Synthetic Antitumor Vaccines from Tetanus Toxoid Conjugates of MUC1 Glycopeptides with the Thomsen–Friedenreich Antigen and a Fluorine‐Substituted Analogue

Abstract

A “shot in the arm” for cancer therapy: Coupling of synthetic glycopeptide tandem-repeat sequences of the epithelial mucin MUC1 with the Thomsen–Friedenreich (T) antigen (A) or a difluoro analogue (B) to tetanus toxoid (TTox) affords synthetic vaccines, which induce very strong immune responses in mice overriding the natural tolerance of the immune system. The induced antibodies are selectively directed against the tumor-associated MUC1 structures and strongly bind to breast cancer cells of the MCF-7 cell line.