Aquaporin tolerizing vaccines and methods of use thereof

Abstract

The instant disclosure provides aquaporin DNA tolerizing vaccines and methods of using such vaccines for treating individuals having neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and NMO spectrum disorders. Aspects of the methods include administering to the individual, in need thereof, an effective amount of an aquaporin DNA tolerizing vaccine to reduce one or more symptoms of NMO or an NMO spectrum disorder. Compositions and kits for practicing the methods of the disclosure are also provided.

1 . An aquaporin tolerizing vaccine comprising a DNA vector comprising:
 a) an aquaporin cDNA;   b) a promoter sequence operably linked the aquaporin cDNA; and   c) a DNA backbone, linked to the promoter sequence and the aquaporin cDNA, comprising 4 or fewer immunostimulatory CpG motifs.   
     
     
         2 . The aquaporin tolerizing vaccine according to  claim 1 , wherein the aquaporin cDNA is an Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) cDNA. 
     
     
         3 . The aquaporin tolerizing vaccine according to  claim 2 , wherein the aquaporin cDNA is a mammalian AQP4 cDNA 
     
     
         4 . The aquaporin tolerizing vaccine according to  claim 3 , wherein the mammalian aquaporin cDNA is a human AQP4 cDNA. 
     
     
         5 . The aquaporin tolerizing vaccine according to  claim 4 , wherein the human AQP4 cDNA is full length. 
     
     
         6 . The aquaporin tolerizing vaccine according to  claim 4 , wherein the human AQP4 cDNA is not full length and comprises cDNA encoding amino acids 61-80 of human AQP4. 
     
     
         7 . The aquaporin tolerizing vaccine according to  claim 1 , wherein the aquaporin cDNA encodes a modified aquaporin polypeptide that is non-naturally occurring. 
     
     
         8 . The aquaporin tolerizing vaccine according to  claim 1 , wherein the DNA vector, excluding the aquaporin cDNA, comprises 29 or fewer immunostimulatory CpG motifs. 
     
     
         9 - 19 . (canceled)