ENHANCEMENT OF VACCINE-INDUCED IMMUNE RESPONSES AND PROTECTION BY HETEROLOGOUS BOOSTING WITH ALPHAVIRUS REPLICON VACCINES

摘要

The inventive subject matter relates to an immunogenic composition and method of enhancing immunogenicity and protective immunity induced by any subunit or whole organism vaccine or combination of vaccines comprising administering to the subject a priming immunization preparation containing an antigen or fragment thereof, said preparation being selected from the group consisting of: a recombinant virus expression system; a recombinant protein antigen or a recombinant polypeptide; a synthetic peptide; a polynucleotide vector; a whole organism or extract and combinations thereof; and a boosting immunization of at least one alphavirus replicon containing an antigen or fragment thereof. The inventive subject matter further relates to an immunogenic composition and method of inducing an immune response that activates both cellular and humoral arms of the immune system.