Abstract:
The present invention is related to the fields of molecular biology, virology, immunology and medicine. The invention provides a composition comprising an ordered and repetitive antigen or antigenic determinant array. The invention also provides a process for producing an antigen or antigenic determinant in an ordered and repetitive array. The ordered and repetitive antigen or antigenic determinant is useful in the production of vaccines for the treatment of infectious diseases, the treatment of allergies and as a pharmaccine to prevent or cure cancer and to efficiently induce self-specific immune responses, in particular antibody responses.
Abstract:
The invention provides compositions and processes for the production of ordered and repetitive antigen or antigenic determinant arrays. The compositions of the invention are useful for the production of vaccines for the prevention of infectious diseases, the treatment of allergies and the treatment of cancers. Various embodiments of the invention provide for a virus, virus-like particle, viral capsid particle, phage or recombinant form thereof coated with any desired antigen in a highly ordered and repetitive fashion as the result of specific interactions. In one specific embodiment, a versatile new technology based on a cassette-type system (AlphaVaccine Technology) allows production of antigen coated viral particles. Other specific embodiments allow the production of antigen coated hepatitis B virus-like particles or antigen coated Measles virus-like particles.
Abstract:
The present invention is related to the fields of molecular biology, virology, immunology and medicine. The invention provides a composition comprising an ordered and repetitive antigen or antigenic determinant array. The invention also provides a process for producing an antigen or antigenic determinant in an ordered and repetitive array. The ordered and repetitive antigen or antigenic determinant is useful in the production of vaccines for the treatment of infectious diseases, the treatment of allergies and as a pharmaccine to prevent or cure cancer and to efficiently induce self-specific immune responses, in particular antibody responses.
Abstract:
The invention is directed to methods for identifying agents that mimic or modulate the interaction between adiponectin and its receptor. In particular, the invention is directed to methods for mimicking or modulating the adiponectin-T-cadherin interaction in order to treat diseases and disorders associated with a deficiency or overabundance of adiponectin. Such diseases include, e.g., obesity, anorexia nervosa, type I and type II diabetes, coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis. The invention also provides isolated adiponectin-T-cadherin complexes and methods for identifying polypeptides that interact with adiponectin.
Abstract:
The present invention is related to the fields of molecular biology, virology, immunology and medicine. The invention provides a modified virus-like particle (VLP) comprising a VLP which can be loaded with immunostimulatory substances, in particular with DNA oligonucleotides containing non-methylated C and G (CpGs), and particular HIV peptides linked thereto. Such CpG-VLPs are dramatically more immunogenic that their CpG-free counterparts and induce enhanced B and T cell responses. The immune response against HIV peptides optionally coupled, fused or attached otherwise to the VLPs is similarly enhanced as the immune response against HIV peptides are especially directed to the Th1 type. Antigens attached to CpG-loaded VLPs may therefore be ideal vaccines for prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination against allergies, tumors and other self-molecules and chronic viral diseases.
Abstract:
The present invention is in the fields of medicine, public health, immunology, molecular biology and virology. The present invention provides, inter alia, a composition comprising a virus-like particle (VLP) and at least one antigen, wherein said antigen is a GIP protein or a GIP fragment linked to the VLP respectively. The invention also provides a method for producing the aforesaid composition. The compositions of this invention are useful in the production of vaccines, in particular, for the prevention and/or treatment of obesity and hereby, in particular, by inducing efficient immune responses, in particular antibody responses. Furthermore, the compositions of the invention are particularly useful to efficiently induce self-specific immune responses within the indicated context. Accordingly, the invention further provides for methods of treating and/or preventing obesity and other conditions.
Abstract:
The present invention provides ordered and repetitive antigen arrays comprising, inter alia, compositions comprising a virus-like particle (VLP) to which is linked at least one antigen, wherein said antigen is grehlin or peptides or fragments thereof. The invention also provides methods for producing the aforesaid compositions. The compositions and methods of the invention are useful in the production of vaccines and to efficiently induce self-specific immune responses, in particular antibody responses. The invention also provides for compositions and methods for the prevention and/or treatment of ghrelin-related conditions, disorders or diseases. For example, the compositions of the invention are useful in the production of vaccines for the prevention or treatment of obesity and other disease associated with increased food-uptake or increased body weight.