Tuberculosis compositions and methods of treating or preventing tuberculosis

1. A composition comprising an adjuvant, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigen Rv2034, and at least two Mtb antigens chosen from Rv1009, Rv3136, Rv3615c, Rv2628, and Rv3136 N-terminus wherein the composition does not comprise a fusion protein.

2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein:

Rv1009 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4;

Rv3136 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8;

Rv3615c comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:11;

Rv2628 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:14;

Rv2034 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16; or

Rv3136 N-terminus comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18.

3. The composition according to claim 1 wherein:

Rv1009 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3;

Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, or SEQ ID NO:7;

Rv3615c is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:10;

Rv2628 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12 or SEQ ID NO:13;

Rv2034 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15; or

Rv3136 N-terminus is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17.

4. The composition according to claim 1 comprising at least four or five Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigens.

5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two Mtb antigens comprise:

Rv1009, Rv3615c, and Rv3136 Mtb antigens;

Rv1009, and Rv3136 Mtb antigens;

Rv1009, Rv2628, Rv3615c, and Rv3136 Mtb antigens;

Rv1009, Rv3615c, and Rv2628 Mtb antigens;

Rv3615c, Rv2628, and Rv3136 Mtb antigens;

Rv1009, Rv2628, Rv3615c, and Rv3136 Mtb antigens;

Rv2034, Rv3615c, Rv3136 N-terminus, Rv2628, and Rv1009 Mtb antigens.

6. The composition according to claim 5 wherein:

Rv1009 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4;

Rv3136 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8;

Rv3615c comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:11;

Rv2628 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:14;

Rv2034 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16; and

Rv3136 N-terminus comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18.

7. The composition according to claim 5 wherein:

Rv1009 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3;

Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, or SEQ ID NO:7;

Rv3615c is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:10;

Rv2628 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12 or SEQ ID NO:13;

Rv2034 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15; and

Rv3136 N-terminus is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17.

8. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

9. A method of eliciting an immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an immunologically sufficient amount of the composition according to claim 1 .

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the composition is administered to the mammal in the form of an aerosol.

11. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is emulsified or encapsulated in polylactide, polyglycolide, or copolymer.

12. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of α-interferon, β-interferon, γ-interferon, platelet derived growth factor, TNFα, TNFβ, GM-CSF, epidermal growth factor, cutaneous T-cell attracting chemokine, epithelial thymus-expressed chemokine, mucosae-associate epithelial chemokine, IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, IL-28, MHC, CD80 and CD86.

13. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the adjuvant is PIKA.