Patent ID: 7345026

Claim:
An isolated or purified polynucleotide comprising part of the preS2 sequence of HBV and a DNA sequence coding for at least one non-HBV epitope of a tumor antigen, which is inserted between the codon for amino acid 915 and the codon for amino acid 979 of the pre-S2 segment of the middle glycoprotein of the hepatitis B virus (HBV); wherein the polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding hepatitis B virus surface antigen; wherein the at least one non-HBV epitope of a tumor antigen is selected from AAGIGILTV (SEQ ID NO: 7), FLWGPRALV (SEQ ID NO: 13), MLLAVLYCL (SEQ ID NO: 9), LLDGTATLRL (SEQ ID NO: 5), KTWGQYWQV (SEQ ID NO: 2), YMDGTMSQV (SEQ ID NO: 10), ITDQVPFSV (SEQ ID NO: 3), YLEPGPVTA (SEQ ID NO: 4), ILTVILGV (SEQ ID NO: 8), YLPDVFIRC (SEQ ID NO: 12), gp100.154, gp100.209, gp100.280, gp100.457, gp100.476, Melan-A/MART-1.27, Melan-A/MART-1.32, Tyrosinase. 1, Tyrosinase.368-D, Tyrosinase.368-N, NA17-A.nt38, MAGE-3.271, CEA.57-1, p.53.65, p53.149, p53.264, Her2/neu.369, Her2/neu.654, and HPVE7.88; and wherein each epitope is flanked on each of its sides by three alanine amino acid residues and the preS2 sequence contains an HIV-1 V3 tag; and wherein injection of a synthetic peptide encoded by said polynucleotide into an H-2 negative HHD mouse elicits an H.A.-A2.1-restricted CTL response in the mouse, and the H.A.-A2.1-restricted CTL response is specific for the at least one epitope of a tumor antigen encoded by the DNA sequence.