Inducing cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses

A method for inducing a class I-restricted CTL response to a protein antigen in a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and a particulate-protein complex

• wherein the particulate protein complex comprises a particulate component having an average diameter ranging in size from about 0.5 .mu.m to about 6 .mu.m and having an outer surface linked to a tumor antigen, with the proviso that the particulate component is not a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell, a micellar, multimicellar, or liposome vesicle, or composed of detergents or lipids;
• wherein the antigen is taken up, processed and presented in association with MHC class I molecules by an antigen presenting cell;
• and
• wherein the particulate-protein complex is administered in an amount effective to induce a class I-restricted CTL response to the antigen in the mammal.

A method for inducing a class I-restricted CTL response to a protein antigen in a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and a particulate-protein complex

• wherein the particulate protein complex comprises a particulate component having an average diameter of about 10 .mu.m and having an outer surface linked to a non-replicating protein antigen derived from a pathogenic organism, with the proviso that the particulate component is not a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell, a micellar, multimicellar, or liposome vesicle, or composed of detergents or lipids;
• wherein the protein antigen is taken up, processed and presented in association with MHC class I molecules by an antigen presenting cell;
• and
• wherein the particulate-protein complex is administered in an amount effective to induce a class I-restricted CTL response to the protein antigen in the mammal.

A method for inducing a class I-restricted CTL response to a bacterial protein antigen in a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and a particulate-protein complex

• wherein the particulate protein complex comprises a particulate component having an average diameter ranging in size from about 0.5 .mu.m to about 6 .mu.m and having an outer surface linked to a bacterial protein antigen, with the proviso that the particulate component is not a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell, a micellar, multimicellar, or liposome vesicle, or composed of detergents or lipids;
• wherein the protein antigen is taken up, processed and presented in association with MHC class I molecules by an antigen presenting cell;
• and
• wherein the particulate-protein complex is administered in an amount effective to induce a class I-restricted CTL response to the protein antigen in the mammal.

A method for inducing a class I-restricted CTL response to a viral protein antigen in a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and particulate-protein complex

• wherein the particulate protein complex comprises a particulate component having an average diameter ranging in size from about 0.5 .mu.m to about 6 .mu.m and having an outer surface linked to a viral protein antigen, with the proviso that the particulate component is not a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell, a micellar, multimicellar, or liposome vesicle, or composed of detergents or lipids;
• wherein the protein antigen is taken up, processed and presented in association with MHC class I molecules by an antigen presenting cell;
• and
• wherein the particulate-protein complex is administered in an amount effective to induce a class I-restricted CTL response to the protein antigen in the mammal.