BI-Specific Diabodies For Masking And Targeting Vaccines

Abstract

The present invention describes compositions and methods for priming protective immunity in the presence of pre-existing maternal antibody. In some embodiments, the invention contemplates simultaneously masking vaccines to avoid antibody neutralization while targeting those vaccines to specific cell types in order to elicit an enhanced immune response. In other embodiments, vectors that recruit and activate specific antigen-presenting cells may further enhance the efficacy of those immune responses.

Description

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT[0001]This invention was made with government support awarded by the USDA-NIFA (USDA-CSREES 2008-35204-04587). The government has certain rights in the invention.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to the field of live and modified live conventional vaccines, and recombinant live-vectored vaccines. For example, compositions and methods are described that are useful for priming robust adaptive immunity in the presence of pre-existing protective / neutralizing levels of maternal antibodies and / or effective boosting of weak immune responses using the same live vaccines or live-vectored vaccines. In some embodiments, simultaneously masking vaccines to avoid antibody neutralization while targeting those vaccines to specific cell types elicits an enhanced immune response. In other embodiments, the efficacy of the immune responses may be further enhanced using vectors that recruit and activate specific antigen-presenting cells.BA...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025]As used herein, the term “cytokines” refers to a category of protein, peptide, or glycoprotein molecules secreted by specific cells of the immune system that carry signals between cells. Cytokines are a critical component of both the innate and adaptive immune response, and are often secreted by immune cells that have encountered a pathogen to activate and recruit additional immune cells to increase the system's response to the pathogen. Cytokines are typically released in the general region of the pathogen-infected cells such that responding immune cells arrive at that site of infection. Each individual cytokine has a matching cell-surface receptor. Upon binding of a cytokine to its cell-surface receptor a cascade of intracellular signaling events alters the cell's function. This includes the upregulation and/or downregulation of genes involved in the production of other cytokines, an in

Problems solved by technology

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a leading cause of enteric, respiratory and reproductive diseases in cattle, and is particularly associated with high morbidity and mortality rates in calves.

While maternal antibodies protect neonatal calves and yearlings against wild-type (wt) BVDV infections, their high titers interfere with the efficacy of current

Images