University of Massachusetts

Tufts University

John E Herrmann

Harriet L Robinson

Ellen F Fynan

Neil R Blacklow

Shan Lu

Abraham L Sonenshein

Saul Tzipori

Boris R Belitsky

Methods for immunizing a subject to an antigen of an infectious agent, a tumor, or an allergen are provided, using vegetative cytoplasmic expression of the antigen or spore surface display of the antigen, and contacting the subject with a composition including a spore or a vegetative cell or both with or without an adjuvant. Also included are thermally-stable vaccine compositions using the method described above and kits including the compositions.

Methods, compositions and kits for vegetative cell-based vaccines and spore-based vaccines

A method of producing an effective immune response in an animal against a first rotavirus, by (1) identifying an animal susceptible to or having a first rotavirus infection; and (2) administering to the animal an isolated VP6 polypeptide of a second rotavirus sufficient to produce an effective immune response against the first rotavirus, the second rotavirus capable of infecting a different species than the first rotavirus.

Cross-protective rotavirus vaccine

This invention relates to methods of eliciting an immune response and/or protective immunity in a vertebrate by introducing into the vertebrate a DNA vaccine which consists essentially of DNA encoding an antigen or antigens, e.g., capsid proteins or polypeptides, of rotavirus. The uptake of the DNA vaccine by a host vertebrate results in the expression of the capsid protein, thereby eliciting humoral or cell-mediated immune responses, or both, which can provide protection against infection and/or prevent clinically significant rotavirus-caused disease. In addition, the invention demonstrates that an internal viral antigen provides protective immunity in a host. The host can be any vertebrate, including birds, piglets, and humans.

DNA vaccines against rotavirus infections

Monoclonal antibodies and their use in assays to determine the presence of Norwalk virus, Norwalk virus particles, or Norwalk virus-specific IgM, in a biological sample. One assay includes the steps of contacting the sample with a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to Norwalk virus particles in human stool; reacting the sample and the antibody for a time and under conditions that allow the formation of an immunocomplex between the antibody and any Norwalk virus in the sample; and detecting the immunocomplex, the presence of the immunocomplex indicating the presence of human Norwalk virus in the sample. Another assay is an IgM capture antibody immunoassay.

Monoclonal antibodies for detecting Norwalk virus

This invention relates to methods of eliciting an immune response and/or protective immunity in a vertebrate by introducing into the vertebrate a DNA vaccine which consists essentially of DNA encoding an antigen or antigens, e.g., capsid proteins or polypeptides, of rotavirus. The uptake of the DNA vaccine by a host vertebrate results in the expression of the capsid protein, thereby eliciting humoral or cell-mediated immune responses, or both, which can provide protection against infection and/or prevent clinically significant rotavirus-caused disease. In addition, the invention demonstrates that an internal vital antigen provides protective immunity in a host. The host can be any vertebrate, including birds, piglets, and humans.

The present invention is based upon the discovery of a group antigen common to various types of astroviruses and the production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies reactive with this group antigen. The present invention encompasses the polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, hybridoma cell lines which produce these monoclonal antibodies, and methods of using the monoclonal antibodies for diagnosing and treating gastroenteritis.

Growing community of inventors

Northborough, MA, United States of America

John E Herrmann