Viral chemokine-antigen fusion proteins

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vaccine for increasing the immunogenicity of a tumor antigen thus allowing treatment of cancer, as well as a vaccine that increases the immunogenicity of a viral antigen, thus allowing treatment of viral infection, including immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In particular, the present invention provides a fusion protein comprising a viral chemokine fused to either a tumor antigen or viral antigen which is administered as either a protein or nucleic acid vaccine to elicit an immune response effective in treating cancer or effective in treating or preventing viral infection.

1 . A fusion polypeptide comprising a viral chemokine and a human tumor antigen, wherein the viral chemokine comprises viral macrophage inflammatory protein III (vMIPIII). 
     
     
         2 . The fusion polypeptide of  claim 1 , wherein the human tumor antigen comprises a B cell tumor antigen. 
     
     
         3 . The fusion polypeptide of  claim 2 , wherein the B cell tumor antigen is selected from the group consisting of:
 (1) an antibody produced by a B cell tumor;   (2) a single chain antibody comprising linked VH and VL domains which retain the conformation and specific binding activity of the native idiotype of the antibody produced by a B cell tumor; and   (3) an epitope of an idiotype of an antibody produced by a B cell tumor.   
     
     
         4 . The fusion polypeptide of  claim 3 , wherein the B cell tumor antigen comprises sFv38. 
     
     
         5 . The fusion polypeptide of  claim 1 , wherein the human tumor antigen comprises gp100. 
     
     
         6 . The fusion polypeptide of  claim 1 , wherein the human tumor antigen comprises Muc-1. 
     
     
         7 . The fusion polypeptide of  claim 1 , wherein the human tumor antigen comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         8 . A composition comprising the fusion polypeptide of  claim 1  in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         9 . A method of producing an immune response in a subject, comprising administering to the subject the composition of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the immune response is an effector T cell immune response. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the subject has a tumor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the tumor is a B cell tumor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the human tumor antigen is a B cell tumor antigen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the B cell tumor antigen is selected from the group consisting of:
 (1) an antibody produced by a B cell tumor;   (2) a single chain antibody comprising linked VH and VL domains which retain the conformation and specific binding activity of the native idiotype of the antibody produced by a B cell tumor; and   (3) an epitope of an idiotype of an antibody produced by a B cell tumor.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the B cell tumor antigen comprises sFv38.