Abstract: The present invention provides peptides and proteins for use in second generation HIV vaccines and as diagnostic tools in the treatment and control of HIV infection. The antiviral protection shown by compositions of the present invention has not been previously achieved with an HLA epitope-enhanced vaccine. These findings define a critical balance between MHC affinity and receptor crossreactivity required for effective epitope enhancement and also demonstrate construction and efficacy of such a component of a new generation vaccine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods for producing an enhanced immune response to an immunogen in a subject via the co-administration of a CD40 agonist and a GM-CSF agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for lowering a viral load of a virus resistant to an antiviral drug by inducing cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) to recognize a predetermined mutated epitope within a viral protein of the drug-resistant virus. CTLs are induced by immunizing a host with a peptide comprising the predetermined mutation. The immunostimulating peptide may be further improved by epitope-enhancement for inducing specific CTLs. The antiviral protection against drug-resistant virus shown by compositions of the present invention and mediated by human HLA-restricted CTL has not been previously achieved.

Abstract: Virus-specific CD4+T cell help and CD8+ cytotoxic T cell responses are critical for the maintenance of effective immunity in chronic viral infections. The importance of the CD4+T cells has been documented in HIV infection. A T1-specific CD4+T cell line from a healthy volunteer immunized with a canarypox vector expressing gp120 has been developed. The cell line was restricted to DR13, which is common in the U.S. in both Caucasians and African-Americans and is one of the major haplotypes in Africans. Amino acid substitutions in the T1 epitope were made to induce a stronger epitope-specific CD4+T cell response than the original epitope resulting in an improved CD4 epitope. A polypeptide comprising the enhanced CD4 epitope can be used as a component in compositions either alone or in combination with other adjuvants and other immunogenic compositions to induce a more effective immune response to HIV infection.

Abstract: Immunogenic T-cell receptor gamma Alternate Reading Frame Protein (TARP) polypeptides are disclosed herein. These immunogenic TARP polypeptides include nine consecutive amino acids of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and do not comprise amino acids 1-26 or amino acids 38-58 of SEQ ID NO: 1. Several specific, non-limiting examples of these polypeptides are set forth as SEQ ID NOs: 3-7. Nucleic acids encoding these polypeptides, and host cells transfected with these nucleic acids, are also disclosed. Methods of using these polypeptides, and polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides, for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer are also disclosed.

Abstract: Immunogenic T-cell receptor gamma Alternate Reading Frame Protein (TARP) polypeptides are disclosed herein. These immunogenic TARP polypeptides include nine consecutive amino acids of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and do not comprise amino acids 1-26 or amino acids 38-58 of SEQ ID NO: 1. Several specific, non-limiting examples of these polypeptides are set forth as SEQ ID NOs: 3-7. Nucleic acids encoding these polypeptides, and host cells transfected with these nucleic acids, are also disclosed. Methods of using these polypeptides, and polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides, for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are immunogenic peptides, related fusion proteins, nucleic acids encoding the peptides or fusion proteins, conjugates, expression vectors, host cells, and antibodies. Also, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions, vaccines for use in the treatment or prevention of cancer, e.g., alveolar rhabodomyosarcoma, methods of stimulating a T cell to kill a tumor cell, methods of stimulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and methods of treating or preventing cancer are further provided herein.

Abstract: This invention provides immunogenic peptides from the HPV-18E6 protein that comprise class I restricted T cell epitopes and discloses methods of administering these peptides to individuals, and a method for monitoring or evaluating an immune response to HPV with these peptides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods for producing an enhanced immune response to an immunogen in a subject via the co-administration of a CD40 agonist and a GM-CSF agent.

Abstract: Methods are provided herein for synergistically affecting tumor growth in a subject, involving the administration to the subject of an agent that blocks the TGF-? signaling pathway in combination with an immunogenic agent. The agent that blocks the TGF-? signaling pathway is believed to inhibit the immunosuppressive effects of TGF-?, while the immunogenic agent is believed to enhance an immune response. Surprisingly, the combination of such elements produces a synergistic effect. In one embodiment, the administration of the 1D11.16 anti-TGF-? antibody in combination with the human papilloma virus E7(49-57) peptide enhances tumor regression and tumor-specific CTL response in the subject. In another embodiment, the administration of the 1D11.16 anti-TGF-? antibody in combination with irradiated CT26 cells enhances tumor regression in the subject.

Abstract: Provided are an isolated peptide having the amino acid sequence DLMGYIPAV (SEQ ID NO: 1), an isolated HCV core polypeptide comprising an L?A substitution at amino acid position 139, an isolated HCV core polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and a fragment of an HCV core polypeptide having fewer amino acids than the entire HCV core polypeptide and comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. Also provided are nucleic acids which encode the peptides and polypeptides of this invention, vectors comprising the nucleic acids of this invention and cells comprising the vectors and nucleic acids of this invention. Further provided are methods of producing an immune response in a subject and/or treating or preventing HCV infection in a subject, comprising administering to the subject, or to a cell of the subject, any of the compositions of this invention.

Abstract: This invention provides immunogenic peptides from the HPV-18E6 protein that comprise class I restricted T cell epitopes and discloses methods of administering these peptides to individuals, and a method for monitoring or evaluating an immune response to HPV with these peptides.

Abstract: This invention provides immunogenic peptides from the HPV-18E6 protein that comprise class I restricted T cell epitopes and discloses methods of administering these peptides to individuals, and a method for monitoring or evaluating an immune response to HPV with these peptides.

Abstract: Provided are an isolated peptide having the amino acid sequence DLMGYIPAV (SEQ ID NO: 1), an isolated HCV core polypeptide comprising an L?A substitution at amino acid position 139, an isolated HCV core polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and a fragment of an HCV core polypeptide having fewer amino acids than the entire HCV core polypeptide and comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Also provided are nucleic acids which encode the peptides and polypeptides of this invention, vectors comprising the nucleic acids of this invention and cells comprising the vectors and nucleic acids of this invention. Further provided are methods of producing an immune response in a subject and/or treating or preventing HCV infection in a subject, comprising administering to the subject, or to a cell of the subject, any of the compositions of this invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vaccine for inducing an immune response in mammal to a specific antigen, where the vaccine comprises a unit dose of a binary toxin protective antigen and the antigen, which is bound to a binary toxin protective antigen binding protein. In one embodiment the vaccine is comprised of an anthrax protective antigen and the antigen bound to anthrax protective antigen binding protein. The present invention also provides a method of immunizing a mammal against an antigen using the vaccine, and a method of inducing antigen-presenting mammalian cells to present specific antigens via the MHC class I processing pathway.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptides and proteins for use in second generation HIV vaccines and as diagnostic tools in the treatment and control of HIV infection. The antiviral protection shown by compositions of the present invention has not been previously achieved with an HLA epitope-enhanced vaccine. These findings define a critical balance between MHC affinity and receptor crossreactivity required for effective epitope enhancement and also demonstrate construction and efficacy of such a component of a new generation vaccine.

Abstract: Peptide constructs comprised of multideterminant T helper peptides from the envelope glycoprotein of HIV previously identified to induce proliferative responses in four different haplotypes of mice and IL-2 responses in 52-73% of HIV positive, flu positive patients (cluster peptides), were co-linearly synthesized with the peptide 18 of the V3 loop of HIV-1 gp 160, corresponding to the principal neutralizing determinant of HIV-IIIB and also shown to contain a dominant CTL epitope. Cognate help for peptide 18 antibody was elicited following a single immunization in all strains of mice which had previously responded to a T cell epitope encompassed by the peptides. In two strains of mice, the level of neutralizing antibody achieved was comparable to levels adequate for protection from homologous viral challenge in chimpanzees. After a single boost, much higher antibody titers for 90% neutralization in the range of 1:1000 to 1:16,000 were achieved.

Abstract: Provided are an isolated peptide having the amino acid sequence DLMGYIPAV (SEQ ID NO: 1), an isolated HCV core polypeptide comprising an L?A substitution at amino acid position 139, an isolated HCV core polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and a fragment of an HCV core polypeptide having fewer amino acids than the entire HCV core polypeptide and comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. Also provided are nucleic acids which encode the peptides and polypeptides of this invention, vectors comprising the nucleic acids of this invention and cells comprising the vectors and nucleic acids of this invention. Further provided are methods of producing an immune response in a subject and/or treating or preventing HCV infection in a subject, comprising administering to the subject, or to a cell of the subject, any of the compositions of this invention.

Abstract: The invention is directed to compositions capable of augmenting the immunogenicity of a vaccine. The composition, or adjuvant, is administered to a mammal in need thereof in sequential or concurrent combination with a vaccine antigen. In one preferred aspect, the adjuvant is provided in the form of a recombinant poxvirus vector, such as a vaccinia virus vector, which comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding IL-15.

Abstract: Immunogenic T-cell receptor gamma Alternate Reading Frame Protein (TARP) polypeptides are disclosed herein. These immunogenic TARP polypeptides include nine consecutive amino acids of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and do not comprise amino acids 1-26 or amino acids 38-58 of SEQ ID NO: 1. Several specific, non-limiting examples of these polypeptides are set forth as SEQ ID NOs: 3-7. Nucleic acids encoding these polypeptides, and host cells transfected with these nucleic acids, are also disclosed. Methods of using these polypeptides, and polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides, for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer are also disclosed.