CLASS II PROTEIN OF EXOSPORIUM OF NEISSERIA MENINGITIDIS WITH IMMUNE CARRIER AND REINFORCEMENT PROPERTY

摘要

PURPOSE: To enhance immune response to an antigen by administering outer membrane protein of Gram-negative bacteria, which has an immunological enhancement effect, cytokinin induction activity, mitogenic characteristics and immunological carrier characteristics. CONSTITUTION: Immune response to an antigen can be enhanced by administering pure protein purified from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria or preferably, class II protein (major immunological enhancement protein (MIEP)) of the outer membrane of Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis) serum group B. A preferred production process of the MIEP comprises: culturing N. meningitidis to obtain a cultured material; forming an protein complex of the outer membrane of N. meningitidis from the cultured material by using a well-known method; and isolating and purifying the MIEP from the protein complex by using SDS(sodium dodecyl sulfate)- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Also, another preferred production process comprises: incorporating DNA encoding the MIEP derived from N. meningitidis into vectors; and producing the MIEP in host cells transformed by the vectors.