Abstract:
The invention relates to the use of an immunogen selected from the group consisting of (i) an anti-p53 mAb; (ii) a fragment of an anti-p53 mAb; (iii) a peptide based on a CDR of the heavy or light chain of an anti-p53 mAb, which peptide is capable of eliciting antibodies to p53; and (iv) a DNA molecule coding for the variable (V) region of an anti-p53 mAb in a suitable gene delivery vehicle, for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition useful for induction of anti-tumor immunity in mammals, for activating an enhanced immune response to a p53 molecule in mammals, and/or for induction of immune responses to mutated and wild-type forms of a p53 in mammals. The use of anti-p53 mAbs and novel peptides based on the CDR2 and CDR3 of the heavy chains and CDR3 of the light chains of different anti-p53 mAbs are disclosed.