Vaccine comprising a polynucleotide encoding an antigen recognized by a CD4+ helper T-cell and a polynucleotide encoding a tumor specific or associated antigen recognized by a CD8+ CTL
The present invention relates to a DNA vaccine for developing tumor-specific immunity. Specifically, the invention relates to a DNA vaccine comprising antigens recognized by CD4<SUP>+</SUP> helper T cells and CD8<SUP>+</SUP> cytotoxic T cells, respectively. Preferably, the antigen recognized by CD4<SUP>+</SUP> helper T cells is a molecule identified by the SEREX method and that recognized by CD8<SUP>+</SUP> cytotoxic T cells is a tumor-specific antigen, tumor-associated antigen or cell-associated antigen. Furthermore, so that the antigens recognized by CD4<SUP>+</SUP> helper T cells and CD8<SUP>+</SUP> CTL are expressed and presented on the same cell, the expression vectors preferably are immobilized on the same gold particle and administered into the cell by gene gun; however, this invention is not restricted thereto. The vaccine can also be used as a pharmaceutical agent.
