Methods for inducing a natural killer (NK) cell-mediated immune response and for increasing NK cell activity

A method for detecting a cytotoxic NK cell-mediated immune response in a subject, comprising:

• (a) isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) comprising dendritic cells from the subject;
• (b) exposing said PBMCs in vitro to a protein conjugate comprising granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) covalently linked to a soluble peptide antigen, said protein conjugate comprising SEQ ID NO:
• 5 or SEQ ID NO:
• 7, under conditions effective to activate said PBMCs;
• (c) assessing the level of an NK cell response in the activated PBMCs;
• (d) administering said activated PBMCs to the subject;
• (e) repeating steps (a) and (b) at least 10 days after the previous step (d) has occurred, resulting in a second isolation of PBMCs;
• and
• (f) assessing the level of an NK cell response in the activated PBMCs from the second isolation,
• wherein said activated PBMCs are effective in activating NK cells to produce a cytotoxic cellular response at a level higher than that produced by the PBMCs which have not been activated by the protein conjugate.