Attenuation of immunodominant epitopes of antibodies useful as plant, animal and human vaccines and in immunotherapy

摘要

The present invention provides a composition that can be administered to a mammal to cause immunoprotection in the mammal against a pathogenic organism that has an immunodominant epitope. The composition includes a modified form of the antigen in which the immunodominant epitope is located. In this modified form, the immunodominant epitope is immunodampened by any of a number of techniques. Examples of immunodampening techniques include addition of N-linked glycosylation sites, change of the net charge on the epitope, and substitution with a tolerated sequence. The composition also includes a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.