USE OF INTERLEUKIN 7 TO IMPROVE VACCINE POTENCY

摘要

Vaccine compositions and methods which include interleukin-7 (IL-7) improve the potency of the vaccine formulation in a mammalian host. The methods relate to administering a therapeutically effective amount of a vaccine and a potency-improving amount of IL-7. Preferably the IL-7 is dissolved or dispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, such as a lipid dispersion. IL-7 provides enhanced vaccine potency for preventing microbial infections, especially viral infections (e.g. herpes simplex virus (HSV) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)), but can also be used to enhance the potency of vaccines against fungi, yeast, bacteria and protozoa. In preferred embodiments, the viral antigen component of the vaccine and IL-7 combination is recombinant HIV envelope protein or HSV glycoprotein D.