Unconventional antigen translated by a novel internal ribosome entry site elicits antitumor humoral immune reactions

An isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

• 2, fragments thereof, muteins thereof, and variants thereof.

A nucleic acid comprising a reporter gene operatively linked to an MPD6-IRES region wherein the MPD6-IRES region is responsive to IFN-α.

A substantially purified polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

• 2, fragments thereof, muteins thereof, and variants thereof.

A vaccine composition comprising an immunogenic peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

• 2, fragments thereof, muteins thereof, and variants thereof.

An immunogenic peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

• 2, fragments thereof, muteins thereof, and variants thereof.

An isolated nucleic acid encoding an immunogenic peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

• 2, fragments thereof, muteins thereof, and variants thereof.

A method of eliciting or enhancing an immune response to a human self tumor antigen such as MPD6 (SEQ ID NO:

• 18), comprising immunizing a human being with an unconventional antigen that is homologous to foreign proteins or foreign peptides but normally not expressed unless stimulated by interferons or cytokines.

A method of treating a disorder selected from the group consisting of viral infections, inflammation, autoimmune disease, and cancer in a patient in need thereof by administration of an effective amount of a compound which modulates the activity of a member of the group selected from MPD6, the MPD6-IRES region activity, and combinations thereof.

A kit comprising an immunogenic peptide comprising an immunogenic peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

• 2, fragments thereof, muteins thereof, and variants thereof.

A method of identifying a potential therapeutic agent which inhibits a disorder selected from the group consisting of viral infections, inflammation, autoimmune disease, and cancer comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a cell comprising a reporter gene operatively linked to an MPD6-IRES region;
• (b) contacting the cell with a test agent in the presence of IFNα,
• wherein a decrement in the expression of the reporter gene in the presence of IFN-α and the test agent, as compared to the expression of the reporter gene in the presence of IFN-α and the absence of the test agent, indicates that the test agent is a potential cancer therapeutic.

A method of identifying a potential therapeutic agent which a disorder selected from the group consisting of viral infections, inflammation, autoimmune disease, and cancer comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a cell comprising a reporter gene operatively linked to an MPD6-IRES region, and the reporter gene;
• (b) contacting said cell with a test agent under conditions wherein said cells express the reporter gene,
• wherein a decrement in the expression of the reporter gene as compared to a control indicates that the test agent is a potential therapeutic for a disorder selected from the group consisting of viral infections, inflammation, autoimmune disease, and cancer.

A diagnostic kit for the detection of MPD6 antigen comprising:

• a container comprising at least one antibody wherein the at the least one antibody specifically binds to an epitope of MPD6.

The method of claim 36, wherein the biological sample is a member selected from the group consisting of whole blood, serum, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, urine, spinal fluid, synovial fluid, amniotic fluid and cranial fluid, and lymphocyte or cell culture supernatants.

A method for monitoring the course of disease in a patient which comprises quantitatively determining in a first cell sample from the subject the presence of MPD6 peptide and comparing the amount so determined with the amount present in a second sample from the subject, such samples being taken at different points in time, a difference in the amounts determined being indicative of the course of disease.