Compositions and methods for enhancing immune responses mediated by antigen-presenting cells
AssigneeBoard of Regents of the University of Nebraska
InventorsSam D. Sanderson, Michael A. Hollingworth, Richard M. Tempero
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Abstract
Molecular adjuvants are disclosed comprising an antigen presenting cell-targeting ligand linked to an immunogen, e.g. tumor associated antigens, bacterial or viral antigens. The ligand and the immunogen are linked via a cleavable linker such as a protease-sensitive oligopeptide, to facilitate processing of the adjuvant by the antigen presenting cell. Methods are disclosed for delivery of these molecular adjuvants to patients, resulting in the transduction of activating signals to the targeted antigen presenting cell, thereby enhancing the immune response to the co-delivered immunogen.
Claims15
A molecular adjuvant for enhancing an immune response to an immunogen comprising:
- a targeting moiety which binds specifically to a receptor on an antigen presenting cell, the targeting moiety being linked to the immunogen by a cleavable linker, whereby binding of the molecular adjuvant to the antigen presenting cell receptor activates the antigen presenting cell, effecting delivery of said immunogen to an antigen presenting pathway of the antigen presenting cell, wherein said targeting moiety binds specifically to a C5a receptor and is selected from the group consisting of C5a, the C-terminal ten residues of C5a, and a peptide agonist analog of the C-terminal ten residues of C5a, and wherein said targeting moiety is at the C-terminus of said molecular adjuvant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.