Methods for administering synthetic nanocarriers that generate humoral and cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses

1. A method consisting essentially of:

identifying a human subject in need of a humoral and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) immune response to a first protein, and

administering to the human subject a composition comprising one or more antigens that are associated with a disease, disorder or condition, wherein at least one antigen is the first protein coupled to a population of synthetic nanocarriers;

wherein the first protein comprises at least one humoral epitope and at least one MHC Class I-restricted epitope that are not the same epitope, wherein the population of synthetic nanocarriers does not comprise a saponin-cholesterol adjuvant, and wherein the mean of a particle size distribution obtained using dynamic light scattering of the population of synthetic nanocarriers is a maximum dimension of from 20 nm to 250 nm, and

administering to the human subject a single adjuvant.

2. A method, consisting essentially of:

administering to a human subject a composition comprising one or more antigens that are associated with a disease, disorder or condition, wherein at least one antigen is a first protein coupled to a population of synthetic nanocarriers;

wherein the first protein comprises at least one humoral epitope and at least one MHC Class I-restricted epitope that are not the same epitope, wherein the population of synthetic nanocarriers does not comprise a saponin-cholesterol adjuvant, wherein the mean of a particle size distribution obtained using dynamic light scattering of the population of synthetic nanocarriers is a maximum dimension of from 20 nm to 250 nm, and wherein the composition is administered according to a vaccination regimen that achieves immunity via both the humoral and cytotoxic T lymphocyte arms of the immune system, and

administering to the human subject a single adjuvant.

3. A method, consisting essentially of:

administering to a human subject a composition comprising one or more antigens that are associated with a disease, disorder or condition, wherein at least one antigen is a first protein coupled to a population of synthetic nanocarriers;

wherein the first protein comprises at least one humoral epitope and at least one MHC Class I-restricted epitope that are not the same epitope, wherein the population of synthetic nanocarriers does not comprise a saponin-cholesterol adjuvant, wherein the mean of a particle size distribution obtained using dynamic light scattering of the population of synthetic nanocarriers is a maximum dimension of from 20 nm to 250 nm, and wherein the composition is administered according to a protocol that was previously shown to result in a humoral and CTL immune response specific to the first protein in one or more test subjects, and

administering to the human subject a single adjuvant.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the composition is administered in an amount effective to generate a humoral and CTL immune response to the first protein.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the composition further comprises the single adjuvant.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the adjuvant is a stimulator or agonist of pattern recognition receptors, mineral salt, alum, MPL® (AS04), AS15, saponin, QS-21, Quil-A, ISCOMs, ISCOMATRIX™, MF59™, Montanide® ISA 51, Montanide® ISA 720, AS02, a liposome or liposomal formulation, AS01, synthesized or specifically prepared microparticles and microcarriers, bacteria-derived outer membrane vesicle of N. gonorrhoeae or Chlamydia trachomatis , chitosan particles, depot-forming agent, Pluronic® block co-polymer, specifically modified or prepared peptide, muramyl dipeptide, aminoalkyl glucosaminide 4-phosphate, RC529, bacterial toxoid, toxin fragment, agonist of Toll-Like Receptors 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, or 9; adenine derivative; immunostimulatory DNA; immunostimulatory RNA; imidazoquinoline amine, imidazopyridine amine, 6,7-fused cycloalkylimidazopyridine amine, 1,2-bridged imidazoquinoline amine; imiquimod; resiquimod; agonist for DC surface molecule CD40; type I interferon; poly I:C; bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS); VSV-G; HMGB-1; flagellin; immunostimulatory DNA molecule comprising CpGs; proinflammatory stimuli released from necrotic cells; urate crystals; activated component of the complement cascade; activated component of immune complexes; complement receptor agonist; cytokine; or cytokine receptor agonist.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the adjuvant comprises an agonist of Toll-Like Receptor 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 or 9.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the single adjuvant is coupled to the synthetic nanocarriers of the population of synthetic nanocarriers.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the adjuvant is coupled to another population of synthetic nanocarriers, and the other population of synthetic nanocarriers is administered to the subject.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the adjuvant is not coupled to a synthetic nanocarrier.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the synthetic nanocarriers comprise a polymeric nanoparticle, a metallic nanoparticle, a dendrimer, a buckyball, a nanowire, a virus-like particle or a peptide or protein particle.

12. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the first protein and/or one or more additional antigens are antigens associated with cancer, an infection or infectious disease, a non-autoimmune or degenerative disease, HIV, malaria, leischmania, human filovirus, togavirus, alphavirus, arenavirus, bunyavirus, flavivirus, human papillomavirus, human influenza A virus, hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

13. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the subject has or is at risk of having cancer, an infection or infectious disease or a non-autoimmune or degenerative disease.

14. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein, when the synthetic nanocarriers have a minimum dimension of equal to or less than 100 nm, the synthetic nanocarriers do not comprise a surface with hydroxyl groups that substantially activate complement.

15. The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the synthetic nanocarriers comprise one or more polymers.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more polymers comprise a polyester, polyamino acid, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polyketal, polysaccharide, polyethyloxazoline or polyethyleneimine.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more polymers comprise a polyester which comprises a poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) or polycaprolactone.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more polymers is coupled to a polyether.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the polyether comprises polyethylene glycol.