Adjuvant capable of specifically activating the adaptive immune response
A composition for eliciting an immune response to an immunogen comprises an immunogen in combination with a mast cell membrane activator such as compound 48/80. Any suitable immunogen may be employed, such as an antibody-inducing determinant, a lipid, a peptide (e.g., an antibody-inducing peptide), a carbohydrate, an immunogen derived from a virus or cancer cell, etc. Methods of use are also described.
1. A method of inducing an immune response comprising concurrently administering an immunogen and compound 48/80 to a subject in an amount effective to produce an immune response therein, wherein said compound 48/80 is administered in an adjuvant-effective amount and wherein said immunogen and said compound 48/80 are administered simultaneously in a common pharmaceutical carrier.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said administering step is carried out by parenteral administration.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said immune response is a prophylactic immune response.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said immune response is a therapeutic immune response.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said immune response comprises a humoral immune response.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said immune response comprises a cellular immune response.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said administering step is carried out by mucosal administration.
8. A method of enhancing a protective immune response to an immunogen, comprising concurrently administering the immunogen and compound 48/80 to a subject in an amount effective to enhance a protective immune response relative to an immune response produced by administering the immunogen in the absence of compound 48/80, wherein said compound 48/80 is administered in an adjuvant-effective amount and wherein said immunogen and said compound 48/80 are administered simultaneously in a common pharmaceutical carrier.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said administering step is carried out by parenteral administration.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said administering step is carried out by mucosal administration.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein said protective immune response is a prophylactic immune response.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said protective immune response is a therapeutic immune response.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein said protective immune response comprises a humoral immune response.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein said protective immune response comprises a cellular immune response.
15. A method of providing adjuvant activity to an immunogen, comprising concurrently administering the immunogen and compound 48/80 to a subject in an amount effective to produce a protective immune response, wherein said compound 48/80 is administered in an adjuvant-effective amount and wherein said immunogen and said compound 48/80 are administered simultaneously in a common pharmaceutical carrier.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.
17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the subject is a human.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the subject is a human.