Induction of CTLs specific for natural antigens by cross priming immunization

摘要

The present invention relates to prophylactic and therapeutic methods of anti-tumor immunization. These methods are based on cross-priming a mammalian host to natural MHC class I restricted tumor antigens with an artificial tumor antigen. A primary tumor is resected from the patient and a population of tumor cells are cultured in vitro. These cultured tumor cells are loaded with an artificial target antigen. The loaded tumor cells are inactivated and introduced into the patient either simultaneous or subsequent to a direct immunization of the patient with the same or substantially the same artificial target antigen. This method of coupled host immunization promotes a tumor specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) immune response against multiple, undefined natural tumor antigens expressed on the unmodified tumor cell surface.