A DNA vaccine suitable for eliciting an immune response against cancer cellscomprises a DNA construct operably encoding a cancer-associated Inhibitor ofApoptosis-family protein and an immunoactive gene product, such as a cytokineor a ligand for a natural killer cell surface receptor, in a pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier. A preferred cytokine is CCL21. Preferred ligands for anatural killer cell surface receptor include human MICA, human MICB, humanULBP1, human ULBP2, and human ULBP3. The cancer-associated Inhibitor ofApoptosis (IAP)-family protein is preferably a survivin protein or livinprotein. Method of inhibiting tumor growth by administering the vaccine of theinvention to a mammal is also described.
