Immunogenic lipopeptides comprising T-helper and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes
AssigneeThe Council of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research
InventorsDavid Jackson, Weiguang Zeng
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Abstract
The present invention provides synthetic immunogenic lipopeptide molecules comprising co-linear T-helper and CTL epitopes, and methods for their production and use in the generation of primary and secondary immune responses, and for the vaccination of animal subjects against particular CTL epitopes. More particularly, the present invention provides highly soluble lipopeptides wherein the lipid moiety is attached to the terminal side-chain group of an internal lysine or lysine analog, preferably to the terminal side-chain group of an internal diamino acid residue. Preferably the internal lysine or lysine analog is positioned between the T-helper epitope and the CTL epitope.
Claims18
A lipopeptide comprising a polypeptide conjugated to one or more lipid moieties wherein:
- (i) said polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence wherein the linkages between the amino acids making up the amino acid sequence consist of alpha-amino acid linkages and the amino acid sequence comprises:
- (a) the amino acid sequence of a T helper cell (Th) epitope and the amino acid sequence of a cytotoxic T cell (CTL) epitope, wherein said amino acid sequences are different;
- and
- (b) one or more internal lysine residues or internal lysine analog residues for covalent attachment of each of said lipid moieties via the epsilon-amino group or terminal side-chain group of said lysine or lysine analog;
- and
- (ii) each of said one or more lipid moieties is covalently attached to an epsilon-amino group of said one or more internal lysine residues or to a terminal side-chain group of said one or more internal lysine analog residues, wherein an internal lysine residue or internal lysine analog residue to which a lipid moiety is attached is positioned in the polypeptide amino acid sequence between the Th epitope and the CTL epitope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.