Materials and methods relating to immune responses to fusion proteins
AssigneeCancer Research Technology Limited
InventorsJason Rice, Freda Stevenson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides nucleic acid construct and nucleic acid expression vectors directing the expression of a fusion protein consisting of a disease peptide antigen and a first domain of FrC of tetanus toxin. The invention provides nucleic acid (DNA) vaccines for use in inducing an immune response against a disease. There is also provided methods of producing nucleic acid constructs and vectors for use as nucleic acid (DNA) vaccines.
Claims42
A nucleic acid construct for delivery into living cells in vivo to induce an immune response in a patient to a disease peptide antigen;
- the construct directing the expression of a fusion protein consisting of the disease peptide antigen and the naturally occurring first domain of fragment C (FrC) of tetanus toxin;
- wherein said first domain consists of amino acids 865 to 1120 of tetanus toxin.
A nucleic acid construct for delivery into living cells in vivo to induce an immune response in a patient to a disease peptide antigen;
- the construct directing the expression of a fusion protein consisting of a leader sequence which is capable of directing the fusion protein to endoplasmic reticulum, the disease peptide antigen and the naturally occurring first domain of fragment C (FrC) of tetanus toxin;
- wherein said first domain consists of amino acids 865 to 1120 of tetanus toxin.
A method of producing a nucleic acid construct for inducing an immune response in a patient, said method comprising:
- (a) identifying a nucleic acid sequence encoding a disease peptide antigen comprising epitopes characteristic of the disease;
- (b) cloning the nucleic acid sequence encoding the disease peptide antigen;
- and
- (c) introducing the cloned nucleic acid sequence into a vector, which vector allows for the disease peptide antigen to be expressed as a fusion protein with the naturally occurring first domain of FrC from tetanus toxin;
- wherein said first domain consists of amino acids 865 to 1120 of tetanus toxin.
A nucleic acid construct for delivery into living cells in vivo to induce an immune response in a patient to a disease peptide antigen;
- the construct directing the expression of a fusion protein consisting of a leader sequence which is capable of directing the fusion protein to endoplasmic reticulum, the disease peptide antigen and the naturally occurring first domain of fragment C (FrC) of tetanus toxin;
- wherein said first domain consists of amino acids 865 to 1120 of tetanus toxin and wherein the disease peptide antigen is a tumour antigen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.