Mhc binding peptide oligomers and methods of use

Use of an MHC binding peptide oligomer in a composition for specifically activating a CD8+ T cell toward a cell presenting a predetermined antigenic peptide in association with a predetermined MHC class I molecule, wherein said specific activation is achieved by:

• (a) providing an MHC binding peptide oligomer comprising at least two agonistic MHC class I binding peptides covalently joined by a flexible molecular linker, said MHC class I binding peptides corresponding to said predetermined antigenic peptide;
• and
• (b) contacting, under physiological conditions, a cell bearing said MHC class I molecule on its cell surface with the oligomer of step (a).

A use as in claim 16 wherein said flexible molecular linker is produced in vitro by chemical synthetic techniques.

Use of an MHC binding peptide oligomer in a composition for specifically inhibiting activation of a CD8+ T cell toward a cell presenting a predetermined antigenic peptide in association with a predetermined MHC class I molecule, wherein said specific inhibition is achieved by:

• (a) providing an MHC binding peptide oligomer comprising at least two non-aginostic MHC class I binding peptides covalently joined C-terminus to C-terminus by a flexible molecular linker, said MHC class I binding peptides corresponding to said predetermined antigenic peptide;
• and
• (b) contacting, under physiological conditions, a cell bearing said MHC class I molecules on its cell surface with the oligomer of step (a).

Use of an MHC binding peptide oligomer in a composition for activating a CD4+ T cell toward a cell presenting a predetermined antigenic peptide in association with a predetermined MHC class II molecule, wherein said activation is achieved by:

• (a) providing an MHC binding peptide oligomer comprising at least two agonistic MHC class II binding peptides covalently joined by a flexible molecular linker, said MHC class II binding peptides comprising said predetermined antigenic peptide;
• and
• (b) contacting, under physiological conditions, a cell bearing said MHC class II molecules on its cell surface with the oligomer of step (a).

Use of an MHC binding peptide oligomer in a composition for specifically inhibiting activation of a CD4+ T cell toward a cell presenting a predetermined antigenic peptide in association with a predetermined MHC class II molecule, wherein said specific inhibition is achieved by:

• (a) providing an MHC binding peptide oligomer comprising at least two non-agonistic MHC class II binding peptides covalently joined by a flexible molecular linker;
• and
• (b) contacting, under physiological conditions, a cell bearing said MHC class II molecules on its cell surface with the oligomer of step (a).

Use of a DNA sequence encoding an MHC binding peptide oligomer in a medicament for genetic immunization against a predetermined pathogen, wherein said immunization is achieved by:

• (a) providing said DNA sequence encoding an MHC binding peptide oligomer comprising at least two immunogenic MHC binding peptides derived from said pathogen covalently joined by a flexible molecular linker in an expression vector capable of replication and expression in mammalian cells;
• and
• (b) introducing the expression vector of step (a) into the cells of an individual to be immunized.

Use of an MHC binding peptide oligomer in a medicament for eliminating tumor cells from an individual, wherein said elimination is achieved by:

• (a) providing an MHC binding peptide oligomer comprising at least two agonistic, tumor-specific MHC binding peptides covalently joined by a flexible molecular linker;
• and
• (b) contacting under physiological conditions, a cell bearing MHC molecules on its cell surface with the oligomer of step (a).

Use of an MHC binding peptide oligomer in a composition for specifically inhibiting activation of a T cell by a predetermined antigenic peptide in association with a predetermined MHC molecule, wherein said specific inhibition is achieved by:

• (a) providing an MHC binding peptide oligomer comprising at least two of said antigenic peptides covalently joined by a flexible molecular linker;
• and
• (b) contacting, under physiological conditions, a cell bearing said MHC molecule on its cell surface with the oligomer of step (a) at a concentration sufficient for the induction of high zone tolerance.

Use of an MHC binding peptide oligomer for producing an immunomodulatory composition, comprising:

• (a) identifying an MHC binding peptide;
• and
• (b) preparing an MHC binding peptide oligomer comprising at least two copies of the MHC binding peptide of step (a) covalently joined by a flexible molecular linker.