Membrane-bound cytokine compositions comprising GM=CSF and methods of modulating an immune response using same

Abstract

The present invention provides a cellular vaccine having a membrane-bound fusion protein that includes a non-antibody immunomodulatory molecule such as GM-CSF operatively fused to a heterologous membrane attachment domain. Non-antibody immunomodulatory molecules useful in the invention include immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive molecules such as cytokines. In one embodiment, the invention provides a cellular vaccine having a membrane-bound fusion protein that includes a non-antibody immunomodulatory molecule operatively fused to a heterologous membrane attachment domain and, additionally, a disease-associated antigen or immunogenic epitope thereof. Further provided by the invention are methods of modulating an immune response against a disease-associated antigen by administering to an individual a cellular vaccine having a membrane-bound fusion protein that includes a non-antibody immunomodulatory molecule operatively fused to a heterologous membrane attachment domain.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.