Vault compositions for immunization
Methods and compositions are provided herein for immunizing a subject by administering to the subject an effective amount of an immunogenic peptide or an immunogenic fragment or variant thereof incorporated within a vault-like particle carrier. The methods and compositions advantageously exhibit enhanced ability to induce cell-mediated immunity and/or antibody-based immunity.
1. A vaccine comprising a pathogen immunogenic peptide or a pathogen immunogenic fragment or variant thereof incorporated within a vault-like particle, wherein the vault-like particle comprises MVP, and wherein administration of the vaccine to a subject in need thereof stimulates a cellular immune response.
2. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the pathogen immunogenic peptide is fused to INT.
3. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the pathogen immunogenic peptide is fused to MVP.
4. The vaccine of claim 3 , wherein the pathogen immunogenic peptide is fused to the N-terminus of MVP.
5. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the number of MVP is 1-78.
6. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the number of MVP is 78.
7. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the vault-like particle further comprises VPARP or modified VPARP, or a portion of VPARP, or a modified portion of VPARP.
8. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the cellular immune response is induction of Th cells.
9. The vaccine of claim 8 , wherein the Th cells comprise Th-1 cells.
10. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the cellular immune response is induction of CD4 30 and/or CD8+T-cells.
11. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the cellular immune response is production of INFγ.
12. The vaccine of claim 4 , wherein the vault-like particle further comprises a targeting moiety.
13. The vaccine of claim 12 , further comprising an amino acid sequence added to the C-terminus of the MVP, which results in the targeting moiety on the surface of the vault-like particle.
14. The vaccine of claim 13 , wherein the targeting moiety comprises an Fc binding domain.
15. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the vaccine of claim 1 and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
16. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 15 , wherein the excipient is an adjuvant.
17. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 15 , wherein the composition does not include an adjuvant.