Totally synthetic peptide-based vaccines that target dendritic cells and induce potent antibody or CTL responses

We have designed and assembled totally synthetic, epitope-based vaccines that target dendritic cells (DCs) expressing Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 causing their activation. These self-adjuvanting vaccines comprise a helper T cell (Th) epitope, a target epitope that is recognised by CD8+ T cells or B cells and the TLR2 agonist, Pam2Cys. Lipidated vaccines, but not non-lipidated vaccines, were able to mediate protection against viral and bacterial infections and mediate prophylactic and therapeutic anti-cancer activity. High levels of anti-hormone antibodies could also be elicited which, in the case of luteinising hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), resulted in abrogation of reproductive function. These results are proof of principle for the efficacy of simple, totally synthetic, self-adjuvanting, epitope-based vaccines.