Claims
- 1. A method of enhancing an immune response to an antigen, comprising the steps of:
administering to a subject mammal in need thereof (a) an effective amount of a B2L viral envelope protein of a Parapox virus, wherein the B2L protein is unassociated with other envelope components naturally associated with the B2L protein in the virus, and (b) an antigen, whereby the B2L protein acts as an adjuvant to enhance the immune response to the antigen; and detecting a resultant enhanced, specific immune response to the antigen.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the B2L protein and the antigen are administered sequentially.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the B2L protein and the antigen are administered simultaneously.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the B2L protein and the antigen are administered simultaneously as a fusion protein comprising the B2L protein and the antigen.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the B2L protein is administered by means of a nucleic acid encoding the B2L protein.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the antigen is administered by means of a nucleic acid encoding the antigen.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the antigen is administered as an attenuated or killed pathogen comprising the antigen.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the antigen is a tumor antigen.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the B2L protein and the antigen are administered by injection.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the B2L protein and the antigen are administered intradermally.
- 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the Parapox virus is a Parapox virus ovis strain selected from the group consisting of NZ2, NZ7, NZ10, and D1701.
- 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the mammal is a human.
- 13. A pharmaceutical composition for enhancing an immune response to an antigen, the composition comprising:
a B2L viral envelope protein of a Parapox virus, or a nucleic acid encoding said B2L protein, wherein the B2L protein is unassociated with other envelope components naturally associated with the B2L protein in the virus; and an antigen or a nucleic acid encoding said antigen, wherein administered to a subject mammal in need thereof, the B2L protein of the pharmaceutical composition acts as an adjuvant to enhance a specific immune response to the antigen.
- 14. A method of enhancing an immune response to an antigen, comprising the steps of:
administering to a subject mammal in need thereof (a) an effective amount of a PP30 protein of a Parapox virus, wherein the PP30 protein as found in Parapox strain D1701 comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, and wherein the PP30 protein is unassociated with other components naturally associated with the PP30 protein in the virus, and (b) an antigen, whereby the PP30 protein acts as an adjuvant to enhance the immune response to the antigen; and detecting a resultant enhanced, specific immune response to the antigen.
- 15. A pharmaceutical composition for enhancing an immune response to an antigen, the composition comprising:
a PP30 protein of a Parapox virus, or a nucleic acid encoding said PP30 protein, wherein the PP30 protein is unassociated with other components naturally associated with the PP30 protein in the virus; and an antigen or a nucleic acid encoding said antigen, wherein administered to a subject mammal in need thereof, the PP30 protein of the pharmaceutical composition acts as an adjuvant to enhance a specific immune response to the antigen.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation under 35USC120 of U.S. Ser. No. 10/123,058, filed Apr. 15, 2002, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/______ filed Dec. ______, 2002, which claims the benefit of provisional application Serial No. 60/336,694 filed Dec. 7, 2001.
Government Interests
[0002] This invention was funded in part by DARPA Grant No N652369915426, Account number 36001, by which the US Government may have certain rights in this invention.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10123058 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
Child |
10414609 |
Apr 2003 |
US |