DAMPENING OF AN IMMUNODOMINANT EPITOPE OF AN ANTIGEN FOR USEIN PLANT, ANIMAL AND HUMAN VACCINES AND IMMUNOTHERAPIES

摘要

The present invention provides a vaccine that can be administered to a mamma l to cause immunoprotection in the mammal against a pathogenic organism that has an immunodominant epitope. The vaccin e includes a modified form of the antigen in which the immunodominant epitope is located. In this modified form, the immunodominant epitope is immunodampened by any of a number of techniques. Examples of immunodampening techniques include addition of N- linked glycosylation sites, change of the net charge of the epitope, and substitution with a tolerated sequence. The vaccine also includ es a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.