducing activity due to the disulfide bond(s) between cysteine residues.
Preferred peptide monomers usable in the present invention are illustrated below taking WT1 as an example. As used herein, the following one- or three-letter-abbreviations are used to shorten respective amino acid residues. Ala(A): alanine residue, Arg(R): arginine residue, Asn(N): asparagine residue, Asp(D): aspartic acid residue, Cys(C): cysteine residue, Gln(Q): glutamine residue, Glu(E): glutamic acid residue, Gly(G): glycine residue, His(H): histidine residue, Ile(I): isoleucine residue, Leu(L): leucine residue, Lys(K): lysine residue, Met(M): methionine residue, Phe(F): phenylalanine residue, Pro(P): proline residue, Ser(S): serine residue, Thr(T): threonine residue, Trp(W): tryptophan residue, Tyr(Y): tyrosine residue, Val(V): valine residue.
In the Table, the term “position” refers to the position of the peptide in human WT1.







TABLE 1







HLA-A 1-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





137-145
CLESQPAIR
2


 


80-88
GAEPHEEQC
3


 


354-362
QCDFKDCER
4


 


409-417
TSEKPFSCR
5


 


386-394
KTCQRKFSR
6


 


325-333
CAYPGCNKR
7


 


232-240
QLECMTWNQ
8


 


317-325
TSEKRPFMC
9
















TABLE 2







HLA-A0201-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





280-288
ILCGAQYRI
10


 


235-243
CMTWNQMNL
11


 


227-235
YQMTSQLEC
12


 


408-416
KTSEKPFSC
13


 


228-236
QMTSQLECM
14


 


86-94
EQCLSAFTV
15
















TABLE 3







HLA-A0205-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





235-243
CMTWNQMNL
11


 


227-235
YQMTSQLEC
12


 


194-202
SVPPPVYGC
16


 


280-288
ILCGAQYRI
10


 


81-89
AEPHEEQCL
17
















TABLE 4







HLA-A24-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





356-364
DFKDCERRF
18


 


326-334
AYPGCNKRY
19


 


130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


329-337
GCNKRYFKL
21


 


417-425
RWPSCQKKF
22


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23


 


235-243
CMTWNQMNL
11


 


235*-243 
CYTWNQMNL
44





*M at position 236 in SEQ ID NO: 11 is altered to Y.













TABLE 5







HLA-A3-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





88-96
CLSAFTVHF
24


 


137-145
CLESQPAIR
 2


 


280-288
ILCGAQYRI
10


 


386-394
KTCQRKFSR
 6


 


235-243
CMTWNQMNL
11


 


383-391
FQCKTCQRK
25


 


194-202
SVPPPVYGC
16
















TABLE 6







HLA-A68.1-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





100-108
FTGTAGACR
26


 


386-394
KTCQRKFSR
 6


 


409-417
TSEKPFSCR
 5


 


325-333
CAYPGCNKR
 7


 


354-362
QCDFKDCER
 4


 


324-332
MCAYPGCNK
27


 


379-387
GVKPFQCKT
28


 


137-145
CLESQPAIR
 2
















TABLE 7







HLA-A1101-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





386-394
KTCQRKFSR
 6


 


383-391
FQCKTCQRK
25


 


100-108
FTGTAGACR
26


 


324-332
MCAYPGCNK
27


 


415-423
SCRWPSCQK
29


 


137-145
CLESQPAIR
 2


 


325-333
CAYPGCNKR
 7
















TABLE 8







HLA-A3101-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





386-394
KTCQRKFSR
 6


 


137-145
CLESQPAIR
 2


 


100-108
FTGTAGACR
26


 


325-333
CAYPGCNKR
7


 


279-287
PILCGAQYR
30


 


354-362
QCDFKDCER
 4


 


383-391
FQCKTCQRK
25


 


358-366
KDCERRFSR
31
















TABLE 9







HLA-A3302-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
 Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:












409-417
TSEKPFSCR
5


 


137-145
CLESQPAIR
2


 


354-362
QCDFKDCER
4


 


100-108
FTGTAGACR
26


 


325-333
CAYPGCNKR
7


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23


 


419-427
PSCQKKFAR
32
















TABLE 10







HLA-B14-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





329-337
GCNKRYFKL
33
















TABLE 11







HLA-B40-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





81-89
AEPHEEQCL
17


 


410-418
SEKPFSCRW
34


 


318-326
SEKRPFMCA
35


 


233-241
LECMTWNQM
36


 


349-357
GEKPYQCDF
37


 


85-93
EEQCLSAFT
38


 


23-31
GCALPVSGA
39


 


206-214
TDSCTGSQA
40


 


24-32
CALPVSGAA
41


 


84-92
HEEQCLSAF
42
















TABLE 12







HLA-B60-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





81-89
AEPHEEQCL
17


 


233-241
LECMTWNQM
36


 


209-217
CTGSQALLL
43


 


318-326
SEKRPFMCA
35


 


329-337
GCNKRYFKL
33


 


130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


85-93
EEQCLSAFT
38


 


208-216
SCTGSQALL
45


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23


 


18-26
LGGGGGCAL
46
















TABLE 13







HLA-B61-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





318-326
SEKRPFMCA
35


 


81-89
AEPHEEQCL
17


 


233-241
LECMTWNQM
36


 


85-93
EEQCLSAFT
38


 


206-214
TDSCTGSQA
40


 


20-28
GGGGCALPV
47


 


23-31
GCALPVSGA
39
















TABLE 14







HLA-B62-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





88-96
CLSAFTVHF
24


 


17-25
SLGGGGGCA
48


 


384-392
QCKTCQRKF
49


 


227-235
YQMTSQLEC
12


 


86-94
EQCLSAFTV
15


 


101-109
TGTAGACRY
50


 


280-288
ILCGAQYRI
10
















TABLE 15







HLA-B7-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


208-216
SCTGSQALL
45


 


18-26
LGGGGGCAL
46


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23


 


209-217
CTGSQALLL
43


 


329-337
GCNKRYFKL
33


 


235-243
CMTWNQMNL
11
















TABLE 16







HLA-B8-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





329-337
GCNKRYFKL
33


 


208-216
SCTGSQALL
45


 


130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


420-428
SCQKKFARS
51


 


387-395
TCQRKFSRS
52


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23


 


384-392
QCKTCQRKF
49


 


136-144
SCLESQPAI
53


 


347-355
HTGEKPYQC
54
















TABLE 17







HLA-B2702-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





416-424
CRWPSCQKK
55


 


107-115
CRYGPFGPP
56
















TABLE 18







HLA-B2705-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





416-424
CRWPSCQKK
55


 


383-391
FQCKTCQRK
25
















TABLE 19







HLA-B3501-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





278-286
TPILCGAQY
57


 


327-335
YPGCNKRYF
58


 


82-90
EPHEEQCLS
59


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23


 


412-420
KPFSCRWPS
60
















TABLE 20







HLA-B3701-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





81-89
AEPHEEQCL
17


 


85-93
EEQCLSAFT
38


 


208-216
SCTGSQALL
45


 


209-217
CTGSQALLL
43


 


206-214
TDSCTGSQA
40


 


84-92
HEEQCLSAF
42


 


233-241
LECMTWNQM
36


 


349-357
GEKPYQCDF
37
















TABLE 21







HLA-B3801-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





202-210
CHTPTDSCT
61


 


417-425
RWPSCQKKF
22


 


327-335
YPGCNKRYF
58


 


208-216
SCTGSQALL
45


 


18-26
LGGGGGCAL
46


 


83-91
PHEEQCLSA
62
















TABLE 22







HLA-B3901-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





136-144
SCLESQPAI
53


 


208-216
SCTGSQALL
45


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23
















TABLE 23







HLA-B3902-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


209-217
CTGSQALLL
43


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23


 


208-216
SCTGSQALL
45


 


329-337
GCNKRYFKL
33
















TABLE 24







HLA-B4403-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





349-357
GEKPYQCDF
37


 


84-92
HEEQCLSAF
42


 


410-418
SEKPFSCRW
34


 


278-286
TPILCGAQY
57


 


318-326
SEKRPFMCA
35


 


81-89
AEPHEEQCL
17


 


101-109
TGTAGACRY
50


 


85-93
EEQCLSAFT
38


 


233-241
LECMTWNQM
36


 


104-112
AGACRYGPF
63
















TABLE 25







HLA-B5101-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


20-28
GGGGCALPV
47


 


18-26
LGGGGGCAL
46


 


418-426
WPSCQKKFA
64


 


82-90
EPHEEQCLS
59


 


280-288
ILCGAQYRI
10


 


204-212
TPTDSCTGS
65
















TABLE 26







HLA-B5102-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


20-28
GGGGCALPV
47


 


412-420
KPFSCRWPS
60


 


18-26
LGGGGGCAL
46


 


24-32
CALPVSGAA
66


 


136-144
SCLESQPAI
53


 


418-426
WPSCQKKFA
64


 


351-359
KPYQCDFKD
67
















TABLE 27







HLA-B5201-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





86-94
EQCLSAFTV
15


 


20-28
GGGGCALPV
47


 


327-335
YPGCNKRYF
58


 


104-112
AGACRYGPF
63
















TABLE 28







HLA-B5801-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





230-238
TSQLECMTW
68


 


408-416
KTSEKPFSC
13


 


276-284
HTTPILCGA
69


 


347-355
HTGEKPYQC
54


 


317-325
TSEKRPFMC
 9
















TABLE 29







HLA-CW0301-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





329-337
GCNKRYFKL
21


 


24-32
CALPVSGAA
41


 


136-144
SCLESQPAI
53


 


130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20
















TABLE 30







HLA-CW0401-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





356-364
DFKDCERRF
18


 


327-335
YPGCNKRYF
58


 


326-334
AYPGCNKRY
19


 


417-425
RWPSCQKKF
22


 


278-286
TPILCGAQY
57


 


 99-107
QFTGTAGAC
70
















TABLE 31







HLA-CW0602-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


319-327
EKRPFMCAY
71


 


207-215
DSCTGSQAL
23
















TABLE 32







HLA-CW0702-restricted Peptide Monomers









Position
Amino acid sequence
SEQ ID NO:





319-327
EKRPFMCAY
71


 


326-334
AYPGCNKRY
19


 


278-286
TPILCGAQY
57


 


327-335
YPGCNKRYF
58


 


101-109
TGTAGACRY
50


 


130-138
NAPYLPSCL
20


 


84-92
HEEQCLSAF
42









It has been known that there are many subtypes of HLA molecule and that the amino acid sequence of tumor antigen peptide that binds to each subtype obeys a certain rule (binding motif). The binding motif for HLA-A24 is known that, in the peptides consisting of 8 to 11 amino acid residues, the amino acid at position 2 is tyrosine (Tyr), phenylalanine (Phe), methionine (Met) or tryptophan (Trp), and the amino acid at the C-terminus is phenylalanine (Phe), leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile), tryptophan (Trp) or methionine (Met) (J. Immunol., 152, p3913, 1994, Immunogenetics, 41, p178, 1995, J. Immunol., 155, p4307, 1994). Accordingly, in addition to the peptide monomers in Table 4, a peptide monomer of the following formula can also be preferably used as an HLA-24-restricted peptide monomer.









(SEQ ID NO: 72)



Cys Xaa Thr Trp Asn Gln Met Asn Xaa






wherein Xaa at position 2 is an amino acid residue selected from Tyr, Phe, Met and Trp; and Xaa at position 9 is an amino acid residue selected from Phe, Leu, Ile, Trp and Met.

The binding motif for HLA-A0201 is known that, in the peptides consisting of 8 to 11 amino acid residues, the amino acid at position 2 is leucine (Leu) or methionine (Met), and the amino acid at the C-terminus is valine (Val) or leucine (Leu). The binding motif for HLA-A0205 is known that, in the peptides consisting of 8 to 11 amino acid residues, the amino acid at position 2 is valine (Val), leucine (Leu), isoleucine(Ile) or methionine (Met) and the amino acid at the C terminus is leucine (Leu) (Immunogenetics, 41, p. 178, 1995; J. Immunol., 155: p. 4749, 1995). Accordingly, a peptide wherein the amino acid at position 2 or the C terminus of a peptide monomer shown in Table 2 or 3 above is substituted by any one of amino acid motifs described above can also be preferably used as an HLA-A0201- or HLA-A0205-restricted peptide monomer.
The peptide monomers shown in Table 4 above are especially preferred to be used in the present invention. Among the peptides in Table 4, the SEQ ID NO:44 is a non-natural variant peptide wherein the methionine at position 236 of SEQ ID NO: 11 (position 235-243) is altered to tyrosine. Accordingly, the peptide monomers of the present invention include those having a sequence wherein one or more amino acid residues other than cysteine residue are altered in the sequence of natural-type peptides and showing CTL inducing activity.
As another embodiment, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide dimer of the present invention together with a therapeutically acceptable carrier therefor. Although the amount of a peptide dimer of the present invention as an active ingredient in the pharmaceutical composition may vary depending on the purpose of treatment, the age, weight of the patient, and the like, it is typically 0.0001 mg to 1000 mg, preferably 0.001 mg to 1000 mg, more preferably 0.1 mg to 20 mg.
The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may comprise, as an active ingredient, a peptide monomer in addition to a peptide dimer of the present invention. There is no limitation about the content of a “peptide dimer” in the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention on the condition that the CTL inducing activity is exerted; however, it can be 50% or more, preferably 70-100%, and more preferably 80-100% of the whole peptides. The content of a peptide dimer can be confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
The pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are those being capable of enhancing the cellular immunity. Such carriers include an adjuvant. Examples of adjuvant applicable to the present invention include those described in a literature (Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 7: 277-289, 1994), specifically, components derived from microorganisms, cytokines, components derived from plants, mineral gels such as aluminium hydroxide, lysolecithin, surfactants such as Pluronic® polyols, polyanion, peptide, oil emulsion (emulsion preparation) and the like. Also, the carrier includes components required for the preparation of liposomal preparations, particulate preparations in which the ingredient is bound to beads having a diameter of several μm, preparations in which the ingredient is attached to lipids, and the like.
Administration may be achieved, for example, intradermally, subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or intravenously. Preferred route is intradermal or subcutaneous administration that induces CTLs efficiently. The frequency or interval of administration can be adjusted appropriately depending on the disease to be treated or prevented, and individual difference; however, the administration is preferably carried out more than one times at an interval of once in a several days to several months.
For example, when the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention comprising a peptide dimer consisting of peptide monomers derived from WT1 is administered to a WT1-positive patient, the peptide is presented to an HLA antigen of antigen-presenting cells to form a complex. CTLs specific for the presented HLA antigen complex are then proliferated and destroy cancer cells, whereby cancer can be treated or prevented. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention can be used to treat or prevent cancers associated by the elevated expression level of WT1 gene including blood cancers such as leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, multiple myeloma and malignant lymphoma, and solid cancers such as gastric cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, embryonal cancer, hepatic cancer, skin cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer.
In the further embodiment, the present invention provides a method for treating or preventing cancers by administering the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention to a WT1-positive patient.
EXAMPLES
The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples, but is not limited by these examples in any respect.
Preparation 1
1. Synthesis of Protected Peptide Resin (H-Cys(Trt)-Tyr(Trt)-Thr(tBu)-Trp(Boc)-Asn(Trt)-Gln(Trt)-Met-Asn(Trt)-Leu-Alko-Resin)
Fmoc-Leu-Alko-resin (wherein Alko is p-alkoxybenzyl alcohol) (12 g) (0.81 mmol/g, Watanabe Chemical Industries, Ltd.) was charged in a reaction vessel (500 ml, Type ACT90 solid phase synthesizer, Advanced ChemTech) and washed once with DMF or the like (Process 1). The resin was then treated with 25% Pip (piperidine) (3 minutes×1, and 15 minutes×1) to cleave the Fmoc group (Process 2), and washed again with DMF or the like (Process 1) to remove Pip. To the reaction vessel was added a solution of Fmoc-Asn(Trt)-OH (29.36 g) and HOBT (1-hydroxybenzotriazole) (7.5 g) in NMP (N-methylpyrrolidinone) (150 ml). After adding DIPCI (N,N′-diisopropylcarbodiimide) (7.6 ml), the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes (Process 3). Thirty minutes later, the resin was washed with NMP (Process 4), and subjected to the coupling reaction once again using Fmoc-Asn(Trt)-OH (29.36 g) and HOBT (7.5 g) (Process 5) to synthesize Fmoc-Asn(Trt)-Leu-Alko resin. The resultant resin was then converted to H-Asn(Trt)-Leu-Alko-resin by repeating the deprotection of Process 2. After washing (Process 1), Fmoc-Met-OH (18.27 g), Fmoc-Gln(Trt)-OH (30.04 g), Fmoc-Asn(Trt)-OH (29.36 g), Fmoc-Trp(Boc)-OH (25.91 g), Fmoc-Thr(tBu)—OH (19.56 g), Fmoc-Tyr(tBu)—OH (22.60 g) and Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-OH (28.82 g) were added in series to conduct the coupling reaction (Process 3), wherein the coupling was repeated three times with Fmoc-Thr(tBu)—OH. The resultant resin was washed with DMF and treated with 25% AC2 O (acetic anhydride) (15 minutes×2) for the capping of unreacted amino groups. Following condensation of the N-terminal Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-OH, the deprotection (Process 2) and washing (Process 6) were conducted to obtain H-Cys(Trt)-Tyr(Trt)-Thr(tBu)-Trp(Boc)-Asn(Trt)-Gln(Trt)-Met-Asn(Trt)-Leu-Alko-Resin. The above processes for synthesis are summarized in Table 33.







TABLE 33







<Processes for Synthesis>












Number of
Time


Process
Reagent
treatment
(min)














1) Washing
DMF
100
ml × 6
0.3



MeOH
100
ml × 1
0.3



DMF
100
ml × 3
0.3


2) Deprotection
25% piperidine/DMF
100
ml
3.0




100
ml
15.0 


3) Coupling
Amino-protected amino acid
150
ml
30 × 1



(5 eq. for each), HOBT



(5 eq.), DIPCI (5 eq.)/NMP


4) Washing
NMP
100
ml × 2
0.3


5) Coupling
Amino-protected amino acid
150
ml
30 × 1



(5 eq. for each), HOBT



(5 eq.), DIPCI (5 eq.)/NMP


6) Washing
DMF
100
ml × 5
0.3



MeOH
100
ml × 1
0.3



DMF
100
ml × 2
0.3









2. Deprotection of Protected Peptide Resin

To the protected peptide resin (H-Cys(Trt)-Tyr(Trt)-Thr(tBu)-Trp(Boc)-Asn(Trt)-Gln(Trt)-Met-Asn(Trt)-Leu-Alko-Resin) (14.06 g) obtained in accordance with the processes above were added Reagent K (5% phenol/5% thioanisole/5% H2 O/2.5% ethanediol/TFA solution, 100 ml) and triisopropylsilane (TIPS, 15 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2.5 hours. After adding diethyl ether (ca. 500 ml), the mixture was filtered through a glass filter to remove Reagent K and diethyl ether as filtrate. The residue on the filter was washed with diethyl ether (ca. 100 ml, ×3) followed by addition of TFA (ca. 100 ml×3) to obtain filtrate (300 ml) containing the objective product. The filtrate was concentrated to remove TFA and lyophilized after adding acetonitrile (ca. 50 ml) and 20% aqueous acetic acid solution (ca. 250 ml) to obtain a crude peptide (H-Cys-Tyr-Thr-Trp-Asn-Gln-Met-Asn-Leu-OH, SEQ ID NO:44) (6.12 g) as powder.
3. Purification of Crude Peptide
The resultant crude peptide (749 mg) was dissolved in TFA (10 ml) and charged onto ODS C1 8 column (5 cm Φ×50 cm L, YMC, Co., Ltd.) of HPLC (Shimadzu; LC8AD type) equilibrated with solution 1 (═H2 O/0.1% TFA) using an HPLC pump. The column was kept for about 30 minutes as it is, and then the concentration of solution 2 (═CH3CN/0.1% TFA) was increased from 0% to 15% over 30 minutes. Thereafter, the concentration of solution 2 was increased upto 28% over 330 minutes, while the eluate containing the objective peptide was monitored by UV absorption at 220 nm to collect the fractions containing the objective product. The fractions were combined and injected into ODS C1 8 column (4.6 mm Φ×25 cm L, YMC, Co., Ltd.) attached to HPLC (Hitachi, L-4000 type) and equilibrated with 17% solution 2 (═CH3CN/0.1% TFA) in a mixture of solution 1 (═H2 O/0.1% TFA) and solution 2 (═CH3 CN/0.1% TFA), and then the concentration of solution 2 was increased upto 47% over 30 minutes while monitoring the eluate by UV absorption at 220 nm over 30 minutes to obtain the purified objective peptide monomer (227.5 mg) with retention time of 14.79 minutes.
Amino Acid Analysis
Hydrolysis: 1% phenol/6N aqueous hydrochloric acid solution 110° C., 10 hours
Analytical method: ninhydrin method
Asx:1.71(2) Thr:0.75(1) Glx:1.07(1) Met:0.91(1)*Leu:(1) Tyr:0.82(1)
*) Leu=reference amino acid
The value in parentheses ( ): theoretical value
Mass spectrometry: LC/MS M+1=1173.0 (theoretical value=1172.36)
Peptide Sequencing: sequence was confirmed from the second residue (Tyr) from the N-terminus to the C-terminus, Leu, successively.
Example 1
Synthesis of a Dimer of the Formula




Air oxidization was conducted by stirring a mixture of a peptide monomer (227.5 mg) prepared in Preparation 1, N-methylglucamine (NMG) (227.5 mg) and water (23 ml) at room temperature for about 2 days. To the reaction solution was added an aqueous solution of sodium acetate (2 g) in water (5 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for about 20 minutes. After adding water (200 ml) and acetonitrile (ca. 200 ml), the mixture was filtered through Kiriyama Roht (filter paper No. 5C), and the residue on the filter was washed with water (ca. 50 ml×3). The residue on the filter was collected and lyophilized after adding water (ca. 200 ml) to obtain the crude product of objective peptide dimer (158 mg).
Purification of Crude Peptide Dimer
Crude peptide dimer (158 mg) was dissolved in DMSO (9 ml) and charged onto ODS C1 8 column (5 cm Φ×50 cm L, YMC, Co., Ltd.) of HPLC (Shimadzu; LC8AD type) equilibrated with solution 1 (═H2 O/1% AcOH) using a HPLC pump. The column was kept for about 30 minutes as it is, and then the concentration of solution 2 (═CH3 CN/1% AcOH) was increased from 0% to 40% over 360 minutes. Thereafter, the fractions containing the objective product were collected by means of automatic fraction collector while monitoring the eluate containing the objective peptide dimer by UV absorption at 220 nm. The fractions were combined and injected into ODS C1 8 column (4.6 mm Φ×25 cm L, YMC, Co., Ltd.) attached to HPLC (Hitachi, L-4000 type) and equilibrated with 17% solution 2 (═CH3 CN/0.1% TFA) in a mixture of solution 1 (═H2 O/0.1% TFA) and solution 2 (═CH3 CN/0.1% TFA). The concentration of solution 2 was then increased from 0% to 47% while monitoring the eluate by UV absorption at 220 nm over 30 minutes to obtain the purified objective peptide dimer (46.6 mg) with retention time of 20.51 minutes.
FAB.MS 2365.0 (theoretical value: 2342.70) Na+ F=0.25%
Test Example 1
Induction of CTLs with Peptide Dimer
The CTL-inducing activity of the peptide dimer prepared in Example 1 was evaluated using HLA-A24 transgenic mice (Int. J. Cancer: 100, 565, 2002). The peptide dimer was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to obtain a 40 mg/ml peptide solution. The peptide solution (35 μl) was then added to 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) (581 μl) to obtain a peptide suspension. The resultant peptide suspension (550 μl) and Montanide ISA51 (Seppic) (700 μl) were mixed using a connected glass syringe to prepare an emulsion as an administration solution.
The administration solution (200 μl) was injected into an HLA-A24 transgenic mouse subcutaneously in the base of the tail. Three mice were used. Seven days after the injection, the spleen was removed and splenocytes were prepared. A portion of the splenocytes was pulsed with the peptide dimer (100 μg/ml) for 1 hour. Splenocytes not pulsed with the peptide were seeded into a 24-well plate at 7×106 cells/well and thereto were added the above-mentioned splenocytes pulsed with the peptide (1×106 cells/well), and the plate was incubated. The incubation was conducted in RPMI1640 medium supplemented with 10% FCS, 10 mM HEPES, 20 mM L-glutamine, 1 mM sodium pyruvate, 1 mM MEM nonessential amino acids, 1% MEM vitamin and 55 μM 2-mercaptoethanol for 5 days.
The cultured splenocytes were examined for the cytotoxic activity specific for the peptide used in the administration by 51Cr release assay (J. Immunol.: 159, 4753, 1997). EL4-A2402/Kb cells obtained by transforming EL-4 cells (ATCC No. TIB-39) in such a manner that a chimera MHC class I molecule of HLA-A24 and H2Kb (Int. J. Cancer: 100, 565, 20002) are expressed stably were used as the target cells. The target cells were labeled with 51Cr (3.7 MBq/106 cells) and pulsed with the peptide at 100 μg/ml for an hour. For control, target cells not pulsed with the peptide were labeled with 51Cr for 2 hours. Those labeled target cells and the previously prepared splenocytes were mixed at a ratio of 1:120, cultured for 4 hours and the CTL activity was evaluated on the basis of the percent of damaged target cells. The results are shown in FIG. 1. The splenocytes prepared from the mouse injected with the peptide injured strongly the target cells pulsed with the peptide. However, they showed only weak cytotoxicity on the target cells not pulsed with the peptide. These results clearly showed that CTLs specific for the peptide were induced.
Industrial Applicability
According to the present invention, a peptide dimer having a CTL-inducing activity in vivo, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same as an active ingredient are provided. The present invention can be useful in the improvement of conditions of many tumor patients.

## Claims

1. A method of inducing cytotoxic T-lymphocytes in a patient, which comprises administering an effective amount of a peptide homodimer to the patient, wherein two peptide monomers of the peptide homodimer are selected from the peptide Cys Met Thr Trp Asn Gln Met Asn Leu (SEQ ID NO: 11) and the peptide Cys Tyr Thr Trp Asn Gln Met Asn Leu (SEQ ID NO: 44) and wherein the two peptide monomers are bound to each other through at least one disulfide bond to form the homodimer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide homodimer is

3. A method of increasing stability of a peptide monomer in blood plasma, which comprises forming a homodimer of two peptide monomers, wherein the peptide monomers are selected from the peptide Cys Met Thr Trp Asn Gln Met Asn Leu (SEQ ID NO: 11) and the peptide Cys Tyr Thr Trp Asn Gln Met Asn Leu (SEQ ID NO: 44) and wherein the two peptide monomers are bound to each other through at least one disulfide bond to form the homodimer.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the peptide homodimer is