METHOD, COMPOSITIONS AND DEVICES FOR ADMINISTRATION OF NAKED POLYNUCLEOTIDES WHICH ENCODE BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE PEPTIDES

摘要

The invention encompasses methods of introducing biologically active peptides into a host (particularly for vaccination or transitory expression of a therapeutic peptide) by administration of polynucleotides which operatively encode for the peptide. In most embodiments, the polynucleotides are naked in the sense that they are neither complexed to colloidal preparations such as liposomes or associated with a genomic integrating vector. In one embodiment, the naked polynucleotides are administered to host tissues which have a high concentration of antigen presenting cells in them relative to other host tissues. It is believed that the polynucleotides are taken up and expressed locally, systemically and/or at locations remote from their point of entry in the host. In another embodiment, the polynucleotides express peptides which are effective in retarding, treating and preventing age-associated illnesses and loss of disease resistance in mammals. In this embodiment, subtherapeutic levels of the peptides are expressed at appropriate stages of the host's development. Devices and compositions for use in the methods of the invention are also described.