title: MUC1 based breast cancer vaccines: role of post translational modifications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vaccine development is one of the most promising fields in cancer research. After autologous transplantation, due to low tumour burden, patients are more likely to respond immunologically to a cancer vaccine. MUC1 with its adhesive and antiadhesive functions, immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive activities, is therefore a good candidate for breast cancer vaccine. A structure-based insight into the immunogenicity of natural MUC1 glycoforms, of its sub-domains, motifs and post translational modification like glycosylation and myriostoylation may aid the design of tumour vaccines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary sequences of human MUC1 were retrieved from the SWISSPROT data bank. Protein pattern search: The primary sequence of Human MUC1 was searched at PROSITE (a dictionary of protein sites and patterns) database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study observes that post-translational modifications play an important role in presenting MUC1 as a candidate for breast cancer vaccine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is found that the phosphrylation and glycosylation of important functional motifs of MUC1 may take part in the production of cytokines that may provide immunization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mumtaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Begum
authors.forename: Rukhshan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khurshid
authors.forename: Asmat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.forename: Saeed Ahmed
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nagra
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015195:Drug Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; C060192:MUC1 protein, human; D018396:Mucin-1