Synthetic vaccines from tumor-associated glycopeptide antigens

The aberrantly glycosylated and extensively over-expressed membrane-bound mucin MUC1 glycoprotein forms a tumor specific epitope on the surface of epithelial cells. Using defined synthetic glycopeptide structures consisting of the MUC1 tandem repeat region for immunization, antibodies selectively binding to tumor cell surface should be induced. Recent examples of synthetic vaccines directed against the O-glycosylated MUC1 tandem repeats and their immunological evaluation will be given here. These include synthetic MUC1 glycopeptides conjugated to immunostimulants, such as T-cell peptide epitopes, immune carrier proteins or lipid immunostimulants.