Epitopes of hepatitis C virus
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorsGeorg Lauer, Kei Ouchi, Bruce D. Walker
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Abstract
The invention provides compositions containing HCV epitopes, which are recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Such polypeptides are used in prophylactic vaccines, immunotherapies, and assays to monitor the progress or success of immune interventions. The compositions are optimized to elicit an immune response in a genetically-diverse population of individuals.
Claims26
An immunogenic composition comprising a plurality of immunodominant Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) polypeptides, wherein said polypeptides bind to a spectrum of HLA class I molecules which are expressed in at least 85% of the individuals in a target population.
An immunogenic composition comprising a plurality of purified immunodominant Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) polypeptides, wherein said polypeptides bind to a plurality of HLA class I molecules.
A composition comprising a polypeptide, said polypeptide being less than 50 amino acids in length, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, or 48.
A composition comprising a polypeptide, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide consists essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, or 48.
A composition comprising a polypeptide, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide consists essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:42, 45, 47, or 48.
A composition comprising a polypeptide, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide consists essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:43, 44, or 46.
A composition comprising a polypeptide, said polypeptide being less than 50 amino acids in length, wherein said amino acid sequence of said polypeptide consists essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
- 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, or 58.
A composition comprising a polypeptide, wherein said amino acid sequence of said polypeptide consists essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
- 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, or 58.
A method of stimulating an HCV-specific immune response, comprising contacting a T cell with an immunogen comprising a peptide epitope selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:
- 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58.
A method of stimulating an HCV-specific immune response, comprising administering to a mammal an immunogen comprising a peptide epitope selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:
- 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58, wherein said immune response comprises an increase in proliferation of HCV-specific early memory CD8+ T cells.
A method of identifying an immunodominant HCV epitope, comprising
- (a) providing a patient-derived population of lymphocytes, said patient being infected with HCV or having been infected in the past;
- (b) contacting said population with an HCV protein matrix;
- and
- (c) measuring a CTL response, wherein an increase in said response in a region of said matrix indicates that said region contains an immunodominant HCV epitope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.