Recombinant Subunit Vaccine

Abstract

A method is provided of producing an immunogenic complex comprising a heat shock protein (hsp) coupled to a heterologous antigenic polypeptide, which method comprises: (a) expressing the antigenic polypeptide in a cell which cell has been subjected to a stimulus which causes the induction of a heat shock response in said cells; and (b) recovering the antigenic polypeptide coupled to one or more hsps from said cell or the culture medium. Also provided are immunogenic compositions comprising a heat shock protein (hsp) derived from a non-mammalian eukaryote coupled to a heterologous antigenic polypeptide which composition is capable of inducing an immune response to said antigenic polypeptide in a human or animal.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A composition comprising an immunogenic complex comprising a non-mammalian heat shock protein (hsp) coupled to a heterologous antigenic polypeptide produced by the process of:
 (a) expressing the antigenic polypeptide in a non-mammalian cell which cell has been subjected to a stimulus which causes the induction of a heat shock response in said cell; and   (b) recovering the antigenic polypeptide coupled to one or more hsps from said cell or the culture medium; and   (c) introducing an acceptable carrier or diluent.   
     
     
         22 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 21  wherein the cell is a non-mammalian eukaryotic cell and the hsp is a non-mammalian eukaryotic hsp. 
     
     
         23 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 22  wherein the cell is an insect cell and the hsp is an insect hsp. 
     
     
         24 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 23  wherein the antigenic polypeptide is an antigen of a pathogenic organism, or a fragment or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 24  wherein the pathogenic organism is a virus or a bacterium. 
     
     
         26 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 25  wherein the virus is a pestivirus. 
     
     
         27 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 26  wherein the virus is bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV). 
     
     
         28 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 21  wherein the antigenic polypeptide is expressed in the cell by the introduction into the cell of a polynucleotide encoding the antigenic polypeptide operably linked to a regulatory control sequence capable of directing expression of the polypeptide in the cell. 
     
     
         29 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 28  wherein the polynucleotide is part of a virus or viral vector. 
     
     
         30 . The composition produced by the process of  claim 29  wherein the cell is an insect cell and the virus or viral vector is a baculovirus or baculovirus vector. 
     
     
         31 . A composition comprising a heat shock protein (hsp) derived from a non-mammalian eukaryote coupled to a heterologous antigenic polypeptide and an acceptable diluent or carrier, wherein the composition is capable of inducing an immune response to said antigenic polypeptide in an animal or human. 
     
     
         32 . A composition according to  claim 31  wherein the hsp is an insect hsp. 
     
     
         33 . A composition according to  claim 32  wherein the antigenic polypeptide is an antigen of a pathogenic organism, or a fragment or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         34 . A composition according to  claim 33  wherein the pathogenic organism is a virus or a bacterium. 
     
     
         35 . A composition according to  claim 34  wherein the virus is a pestivirus. 
     
     
         36 . A composition according to  claim 35  wherein the virus is bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV). 
     
     
         37 . A composition comprising a pestivirus antigen coupled to a heat shock protein. 
     
     
         38 . A method of inducing immunocompetence in an animal against a pathogen, said method comprising the steps of administering to an animal a therapeutically effective amount of a composition according to  claim 31 .