| abstract |
Disclosed is a nucleic acid molecule comprising a first expressible sequence encoding a protein of interest or polypeptide of interest which contains an MHC Class II-presented epitope. In addition, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a second expressible nucleic acid sequence encoding an antigen presentation enhancing hybrid polypeptide. The antigen presentation enhancing hybrid polypeptide includes the following elements: i) an N-terminal element consisting essentially of 4–16 residues of the mammalian Ii-Key peptide LRMKLPKPPKPVSKMR (SEQ ID NO: 1) and non-N-terminal deletion modifications thereof that retain antigen presentation enhancing activity; ii) a C-terminal element comprising an MHC Class II-presented epitope in the form of a polypeptide or peptidomimetic structure which binds to the antigenic peptide binding site of an MHC class II molecule, the MHC Class II-presented epitope being contained in the protein of interest of step a); and iii) an intervening peptidyl structure linking the N-terminal and C-terminal elements of the hybrid, the peptidyl structure having a length of about 20 amino acids or less. |