Methods of inducing an immune response with compositions comprising a neisseria meningitidis 741 protein

Abstract

Two or more Neisserial proteins are joined such that they are translated as a single polypeptide chain. Hybrid proteins are represented by the formula NH 2 -A-[—X-L-] n -B—COOH where X is an amino acid sequence, L is an optional linker amino acid sequence, A is an optional N-terminal amino acid sequence, B is an optional C-terminal amino acid sequence, and n is an integer greater than 1. Proteins where each of the n-X— moieties shares sequence identity to each other —X— moiety, the protein is a ‘tandem protein’.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A purified polypeptide comprising (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 80% identity to SEQ ID NO: 3, or (ii) at least 50 consecutive amino acids from SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         3 . The purified polypeptide of  claim 2 , wherein the amino acid sequence has at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         4 . The purified polypeptide of  claim 2 , wherein the polypeptide comprises at least 60 consecutive amino acids from SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         5 . A method of inducing an immune response in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising the purified polypeptide of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the composition comprises an aluminum salt adjuvant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the purified polypeptide is adsorbed to the aluminum salt adjuvant. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate. 
     
     
         12 . A purified protein having formula:
   NH2-A-[—X-L-]n-B—COOH
   
       wherein L is an optional linker amino acid sequence, A is an optional N-terminal amino acid sequence, B is an optional C-terminal amino acid sequence, and n is 2 and X is an amino acid sequence comprising at least 40 consecutive amino acids from a 741 protein, wherein the first 741 protein is SEQ ID NO: 3 and the second 741 protein is SEQ ID NO: 7. 
     
     
         13 . A composition comprising the purified protein of  claim 12  adsorbed to an aluminum salt adjuvant. 
     
     
         14 . A composition comprising the purified protein of  claim 12  and an aluminum hydroxyphosphate adjuvant. 
     
     
         15 . A method of inducing an immune response in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising the purified polypeptide of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composition comprises an aluminum salt adjuvant. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the purified polypeptide is adsorbed to the aluminum salt adjuvant. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.