USING HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS AND ALPHA-2-MACROGLOBULINS TO INCREASE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO VACCINES COMPRISING HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN-PEPTIDE COMPLEXES OR ALPHA-2-MACROGLOBULIN-PEPTIDE COMPLEXES

摘要

The present invention provides a method of improving or prolonging a subject's immune response to a vaccine composition comprising heat shock protein (HSP)-peptide complexes or alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha2M)-peptide complexes (hereinafter "HSP/alpha2M vaccine composition"). The HSP-peptide complexes or alpha2M-peptide complexes of the vaccine composition comprise HSP(s) or alpha2M complexed to a component against which an immune response is desired to be induced. In particular the invention is directed to methods of improving or prolonging a subject's immune response comprising administering an HSP/alpha2M vaccine composition in conjunction with a preparation comprising HSP or alpha2M, alone or complexed to a peptide that is not the component against which an immune response is desired to be induced (hereinafter "HSP/alpha2M preparation"), i.e., the HSP/alpha2M preparation does not display the immunogenicity of the component. In particular, HSP/alpha2M vaccine compositions are administered in conjunction with HSP/alpha2M preparation to improve or prolong the immune response of a subject against an infectious disease or cancer.