Method to increase the density of antigen on antigen presenting cells

摘要

Disclosed is a method for presenting an antigen in the form of a peptide on the surface of a cell. The method involves inhibiting the activity of an MHC class I pathway-associated component (e.g., a TAP protein or a proteasome or its components) in a cell and contacting the cell with an antigenic peptide to produce a potent antigen presenting cell. The antigen presenting cells of the invention can be administered to a mammal in a method of treating or preventing cancer or infection with a pathogen (e.g., a bacterium or virus). If desired, the antigen presenting cells can be used to stimulate CTL proliferation in vitro, and the resulting effector cells can subsequently be administered to a mammal in a method of therapy.