Vaccines based on targeting antigen to DCIR expressed on antigen-presenting cells
The present invention includes compositions and methods for increasing the effectiveness of antigen presentation using a DCIR-specific antibody or fragment thereof to which an antigen is attached that forms an antibody-antigen complex, wherein the antigen is processed and presented by a dendritic cell that has been contacted with the antibody-antigen complex.
1. A method for antigen presentation by a Dendritic Cell Inhibitory Receptor (DCIR)-expressing antigen presenting cell comprising the steps of
isolating and purifying a DCIR-specific antibody or fragment thereof to which an antigen is attached that forms an antibody-antigen complex, and
contacting a DCIR-expressing antigen presenting cell with the antibody-antigen complex, wherein the molecule is internalized by the antigen presenting cells that has been contacted with the antibody-agent complex.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein antigen presenting cell comprises a dendritic cell.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein DCIR-specific antibody or fragment thereof is bound to one half of a Coherin/Dockerin pair.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein DCIR-specific antibody or fragment thereof is bound to one half of a Coherin/Dockerin pair and the antigen is bound to the complementary half of the Coherin/Dockerin pair to form a complex.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigen is a peptide.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigen comprises one or more cytokines.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antigen comprises an interleukin.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigen comprises a viral protein.