The Johns Hopkins University

Other

Howard M Dintzis

Renee Z Dintzis

John C Cheronis

Gary P Kirschenheuter

James K Blodgett

Ren&eacute;e Z Dintzis

The present invention relates to a method of specifically suppressing an undesired immune response in a mammal suffering from such a response. The method comprises:

Therapeutic suppression of specific immune responses by administration of oligomeric forms of antigen of controlled chemistry

The invention features a non-immunogenic construct for reducing a non-primary antibody response to an epitope of a T-dependent antigen. The construct is free of high molecular weight immunostimulatory molecules and contains copies of the epitope which bind to a B cell membrane immunoglobulin receptor specific for the epitope but fail to form an imnunon.

Therapeutic suppression of specific immune response by administration of oligomeric forms of antigen of controlled chemistry

A method of making a non-immunogenic construct for reducing a non-primary antibody response to an epitope of a T-dependent antigen by coupling two or more copies of the epitope to a nonimmunogenic soluble carrier to yield a conjugate preparation and removing high molecular weight immunostimulatory molecules.

The invention features a method for reducing an undesired antibody response in a mammal by administering to the mammal a non-immunogenic construct which is free of high molecular weight immunostimulatory molecules. The construct which contains at least two copies of a B cell membrane immunoglobulin receptor epitope bound to a pharmaceutically acceptable non-immunogenic carrier directly binds to B cell membrane immunoglobulin receptors but fails to form an immunon.

Therapeutic suppression of specific immune responses by administration

The present invention relates to a vaccine derived from a bacterial or virus product that initially comprises a mixture of polymers of varying molecular weights. The vaccine contains an immunogenically effective polymer comprising T-cell-independent antigen as the effective immunizing agent. The vaccine is free of low molecular weight immunosuppressive antigen-containing polymer as a result of processing of the bacterial or virus product mixture.

Undesired immune responses are suppressed by administering a nonimmunogenic material which comprises one or more haptens or epitopes corresponding to the antigen which causes the undesired immune response, the number and spacing of the haptens or epitopes being insufficient to trigger an immune response but sufficient to inhibit it. Also disclosed is an improved vaccine from which low molecular weight suppressive polymer has been removed.

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Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Howard M Dintzis