IMMUNOGENIC COMPOSITION AND USES THEREOF
The present invention provides an immunogenic composition comprising an antigen and a dendritic cell targeting component. A charged group is covalently attached to a dendritic cell ligand and is electrostatically associated with the dendritic cell targeting component.
1 . An immunogenic composition comprising an antigen and a dendritic cell targeting component, wherein the antigen comprises a negatively charged region and wherein the dendritic cell targeting component comprises a positively charged group covalently attached to a dendritic cell ligand and wherein the negatively charged region of antigen is electrostatically associated with the dendritic cell targeting component.
2 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the antigen has an overall negative charge.
3 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the positively charged group comprises at least one positively charged amino acid.
4 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the positively charged group is a branched or linear peptide.
5 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 4 , wherein the peptide comprises at least one arginine or lysine residue.
6 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 4 , wherein the peptide comprises at least four arginine residues and/or at least four lysine residues.
7 . An immunogenic composition comprising an antigen and a dendritic cell targeting component, wherein the antigen comprises a positively charged region and wherein the dendritic cell targeting component comprises a negatively charged group covalently attached to a dendritic cell ligand and wherein the positively charged region of antigen is electrostatically associated with the dendritic cell targeting component.
8 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 7 , wherein the antigen has an overall positive charge.
9 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 7 , wherein the negatively charged group comprises at least one negatively charged amino acid.
10 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 7 , wherein the negatively charged group is a branched or linear peptide.
11 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 10 , wherein the peptide comprises at least one aspartic acid or glutamic acid residue.
12 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 10 , wherein the peptide comprises at least four aspartic acid residues and/or at least four glutamic acid residues.
13 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the antigen is not a nucleic acid.
14 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the antigen is associated with the dendritic cell targeting component by electrostatic interaction only.
15 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dendritic cell ligand is a TLR ligand.
16 . The immunogenic composition according claim 15 , wherein the TLR ligand comprises a lipid or a peptidoglycan or a lipoprotein or a lipopolysaccharide.
17 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 15 , wherein the TLR ligand comprises palmitoyl, myristoyl, stearoyl, lauroyl, octanoyl, or decanoyl.
18 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 15 , wherein the TLR ligand is selected from the group consisting of: Pam 2 Cys, Pam 3 Cys, Ste 2 Cys, Lau 2 Cys, and Oct 2 Cys.
19 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 15 , wherein the TLR ligand binds either TLR-1, TLR-2 or TLR-6.
20 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 15 , wherein the TLR ligand binds to TLR-2.
21 . A method of raising an immune response in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject an immunogenic composition according to claim 1 .