Cytotoxic T cell polyepitope vaccines delivered by ISCOMs

CD8 alpha beta cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) polyepitope or polytope vaccine s have traditionally been delivered using recombinant vector or DNA based d elivery modalities. Here we show the delivery of polytope vaccines in the f orm of either synthetic polypeptides or recombinant polytope proteins by Im munoStimulatory COMplexes (ISCOMs (R)). Induction of multiple protective CT L responses by these polytope-ISCOM formulations were comparable to viral v ector or DNA based delivery modalities as assessed by IFN gamma ELISpot, ch romium release and viral challenge assays. Measurement of CTL responses spe cific for the different epitopes revealed imunodominance patterns, which we re largely independent of the vaccine vector or the order of the epitopes i n the polytope. ISCOMs thus emerge as a viable human delivery modality for protein-based polytope vaccines. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.