Means for Eliciting an Immune Response and a Method Transfer

摘要

A method of eliciting a cytotoxic immune response as a result of injecting antigen encoding expression constructs. Minimalistic expression constructs are used that comprise a promoter, a coding sequence and a terminator, and hairpin-shaped oligonucleotides on their ends, to the loop of which cationic peptides are covalently attached. These peptide-coupled expression constructs lead to a cell mediated response type after intradermal injection. The use of a DNA expression construct operable in eukaryotic cells for making a vaccine for intradermal injection to elicit a type 1 cell mediated immune mediated immune response is described.

主权项

1. A method of vaccinating a living being to protect against infectious diseases caused by infectious agents or germs using a vaccine comprising a DNA expression; said method comprising the steps of:
A) injecting the vaccine comprising a DNA expression construct comprising a covalently-closed, linear, dumbbell-shaped deoxyribonucleic acid molecule; said deoxyribonucleic acid molecule comprising a linear double-stranded region; said double-stranded region comprising single strands being linked by a short, single-stranded loop consisting of deoxyribonucleic acid nucleotides; said double-strand-forming single strands comprising: a terminator sequence, and a coding sequence for one or more antigens under the control of a promoter that is configured to be operable in the living being that is to be vaccinated; and said DNA expression construct is linked covalently to at least one oligopeptide to increase transfection efficacy into the living being; and B) eliciting, with said DNA expression construct of said injected vaccine, a type 1 cellular mediated immune response in the living being against intracellular infection germs that cause infectious diseases.