Vaccine Therapy With Tumor Specific Mutated VHL Peptides in Adult Cancer Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma

About 27,000 new cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are diagnosed every year in the United States. 11,000 of these cases will die from the disease. More than half of patients present with advanced or metastatic disease for which chemotherapy plays a very limited role. Therefore, development of another therapeutic approach is needed. Cancers in humans are commonly associated with mutations in dominant and recessive oncogenes. These genes produce mutated proteins that are unique to cancer cells. Von Hipple-Lindau (VHL) gene which is associated with the development of the VHL disease, has been recently mapped and cloned, and it is found to be mutated in 57% of sporadic renal cell carcinomas.

Data in mice have shown the generation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) that are capable of detecting endogenous cytoplasmic peptide derived from mutated oncogenes. In addition, we have recently demonstrated, by conducting different phase I clinical trials in which we vaccinate cancer patients with mutated Ras or p53 peptides corresponding to the abnormality patients harbor in their tumors, that in some patients we can generate immunological responses represented by the generation of lymphocytes (CD4+ and/or CD8+). In the current study, we would like to extend our observations to test whether VHL tumor suppressor protein can be immunologically targeted by vaccination. We have identified specific epitopes along the amino acid sequence of the VHL protein, which represent known specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class-I binding motifs. These amino acids stretches in the VHL protein correspond to the area of the point mutation hot spots. Therefore, we propose to treat patients with sporadic RCC who carry VHL mutations in their tumors with corresponding mutant VHL peptide vaccination. This vaccination will be done either by using pulsed-autologous peripheral mononuclear cells with the peptides, or peptides administered subcutaneously alone or in combination with cytokines.

About 27,000 new cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are diagnosed every year in the United States. 11,000 of these cases will die from the disease. More than half of patients present with advanced or metastatic disease for which chemotherapy plays a very limited role. Therefore, development of another therapeutic approach is needed. Cancers in humans are commonly associated with mutations in dominant and recessive oncogenes. These genes produce mutated proteins that are unique to cancer cells. Von Hipple-Lindau gene, which is associated with the development of the VHL disease, has been recently mapped and cloned; it is found to be mutated in 57% of sporadic renal cell carcinomas.

Data in mice have shown the generation of MHC restricted CTL that are capable of detecting endogenous cytoplasmic peptide derived from mutated oncogenes. In addition, we have recently demonstrated, by conducting different phase I clinical trials in which we vaccinate cancer patients with mutated Ras or p53 peptides corresponding to the abnormality patients harbor in their tumors, that in some patients we can generate immunological responses represented by the generation of lymphocytes (CD4+ and/or CD8+). In the current study, we would like to extend our observations to test whether VHL tumor suppressor protein can be immunologically targeted by vaccination. We have identified specific epitopes along the amino acid sequence of the VHL protein which represent known specific HLA class-I binding motifs. These amino acids stretches in the VHL protein correspond to the area of the point mutation hot spots. Therefore, this protocol treats patients with sporadic RCC who carry VHL mutations in their tumors with corresponding mutant VHL peptide vaccination.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must be 18 years of age or older.
* Histologic diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma.
* Tumor tissue availability for determination of Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) mutation (paraffin block, or fresh tissue).
* Patients must carry a VHL mutation in their tumor.
* Patients must have metastatic disease for which no further chemotherapy or radiation options, which are known to increase survival, are available.
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 1.
* Expected survival more than 3 months.
* While measurable disease is preferable, it is not a necessity.
* The patient should not have received chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy or steroids for at least 4 weeks prior to starting vaccination, and should have recovered from all acute toxicities of previous treatment.
* Patients must understand and sign an informed consent document that explains the neoplastic nature of his/her disease, the procedures to be followed, the experimental nature of the treatment, alternative treatments, and potential risks and toxicities.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any condition that does not fit with the inclusion criteria.
* Any of the following: White blood cells (WBC) less than 2000/mm(3); Platelets less than 100K/mm
* (3); Creatinine greater than 2.0 mg/dl; Serum Bilirubin greater than 2.0 mg/dl, Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), or Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) greater than 4x normal.
* Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or active Hepatitis B or C (i.e. detectable Hepatitis B surface (HBS) Antigen or Heteroconjugate (HC) antibodies).
* Pregnant women or nursing mothers are ineligible. Women with reproductive potential must have negative urine pregnancy test. Women of reproductive potential must use adequate contraception.
* Patients with active ischemic heart disease (i.e. Class III or IV cardiac disease)-New York Heart Association), a recent history of myocardial infarction (within the last 6 months), history of congestive heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias or other arrhythmias requiring therapy, or any other medical conditions that the principal investigators sees to be unfit for such therapy.
* History of Central Nervous System (CNS) metastases.
* Patients with history of autoimmune disease e.g. (autoimmune neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or hemolytic anemia; systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren syndrome, or scleroderma; myasthenia grave's; Good pasture syndrome; Addison's disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or active Graves' disease).
* If, in the opinion of the principal or associate investigators, it is not in the best medical interest of the patient to enter this study, the patient will be ineligible.