Patent
Disclosed are vaccines containing one or more immunogenic polypeptides derived from an EtpE protein from an Ehrlichia sp. or nucleic acid encoding these polypeptides. Also disclosed is a method for vaccinating a subject against Ehrlichia sp. that involves administering to the subject a composition comprising any of the disclosed vaccines. Also disclosed is a method for diagnosing and/or monitoring the treatment of Ehrlichiosis in a subject that comprising assaying a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, or plasma sample) from the subject for the presence of an antibody that specifically binds an EtpE polypeptide. Also disclosed are methods for delivering a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to a cell in a subject that involves conjugating the agent, or a delivery vehicle comprising the agent, to polypeptide containing the C-terminal domain of an EtpE protein.
1. A vaccine, comprising
one or more polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, or an immunogenic fragment thereof capable of eliciting an immune response against an Ehrlichia sp.; and
a pharmaceutically acceptable adjuvant.
2. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polypeptides comprise an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to SEQ ID NO:2 (residues 1656-1963 of SEQ ID NO:1), SEQ ID NO:4 (residues 1408-1510 of SEQ ID NO:3), SEQ ID NO:6 (residues 1410-1710 of SEQ ID NO:5), or a an immunogenic fragment thereof capable of eliciting an immune response against an Ehrlichia sp.
3. The vaccine of claim 1 , comprising at least two polypeptides collectively capable of eliciting an immune response against at least two Ehrlichia sp.
4. The vaccine of claim 3 , comprising at least three polypeptides collectively capable of eliciting an immune response against at least three Ehrlichia sp.
5. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the vaccine is capable of eliciting an immune response against Ehrlichia chaffeensis.
6. The vaccine of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the one or more polypeptides comprise SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, or an immunogenic fragment thereof capable of eliciting an immune response against Ehrlichia chaffeensis.
7. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the vaccine is capable of eliciting an immune response against Ehrlichia canis.
8. The vaccine of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more polypeptides comprise SEQ ID NO:3, or an immunogenic fragment thereof capable of eliciting an immune response against Ehrlichia canis.
9. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the vaccine is capable of eliciting an immune response against Ehrlichia ruminantium.
10. The vaccine of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more polypeptides comprise SEQ ID NO:5, or an immunogenic fragment thereof capable of eliciting an immune response against Ehrlichia ruminantium.
11. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the vaccine is capable of eliciting an immune response against Ehrlichia muris, Ehrlichia ewingii , or a combination thereof.
12. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of Quil A, aluminum salts, squalene, virosomes, and combinations thereof.
13. The vaccine of claim 1 , wherein the immune stimulant comprises cytokines, growth factors, chemokines.