Stat3 antagonists and their use as vaccines against cancer

A method for treating and/or preventing cancer in a subject comprising:

• (a) decreasing STAT3 expression or function in tumor cells;
• (b) co-culturing said tumor and cytotoxic T-cells in culture, such that the cytotoxic T-cells are activated;
• and
• (c) administering the activated cytotoxic T-cells to the subject, such that the cancer in the subject is treated or prevented.

A method for treating and/or preventing cancer in a subject, said method comprising:

• (a) decreasing Stat3 expression or function in a tumor cell;
• (b) culturing the tumor cell obtained in step (a);
• (c) contacting antigen-presenting cells with supernatant obtained from the culture of step (b);
• (d) contacting cytotoxic T cells with the antigen-presenting cells of step (c), thereby activating the cytotoxic T cells;
• and
• (e) administering the cytotoxic T cells to the subject, such that the cancer in the subject is treated or prevented.

A method for treating and/or preventing cancer in a subject, said method comprising administering the cytotoxic T cells to the subject, such that the cancer in the subject is treated or prevented, said cytotoxic T cells being the product of a method comprising:

• (a) decreasing Stat3 expression or function in a tumor cell;
• (b) culturing the tumor cell obtained in step (a);
• (c) contacting antigen-presenting cells with supernatant obtained from the culture of step (b);
• and
• (d) contacting cytotoxic T cells with the antigen-presenting cells of step (c), thereby activating the cytotoxic T cells.

A method for treating and/or preventing cancer in a subject, wherein the method comprises:

• (a) decreasing Stat3 expression or function in antigen-presenting cells;
• (b) treating tumor cells such that the tumor cells are prevented from further cell division;
• and
• (c) administering the antigen-presenting cells of step (a) and the tumor cells of step (b) to the subject, thereby stimulating an immune-response in the subject,
• such that the cancer is treated or prevented.

A method for stimulating dendritic cell differentiation, said method comprising:

• treating dendritic cells with a cell culture supernatant such that the differentiation of the dendritic cells is stimulated, said cell culture supernatant being the product of a method comprising the following steps:
• (a) decreasing Stat3 expression or function in tumor cells;
• and
• (b) culturing the tumor cells of step (a) to produce the cell culture supernatant.

A method for treating and/or preventing cancer in a subject, wherein the method comprises:

• (a) decreasing Stat3 expression or function in antigen-presenting cells;
• (b) culturing the antigen-presenting cells of step (a) with a molecule that displays the antigenicity of a tumor cell of the cancer to the subject,
• (c) administering the antigen-presenting cells to the subject in an amount effective to stimulate an immune response in the subject,
• thereby stimulating an immune response in the subject, such that the cancer is treated or prevented.

A method for treating and/or preventing an infectious disease in a subject, wherein the method comprises:

• (a) decreasing Stat3 expression or function in antigen-presenting cells;
• (b) inactivating the agent that causes the infectious disease such that the inactivated agent is incapable of causing disease;
• and
• (c) administering the antigen-presenting cells of step (a) and the infectious agent of step (b) to the subject,
• thereby stimulating an immune-response in the subject, such that the infectious disease is treated or prevented.

A method for treating and/or preventing an infectious disease in a subject, wherein the method comprises:

• (a) decreasing Stat3 expression or function in antigen-presenting cells;
• (b) culturing the antigen-presenting cells of step (a) and a molecule that displays the antigenicity of the infectious agent that causes the infectious disease to the subject,
• (c) administering to the subject an amount of the antigen-presenting cells of step (b) effective to stimulate an immune response in the subject,
• such that the infectious disease is treated or prevented.