Tyrosinase-KLH

**Semantic type:** Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** A peptide vaccine containing a tyrosinase epitope conjugated with keyhole lymphocyte hemocyanin (KLH) with potential antineoplastic activity. Tyrosinase, one of the melanoma differentiation antigens, is the rate-limiting enzyme for melanin synthesis. This tyrosine epitope is conjugated with KLH, which serves as an immunostimulant and a hapten carrier, to enhance immune recognition. Vaccination with tyrosinase-KLH peptide vaccine may produce anti-tyrosinase antibodies as well as elicit a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against cells expressing tyrosinase antigen, resulting in decreased tumor growth.