Abstract:
The present invention is directed to alphavirus vectored vaccine contructs encoding paramyxovirus proteins that find use in the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus or human metapneumo virus infections. In particular, these vaccines induce cellular and humoral immune responses that inhibit RSV. Also disclosed are improved methods for producing alphavirus vectored paramyxovirus vaccines.
Abstract:
The present invention provides viral adjuvants for enhancing an immune response to an immunogen. In particular embodiments, the viral adjuvant is an alphavirus adjuvant or a Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis viral adjuvant. Also provided are compositions comprising the viral adjuvant and an immunogen, and pharmaceutical formulations comprising the viral adjuvant or compositions of the invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Further provided are methods of producing an immune response against an immunogen in a subject comprising administering the immunogen and a viral adjuvant of the invention to the subject.
Abstract:
The present invention provides methods and reagents for enhancing alphavirus replication and gene expression in target cells by manipulating the PKR and/or IFN induced antiviral pathways present in the cell. The methods may also be practiced to expand alphavirus tropism to cells that are typically non-permissive, or only poorly so, for alphavirus replication and infection. The methods may be practiced in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo, for example, for the purposes of producing an alphavirus vector stock or a protein of interest in vitro, or for achieving immunogenic or therapeutic effects in a subject in vivo. Also provided are reagents (helper cells, nucleic acid constructs, helper sequences, alphavirus vectors, and the like) for practicing the methods of the invention.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an isolated human dendritic cell comprising a recombinant alphavirus vector RNA that comprises a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding an antigen. In particular embodiments, the alphavirus vector RNA is a Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEE) vector RNA. In other embodiments, the antigen is an infectious disease antigen or a cancer antigen. Also provided are compositions and pharmaceutical formulations comprising the inventive dendritic cells, as well as methods of inducing an immune response against an infectious agent or a cancer and methods of treating an infectious disease or cancer.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an isolated human dendritic cell comprising a recombinant alphavirus vector RNA that comprises a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding an antigen. In particular embodiments, the alphavirus vector RNA is a Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEE) vector RNA. In other embodiments, the antigen is an infectious disease antigen or a cancer antigen. Also provided are compositions and pharmaceutical formulations comprising the inventive dendritic cells, as well as methods of inducing an immune response against an infectious agent or a cancer and methods of treating an infectious disease or cancer.
Abstract:
The present invention provides novel self-replicating and self-propagating chimeric viral vectors and chimeric virus particles comprising a modified genome of a carrier RNA virus packaged within structural proteins of a second virus. Also provided are pharmaceutical formulations comprising the chimeric viral vectors and virus particles and methods of inducing an immune response by administration of the same to a subject.
Abstract:
The present invention provides immunogenic compositions and methods that may be used to administer safer (i.e., attenuated) alphavirus vectors (such as alphavirus vectors comprising a VEE virion shell) that retain improved immunogenicity as compared with other attenuated alphaviruses (e.g., the VEE 3014 mutant, described below). In particular embodiments of the invention, the alphavirus vector comprises VEE structural proteins comprising an attenuating mutation in the E1 glycoprotein. In other particular embodiments, the attenuating mutation is in the fusogenic region of the E1 glycoprotein. The present invention enables administration of lower dosages of a safer (i.e., attenuated) virus and, thus, can further reduce manufacturing costs. The present inventors have found that immunogenicity of alphavirus vectors may be influenced by a number of factors including species, site and route of administration.
Abstract:
The present invention provides novel self-replicating and self-propagating chimeric viral vectors and chimeric virus particles comprising a modified genome of a carrier RNA virus packaged within structural proteins of a second virus. Also provided are pharmaceutical formulations comprising the chimeric viral vectors and virus particles and methods of inducing an immune response by administration of the chimeric viral vectors and virus particles or nucleic acids (e.g., DNA and/or RNA) encoding the same to a subject.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an isolated human dendritic cell comprising a recombinant alphavirus vector RNA that comprises a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding an antigen. In particular embodiments, the alphavirus vector RNA is a Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEE) vector RNA. In other embodiments, the antigen is an infectious disease antigen or a cancer antigen. Also provided are compositions and pharmaceutical formulations comprising the inventive dendritic cells, as well as methods of inducing an immune response against an infectious agent or a cancer and methods of treating an infectious disease or cancer.
Abstract:
The present invention provides methods and reagents for enhancing alphavirus replication and gene expression in target cells by manipulating the PKR and/or IFN induced antiviral pathways present in the cell. The methods may also be practiced to expand alphavirus tropism to cells that are typically non-permissive, or only poorly so, for alphavirus replication and infection. The methods may be practiced in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo, for example, for the purposes of producing an alphavirus vector stock or a protein of interest in vitro, or for achieving immunogenic or therapeutic effects in a subject in vivo. Also provided are reagents (helper cells, nucleic acid constructs, helper sequences, alphavirus vectors, and the like) for practicing the methods of the invention.