Reovirus vaccines and methods of use therefor
The present invention provides for modified reoviruses that carry α-helical epitopes from a variety of pathogens, as well as methods of using such modified reoviruses to generate immune responses against those epitopes in hosts.
1. A modified reovirus σ1 protein comprising a first α-helical antigenic epitope from a non-reovirus antigen inserted into an α-helical region of said protein.
2. The modified reovirus σ1 protein of claim 1 , wherein said first epitope replaces one or more heptad repeats in said α-helical region of said protein.
3. The modified reovirus σ1 protein of claim 1 , wherein said first epitope is a viral epitope.
4. The modified reovirus σ1 protein of claim 1 , wherein said first epitope is a bacterial epitope.
5. The modified reovirus σ1 protein of claim 1 , wherein said first epitope is a fungal epitope or a parasite epitope.
6. A reovirus vector encoding a reovirus σ1 protein comprising a first α-helical antigenic epitope from a non-reovirus antigen inserted into an α-helical region of said protein.
7. A reovirus particle comprising a vector encoding a reovirus σ1 protein comprising a first α-helical antigenic epitope from a non-reovirus antigen inserted into α-helical region of said protein.
8. The reovirus particle of claim 7 , wherein said first epitope replaces one or more heptad repeats in said α-helical region of said protein.
9. The reovirus particle of claim 7 , wherein said first epitope is a viral epitope, a bacterial epitope, or a fungal epitope.
10. The reovirus particle of claim 7 , further comprising a second copy of said first epitope in said α-helical region.
11. The reovirus particle of claim 10 , wherein said second copy replaces one or more heptad repeats in said α-helical region of said protein.
12. A method of inducing an immune response in a subject comprising administering to said subject a modified reovirus σ1 protein comprising a first α-helical antigenic epitope from a non-reovirus antigen inserted into an α-helical region of said protein, a reovirus vector encoding said modified reovirus σ1 protein, or a viral particle comprising a vector encoding said modified reovirus σ1 protein.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said first epitope replaces one or more heptad repeats in said α-helical region of said protein.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said first epitope is a viral epitope.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said first epitope is a bacterial epitope.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said first epitope is a fungal epitope or a parasite epitope.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said α-helical region comprises a second epitope from a non-reovirus antigen, wherein said second epitope replaces one or more heptad repeats in said α-helical region of said protein.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said modified reovirus σ1 protein is administered.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein said vector encoding said modified reovirus σ1 protein is administered.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein said viral particle comprising a vector encoding said modifies reovirus σ1 protein is administered.
21. A method of expressing an epitope in a subject comprising administering to said subject a modified reovirus σ1 protein comprising a first α-helical antigenic epitope from an antigen inserted into an α-helical region of said protein.