IMMUNIZATION AGAINST AUTOLOGOUS GHRELIN

Disclosed are novel methods that generally rely on immunization against autologous ghrelin. Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogues of autologous ghrelin, said analogues being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous ghrelin polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous ghrelin, which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes. Also disclosed are nucleic acid vaccination against ghrelin and vaccination using live vaccines as well as methods and means useful for the vaccination. Such methods and means include methods for the preparation of analogues and pharmaceutical formulations, as well as nucleic acid fragments, vectors, transformed cells, polypeptides and pharmaceutical formulations.