Hepatitis C virus codon optimized non-structural NS3/4A fusion gene
Aspects of the present invention relate to the discovery of a novel hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolate. Embodiments include HCV peptides, nucleic acids encoding said HCV peptides, antibodies directed to said peptides, compositions containing said nucleic acids and peptides, as well as methods of making and using the aforementioned compositions including, but not limited to, diagnostics and medicaments for the treatment and prevention of HCV infection.
1. An immunogenic composition comprising a purified or isolated nucleic acid that comprises at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35 or the complement thereof and an adjuvant.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises at least 500 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35 or the complement thereof.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid consists essentially of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid consists of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is a vector that comprises at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35 or the complement thereof.
7. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition is formulated for use with an electrical injection device.
9. The composition of claim 8 , wherein said electrical injection device is a needleless injection device.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said purified or isolated nucleic acid is associated with an injection device.
11. The composition of claim 10 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises at least 500 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35 or the complement thereof.
12. The composition of claim 10 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35.
13. The composition of claim 10 , wherein said nucleic acid consists of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35.
14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition is formulated for transdermal administration.
15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition is formulated for intranasal administration.
16. The composition of claim 10 , wherein said device is needleless.
17. The composition of claim 2 , wherein said composition is formulated for use with an electrical injection device.
18. The composition of claim 17 , wherein said electrical injection device is a needleless injection device.
19. The composition of claim 3 , wherein said composition is formulated for use with electrical injection device.
20. The composition of claim 19 , wherein said electrical injection device is a needleless injection device.
21. The composition of claim 5 , wherein said composition is formulated for use with an electrical injection device.
22. The composition of claim 21 , wherein said electrical injection device is a needleless injection device.
23. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said device is electrical.
24. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said device is needleless.
25. The composition of claim 12 , wherein said device is electrical.
26. The composition of claim 12 , wherein said device is needleless.
27. The composition of claim 13 , wherein said device is electrical.
28. The composition of claim 13 , wherein said device is needleless.
29. An immunogenic composition comprising a purified or isolated nucleic acid that comprises at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35 or the complement thereof and ribavirin.
30. The composition of claim 29 , wherein said purified or isolated nucleic acid comprises at least 500 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35 or the complement thereof.
31. The composition of claim 29 , wherein said purified or isolated nucleic acid consists essentially of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35 or the complement thereof.
32. The composition of claim 29 , wherein said purified or isolated nucleic acid consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35 or the complement thereof.
33. The composition of claim 29 , wherein said composition is formulated for use with an electrical injection device.
34. The composition of claim 29 , wherein said electrical injection device is a needleless injection device.
35. The composition of claim 29 , wherein said composition is formulated for transdermal administration.
36. The composition of claim 29 , wherein said composition is formulated for intranasal administration.
37. A method of making the composition of claim 1 comprising:
providing a purified or isolated nucleic acid that comprises at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35 or the complement thereof; and
mixing said nucleic acid with an adjuvant so as to make the composition of claim 1 .
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises at least 500 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35 or the complement thereof.
39. The method of claim 37 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35.
40. The method of claim 37 , wherein said nucleic acid consists of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35.
41. The method of claim 37 , wherein said nucleic acid is a vector that comprises at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35 or the complement thereof.
42. The method of claim 37 , wherein said nucleic acid consists essentially of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35.
43. A method of using the composition of claim 1 to an immune response to a hepatitis C antigen comprising:
providing the composition of claim 1 to an animal in need of an immune response to a hepatitis C antigen.
44. The method of claim 43 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises at least 500 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35 or the complement thereof.
45. The method of claim 43 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35.
46. The method of claim 43 , wherein said nucleic acid consists of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35.
47. The method of claim 43 , wherein said nucleic acid is a vector that comprises at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 35 or the complement thereof.
48. The method of claim 43 , wherein said nucleic acid consists essentially of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35.
49. The method of claim 43 , further comprising measuring the levels of HCV antigen-specific IgG in said animal.
50. The method of claim 43 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in mean antibody titer against an HCV specific antigen.
51. The method of claim 43 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in a proliferative T cell response to an HCV specific antigen.
52. The method of claim 44 , further comprising measuring the levels of HCV antigen-specific IgG in said animal.
53. The method of claim 44 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in mean antibody titer against an HCV specific antigen.
54. The method of claim 44 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in a proliferative T cell response to an HCV specific antigen.
55. The method of claim 45 , further comprising measuring the levels of HCV antigen-specific IgG in said animal.
56. The method of claim 45 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in mean antibody titer against an HCV specific antigen.
57. The method of claim 45 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in a proliferative T cell response to an HCV specific antigen.
58. The method of claim 46 , further comprising measuring the levels of HCV antigen-specific IgG in said animal.
59. The method of claim 46 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in mean antibody titer against an HCV specific antigen.
60. The method of claim 46 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in a proliferative T cell response to an HCV specific antigen.
61. The method of claim 47 , further comprising measuring the levels of HCV antigen-specific lgG in said animal.
62. The method of claim 44 , further comprising measuring the levels of HCV antigen-specific IgG in said animal.
63. The method of claim 48 , further comprising measuring the levels of HCV antigen-specific IgG in said animal.
64. The method of claim 48 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in mean antibody titer against an HCV specific antigen.
65. The method of claim 48 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in a proliferative T cell response to an HCV specific antigen.
66. The method of claim 49 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in mean antibody titer against an HCV specific antigen.
67. The method of claim 49 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in a proliferative T cell response to an HCV specific antigen.
68. A method of using the composition of claim 29 to promote an immune response to a hepatitis C viral antigen comprising:
providing the composition of claim 29 to an animal in need of an immune response to a hepatitis C viral antigen.
69. The method of claim 68 , further comprising measuring the HCV-specific antibody titer in said animal.
70. The method of claim 68 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an in mean antibody titer against an HCV-specific antigen.
71. The method of claim 68 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in a proliferative T cell response to an HCV-specific antigen.
72. The method of claim 69 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an in mean antibody titer against an HCV-specific antigen.
73. The method of claim 69 , further comprising identifying an animal in need of an increase in a proliferative T cell response to an HCV-specific antigen.