Protective immunity or immunological tolerance induced with RNA, particularly total cellular RNA

Abstract

Effective anti-tumor immunity is induced in mice utilizing RNA-pulsed epidermal cells (EC) for in vivo immunization or by injecting RNA intradermally into naïve mice. A vaccine comprising total cell RNA and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for inducing an immune response to reduce or prevent the occurrence of a tumor.

1 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . A method of inducing an immune response to a tumor in a subject, which method comprises introducing epidermal cells contacted with total tumor cell RNA in vitro to the subject, wherein the total tumor cell RNA and the number of epidermal cells is in an amount effective to elicit an immune response against the tumor and the total tumor cell RNA is from tumor cells from the subject, and wherein the immune response reduces or inhibits growth of the tumor.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the epidermal cells are modified by pulsing the cells with the total tumor cell RNA.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the tumor is a fibrosarcoma tumor.  
   
   
       34 . A method for protecting a subject from a cancer which method comprises introducing epidermal cells contacted with total tumor cell RNA in vitro, to the subject, wherein the total tumor cell RNA is from a tumor associated with the cancer and the total tumor cell RNA and the number of epidermal cells are in an immunologically effective amount.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising delivering an immunostimulatory amount of an immune activating or inflammatory cytokine to the subject.  
   
   
       36 . A method of inducing immune tolerance to an antigen in a subject, which method comprises intraveneously administering RNA from cells which comprise antigen RNA to the subject in an amount effective to elicit immune tolerance against the antigen, wherein the antigen is an autoantigen, an allergen, or an allogenic transplant tissue antigen.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the RNA is total cellular RNA from tissues containing the antigen.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the RNA is total cellular mRNA from tissues containing the antigen.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the RNA is mRNA encoding the antigen.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the antigen is an autoantigen.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the antigen is an allergen.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the antigen is an allogenic transplant tissue antigen.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the RNA is total cellular RNA or total cellular mRNA from tissues containing the allogenic transplant tissue antigen.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the RNA is mRNA encoding the allogenic transplant tissue antigen.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein tolerance is induced to tissue from an organ or blood cells.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein tolerance is induced to tissue from a heart, lung, liver, kidney or pancreas.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein tolerance is induced to skin tissue.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein tolerance is induced to platelets, lymphocytes, leukocytes, or red blood cells.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the RNA is from cells of the allogenic transplant tissue.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the RNA is from spleen cells.