Vaccines based on targeting antigen to DCIR expressed on antigen-presenting cells
The present invention includes compositions and methods for increasing the effectiveness of antigen presentation using a DCIR-specific antibody or fragment thereof to which an antigen is attached that forms an antibody-antigen complex, wherein the antigen is processed and presented by a dendritic cell that has been contacted with the antibody-antigen complex.
1. A method for increasing the effectiveness of antigen presentation by a dendritic cell comprising targeting a composition comprising a Dendritic Cell Immunoreceptor (DCIR)-specific antibody or a DCIR-binding fragment thereof to the dendritic cell, wherein an antigen is attached to the antibody or the fragment thereof in the form of a fusion protein.
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising administering the fusion protein to a patient.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigen comprises a MHC epitope.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fusion protein comprises multiple antigens.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fusion protein comprises at least one viral antigen.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fusion protein comprise a flu antigen.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigen comprises a HIV antigen.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the HIV antigen is from a gag, pol or env gene product.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the HIV antigen is from a Nef protein or reverse transcriptase.
10. The method of 1 , wherein the composition comprises an adjuvant.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the adjuvant is aluminum hydroxide, N-acetyl-muramyl-L-threonyl-D-isoglutamine (thr-MDP), N-acetyl-nor-muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, MTP-PE, RIBI, DDA (dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide), Freund's complete adjuvant, Freund's incomplete adjuvant, QuilA, a lymphokine, synthetic IFN-γ inducer, or a combination thereof.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises poly I:C.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigen is a Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen.