Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods of identifying a polypeptide suitable for epitope liberation including, for example, the steps of identifying an epitope of interest; providing a substrate polypeptide sequence including the epitope, wherein the substrate polypeptide permits processing by a proteasome; contacting the substrate polypeptide with a composition including the proteasome, under conditions that support processing of the substrate polypeptide by the proteasome; and assaying for liberation of the epitope. The invention further relates to vectors including a housekeeping epitope expression cassette. The housekeeping epitope(s) can be derived from a target-associated antigen, and the housekeeping epitope can be liberatable, that is capable of liberation, from a translation product of the cassette by immunoproteasome processing. The invention also relates to a method of activating a T cell comprising contacting a substrate polypeptide with an APC and contacting the APC with a T cell.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods of identifying a polypeptide suitable for epitope liberation including, for example, the steps of identifying an epitope of interest; providing a substrate polypeptide sequence including the epitope, wherein the substrate polypeptide permits processing by a proteasome; contacting the substrate polypeptide with a composition including the proteasome, under conditions that support processing of the substrate polypeptide by the proteasome; and assaying for liberation of the epitope. The invention further relates to vectors including a housekeeping epitope expression cassette. The invention relates to epitope cluster regions and to vectors including epitope cluster regions. The invention also relates to a method of activating a T cell comprising contacting a substrate polypeptide with an APC and contacting the APC with a T cell.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are vaccines and methods for inducing an immune response against cancer cells and cells infected with intracellular parasites. Vaccines having housekeeping epitopes are disclosed. The housekeeping epitope is formed by housekeeping proteasomes in peripheral cells, but not by professional antigen presenting cells. A vaccine containing a housekeeping epitope that is derived from an antigen associated with a peripheral target cell can thus direct an immune response against the target cell. Methods of treatment are also disclosed, which involve administering a vaccine having a housekeeping epitope.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods of identifying a polypeptide suitable for epitope liberation including, for example, the steps of identifying an epitope of interest; providing a substrate polypeptide sequence including the epitope, wherein the substrate polypeptide permits processing by a proteasome; contacting the substrate polypeptide with a composition including the proteasome, under conditions that support processing of the substrate polypeptide by the proteasome; and assaying for liberation of the epitope. The invention further relates to vectors including a housekeeping epitope expression cassette and also vectors including epitope cluster regions. The housekeeping epitope(s) can be derived from a target-associated antigen. The housekeeping epitope can be liberatable, that is capable of liberation, from a translation product of the cassette by immunoproteasome processing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are vaccines and methods for inducing an immune response against cancer cells and cells infected with intracellular parasites. Vaccines having housekeeping epitopes are disclosed. The housekeeping epitope is formed by housekeeping proteasomes in peripheral cells, but not by professional antigen presenting cells. A vaccine containing a housekeeping epitope that is derived from an antigen associated with a peripheral target cell can thus direct an immune response against the target cell. Methods of treatment are also disclosed, which involve administering a vaccine having a housekeeping epitope.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods of identifying a polypeptide suitable for epitope liberation including, for example, the steps of identifying an epitope of interest; providing a substrate polypeptide sequence including the epitope, wherein the substrate polypeptide permits processing by a proteasome; contacting the substrate polypeptide with a composition including the proteasome, under conditions that support processing of the substrate polypeptide by the proteasome; and assaying for liberation of the epitope. The invention further relates to vectors including a housekeeping epitope expression cassette. The invention relates to epitope cluster regions and to vectors including epitope cluster regions. The invention also relates to a method of activating a T cell comprising contacting a substrate polypeptide with an APC and contacting the APC with a T cell.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods of identifying a polypeptide suitable for epitope liberation including, for example, the steps of identifying an epitope of interest; providing a substrate polypeptide sequence including the epitope, wherein the substrate polypeptide permits processing by a proteasome; contacting the substrate polypeptide with a composition including the proteasome, under conditions that support processing of the substrate polypeptide by the proteasome; and assaying for liberation of the epitope. The invention further relates to vectors including a housekeeping epitope expression cassette and also vectors including epitope cluster regions. The housekeeping epitope(s) can be derived from a target-associated antigen. The housekeeping epitope can be liberatable, that is capable of liberation, from a translation product of the cassette by immunoproteasome processing.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods of identifying a polypeptide suitable for epitope liberation including, for example, the steps of identifying an epitope of interest; providing a substrate polypeptide sequence including the epitope, wherein the substrate polypeptide permits processing by a proteasome; contacting the substrate polypeptide with a composition including the proteasome, under conditions that support processing of the substrate polypeptide by the proteasome; and assaying for liberation of the epitope. The invention further relates to vectors including a housekeeping epitope expression cassette. The housekeeping epitope(s) can be derived from a target-associated antigen, and the housekeeping epitope can be liberatable, that is capable of liberation, from a translation product of the cassette by immunoproteasome processing. The invention also relates to a method of activating a T cell comprising contacting a substrate polypeptide with an APC and contacting the APC with a T cell.

Abstract: The invention provides a nucleic acid construct encoding a housekeeping epitope derived from an antigen associated with a target cell. The construct can further include a second sequence encoding a housekeeping epitope or an immune epitope. The construct can be used as a vaccine against numerous kinds of target cells, including neoplastic cells and cells infected with an intracellular virus.