Methods and agents for modulating an immune response

A method for stimulating or enhancing presentation of a peptide or protein of interest in the context of a major histocompatibility (MHC) class II molecule, the method comprising contacting a cell capable of expressing a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule with a nucleic acid encoding a peptide or protein of interest fused in frame to a nucleic acid encoding an autophagosomal targeting protein, or a functional fragment thereof, whereby said autophagosomal targeting protein or a functional fragment thereof targets said peptide or protein of interest to an autophagosome, and said peptide, or a fragment of said protein of interest is displayed on the surface of said cell in the context of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule.

A method for stimulating or enhancing an immune response in a subject, the method comprising contacting a cell capable of expressing a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule in said subject with a nucleic acid encoding a peptide or protein of interest fused in frame to a nucleic acid encoding an autophagosomal targeting protein, or a functional fragment thereof, whereby said autophagosomal targeting protein or functional fragment thereof targets said peptide or protein of interest to an autophagosome, and said peptide, or a fragment of said protein of interest is displayed on the surface of said cell in the context of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule, thereby stimulating or enhancing an immune response thereto.

A composition comprising a cell capable of expressing the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II protein, and a nucleic acid encoding a peptide or protein of interest fused in frame to a nucleic acid encoding the autophagosomal LC3 protein, or functional fragment thereof, or a vector comprising the same.

A method for downmodulating, suppressing or tolerizing an immune response in a subject to a peptide or protein of interest, the method comprising contacting immature dendritic cells with a nucleic acid encoding a peptide or protein of interest fused in frame to a nucleic acid encoding an autophagosomal targeting protein, or a functional fragment thereof, whereby said autophagosomal targeting protein or functional fragment thereof targets said peptide or protein of interest to an autophagosome, and said peptide, or a fragment of said protein of interest is displayed on the surface of said immature dendritic cell in the context of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule.