Abstract: Provided herein are vaccine compositions including recombinant protein antigens derived from computationally optimized broadly reactive influenza antigen (COBRA) proteins and an immunomodulator, and methods of use thereof. The vaccine compositions include one or more COBRA proteins, and the immunomodulator is a cationic lipid. The cationic lipid includes R-DOTAP. The methods of use of the vaccine compositions includes methods of inducing a humoral immune response against influenza viruses, methods of inducing polyfunctional CD8+ and CD4+ effector T cells against influenza viruses, methods of inducing memory T cells against influenza viruses, methods of enhancing immunity against influenza viruses, and methods of inducing balanced Th1/Th2 immune response against influenza viruses in a subject.

Abstract: Provided herein are multiepitope peptides including at least one mucin 1 (MUC1) peptide, the multiepitope peptides have MHC affinity for at least one of HLA serotype and are recognized by a CD4+ T cell receptor and/or by a CD8+ T cell receptor. Also provided herein are compositions comprising the multiepitope peptides and a cationic lipid, including vaccine compositions. In various aspects, the cationic lipid is R-DOTAP. The invention also provides methods of use of the multiepitope peptides and of the compositions and vaccine compositions. The methods of use include methods of treating cancer and method of inducing a MUC-specific polyfunctional cytolytic T cell response in a subject.

Abstract: Novel compositions of TCR Gamma Alternate Reading Frame Protein (TARP) peptides combined with cationic lipids such as the DOTAP and specifically R-DOTAP, induce high levels of TARP-specific polyfunctional cytolytic T-cells. Compositions and methods of use are provided. The compositions comprise N-terminal and C-terminal overlapping peptide sequence pairs duplicating the critical central antigenic region of TARP and encompassing the entire protein selected and designed to be effectively processed by antigen-presenting cells to prime cytotoxic T cells specific for TARP-derived T cell peptide antigens when delivered in combination with immunostimulatory nanoparticles composed of R-DOTAP cationic lipids.