Use of mCRP to enhance immune responses

Abstract

The invention provides a method of enhancing an immune response to an immunogen in an animal. The method comprises administering to the animal an effective amount of the immunogen and an effective amount of a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP. The invention also provides a vaccine and a method of producing this vaccine. The vaccine comprises an immunogen and an mCRP or a mutant-mCRP in a pharmaceutically-acceptable vehicle. The invention further provides a kit for immunizing an animal to an immunogen comprising (1) a container holding the immunogen and a container holding an mCRP or a mutant-mCRP or (2) a container holding the immunogen and an mCRP or a mutant-mCRP. The invention also provides a method of elicing an immune response to a hapten in an animal. The method comprises administering to the animal an effective amount of the hapten in association with an an effective amount of an mCRP or a mutant-mCRP. The invention further provides a vaccine and a method of producing this vaccine. The vaccine comprises a hapten and an mCRP or a mutant-mCRP in a pharmaceutically-acceptable vehicle. Finally, the invention provides a kit for immunizing an animal to a hapten comprising a container holding the hapten and an mCRP or a mutant-mCRP.

1 . A method of enhancing an immune response to an immunogen in an animal comprising administering to the animal an effective amount of the immunogen and an effective amount of a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP is administered in association with the immunogen.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein at least some of the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP and some of the immunogen are present together in aggregates.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP and the immunogen are administered separately.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the immunogen comprises a peptide.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the peptide comprises a tumor-specific epitope.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the immunogen and the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP are administered subcutaneously.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the animal is a mammal.  
     
     
         9 . A vaccine comprising an immunogen and a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP in a pharmaceutically-acceptable vehicle.  
     
     
         10 . The vaccine of  claim 9  wherein at least some of the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP and some of the immunogen are present together in aggregates.  
     
     
         11 . The vaccine of  claim 9  wherein the immunogen comprises a peptide.  
     
     
         12 . The vaccine of  claim 11  wherein the peptide comprises a tumor-specific epitope.  
     
     
         13 . A kit for immunizing an animal to an immunogen comprising a container holding the immunogen and a container holding a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP.  
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein the immunogen comprises a peptide.  
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 14  wherein the peptide comprises a tumor-specific epitope.  
     
     
         16 . A kit for immunizing an animal to an immunogen comprising a container holding the immunogen and a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP.  
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16  wherein at least some of the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP and the immunogen are present together in aggregates.  
     
     
         18 . A method of producing a vaccine comprising combining an immunogen and a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein: 
 the immunogen and the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP are combined in a vehicle having a low ionic strength; and  
 the ionic strength of the vehicle is subsequently increased to about physiological, thereby causing the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP to aggregate and the immunogen to be incorporated into the aggregates.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method of eliciting an immune response to a hapten in an animal comprising administering to the animal an effective amount of the hapten in association with an effective amount of a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein at least some of the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP and some of the hapten are present together in aggregates.  
     
     
         22 . A vaccine comprising a hapten and a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP in a pharmaceutically-acceptable vehicle.  
     
     
         23 . The vaccine of  claim 22  wherein at least some of the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP and some of the hapten are present together in aggregates.  
     
     
         24 . A kit for immunizing an animal to a hapten comprising a container holding the hapten and a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP.  
     
     
         25 . The kit of  claim 24  wherein at least some of the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP and the hapten are present together in aggregates.  
     
     
         26 . A method of producing a vaccine comprising combining a hapten and a modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) or a mutant-mCRP.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the hapten and the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP are combined in a vehicle having a low ionic strength; and  
 the ionic strength of the vehicle is subsequently increased to about physiological, thereby causing the mCRP or the mutant-mCRP to aggregate and the hapten to be incorporated into the aggregates.