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 method for stimulating a cellular immune response in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of an antigenic peptide or an antigenic fragment or variant thereof incorporated within a vault complex, thereby stimulating a cellular immune response.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigenic peptide is fused to INT.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigenic peptide is fused to MVP.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the antigenic peptide is fused to the N-terminus of MVP.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vault complex comprises MVP.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the number of MVP is 1-78.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the number of MVP is 78.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vault complex further comprises VPARP or modified VPARP, or a portion of VPARP, or a modified portion of VPARP.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cellular immune response is induction of Th cells.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the Th cells comprise Th-1 cells.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cellular immune response is induction of CD4 + and/or CD8 + T-cells.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cellular immune response is production of INF γ.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vault-like particle further comprises a targeting moiety.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the targeting moiety is on the surface of the vault-like particle.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the targeting moiety comprises an Fc binding domain.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of the antigenic peptide or the antigenic fragment or variant thereof incorporated within the vault complex is administered in the form of a pharmaceutical composition, which further comprises at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the excipient is an adjuvant.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the composition does not include an adjuvant.