Classifications

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  • A61K47/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient
  • A61K47/50—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates
  • A61K47/69—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the conjugate being characterised by physical or galenical forms, e.g. emulsion, particle, inclusion complex, stent or kit
  • A61K47/6905—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the conjugate being characterised by physical or galenical forms, e.g. emulsion, particle, inclusion complex, stent or kit the form being a colloid or an emulsion
  • A61K47/6911—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the conjugate being characterised by physical or galenical forms, e.g. emulsion, particle, inclusion complex, stent or kit the form being a colloid or an emulsion the form being a liposome
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Definitions

• the immune system is a complex network of cellular and humoral components that act in concert to recognize foreign and potentially dangerous substances in the body and eliminate them in a highly targeted and controlled fashion. It can generally be divided into the innate and adaptive immune systems.
• the innate immune system is germline encoded and is designed to respond to conserved motifs present on pathogens.
• the adaptive immune system develops its antigen specificity repertoire through controlled somatic recombination processes and can respond with extraordinarily to a wide variety of antigen types. Stimulating innate and adaptive immune responses have been shown to be an effective strategy to treat or prevent a wide variety of diseases in animals, animal disease models, and humans.
• alum which is a combination of aluminum salts
• monophosphoryl lipid A While alum in particular has an impressive track record of safety and efficacy in infectious diseases, it is becoming increasingly clear that these agents do not appear sufficient to induce effective immune responses to combat more complex diseases, such as intracellular pathogens, cancer, allergies, and allergic diseases, among others. Efforts to develop new immuno stimulants have largely been unsuccessful, primarily due to lack of efficacy or due to safety concerns.
• the immune system evolved over millennia to respond to pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and helminths. Consequently, most immune cells are optimized to recognize, phagocytose, process, and then respond to motifs present on microorganisms and have receptors that are "tuned" to the ratios typically present on these organisms.
• Liposomal spherical nucleic acids that function as multivalent immune modulators are provided according to aspects of the invention.
• the invention is based, in some aspects, on a nanostructure, comprising a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides form an oligonucleotide shell.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides form an oligonucleotide shell, wherein the oligonucleotide shell is comprised of at least one pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides form an oligonucleotide shell, wherein the oligonucleotide shell is comprised of at least one pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide, wherein the pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide is a TLR agonist.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides form an oligonucleotide shell, wherein the oligonucleotide shell is comprised of at least one pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide, wherein the pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide is a TLR antagonist.
• the TLR is selected from the group consisting of TLR3, TLR
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides form an oligonucleotide shell, wherein the oligonucleotide shell is comprised of at least one pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide, wherein the pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide is a RIG-I agonist.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides form an oligonucleotide shell, wherein the oligonucleotide shell is comprised of at least one pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide, wherein the pattern recognition receptor modulating oligonucleotide is a RIG-I antagonist.
• the oligonucleotide shell is comprised of oligonucleotides and a carrier molecule. In other embodiments wherein the oligonucleotide shell is comprised entirely of oligonucleotides.
• the oligonucleotides are comprised of single- stranded or double- stranded DNA oligonucleotides.
• the oligonucleotides are comprised of single-stranded or double- stranded RNA oligonucleotides.
• the oligonucleotides are comprised of chimeric RNA-DNA oligonucleotides.
• oligonucleotides are comprised of combinations of single- stranded or double- stranded DNA, RNA, or chimeric RNA-DNA oligonucleotides.
• the oligonucleotides of the oligonucleotide shell have structurally identical oligonucleotides.
• the oligonucleotides of the oligonucleotide shell have at least two structurally different oligonucleotides.
• the oligonucleotides of the oligonucleotide shell have 2-10 different nucleotide sequences.
• the oligonucleotides have at least one phosphorothioate linkage.
• the oligonucleotides do not have a phosphorothioate linkage.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides comprise CpG-motif containing oligonucleotides.
• the CpG oligonucleotides are selected from the group consisting of A-class, B-class and C-class CpG oligonucleotides.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides comprise immuno stimulatory single-stranded or double- stranded RNA.
• at least one oligonucleotide has its 5'- terminus exposed to the outside surface of the nano structure.
• all of the oligonucleotides have their 5'- terminus exposed to the outside surface of the nano structure.
• oligonucleotides are directly linked to the liposomal core.
• the oligonucleotides are indirectly linked to the liposomal core through a linker.
• the oligonucleotides are indirectly linked to the liposomal core through more than one linker.
• sphingolipids such as sphingosine, sphingosine phosphate, methylated sphingosines and sphinganines, ceramides, ceramide phosphates, 1-0 acyl ceramides, dihydroceramides, 2-hydroxy ceramides, sphingomyelin, glycosylated sphingolipids, sulfatides, gangliosides, phosphosphingolipids, and phytosphingosines of various lengths and saturation states and their derivatives, phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidic acids, lysophosphatidic acids, cyclic LPA, phosphatidylethanolamines, lysophosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylglycerols, lysophosphatidylglycerols, phosphatidylserines, ly
• sterols such as cholesterol, desmosterol, stigmasterol, lanosterol, lathosterol, diosgenin, sitosterol, zymosterol, zymostenol, 14-demethyl-lanosterol, cholesterol sulfate, DHEA, DHEA sulfate, 14-demethyl-14-dehydrlanosterol, sitostanol, campesterol, ether anionic lipids, ether cationic lipids, lanthanide chelating lipids, A-ring substituted oxysterols, B-ring substituted oxysterols, D-ring substituted oxysterols, side-chain substituted oxysterols, double substituted oxysterols, chol
• the oligonucleotides comprise 2-1,000 oligonucleotides.
• the liposomal core is comprised of one or more lipids selected from: sphingolipids such as sphingosine, sphingosine phosphate, methylated sphingosines and sphinganines, ceramides, ceramide phosphates, 1-0 acyl ceramides, dihydroceramides, 2-hydroxy ceramides, sphingomyelin, glycosylated sphingolipids, sulfatides, gangliosides, phospho sphingolipids, and phytosphingosines of various lengths and saturation states and their derivatives, phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidic acids, lysophosphatidic acids, cyclic LPA, phosphatidylethanolamines, lysophosphatidylethanol
• the liposomal core is comprised of one type of lipid.
• the liposomal core is comprised of 2-10 different lipids.
• the immune stimulant is selected from the group consisting of monophosphoryl lipid A, lipid A from bacterial origin, 22:0 trehalose, dimethyldioctadecyl-ammonium, Kdo2 lipid A, inositol phosphates including IP3( 1,3,4), IP3(1,3,5), ⁇ >3(1,4,5), IPR(1,3,4,5), LPA/S1P receptor selective agonists, PAF and PAF analogs, liponucleotides, cyclic LPA, bioactive ceramides, endocannabinoids, anandamides, lipid oxidation products, diacylglycerol phosphate, bacterial membrane lipids, N-acylglycine lipids, acyl carnitine lipids, mycolic acids, plant lipid extracts, FSL-1, PAM3CSK4, HKLM, LPS, FLA-ST, imiquimod, resiquimod, C12-IE-
• the nanostructure further comprises an antigen.
• the antigen is mixed together with the nanostructure.
• the antigen is linked directly to the oligonucleotide shell.
• the antigen is linked indirectly to the oligonucleotide shell through a linker.
• the antigen is linked directly to the liposomal core.
• the antigen is linked indirectly to the liposomal core through a linker.
• an antigen-oligonucleotide conjugate is linked to the liposomal core through oligonucleotide hybridization.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the immune stimulant is associated with the liposomal core by being embedded within the liposomal core.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the immune stimulant is associated with the liposomal core by being linked indirectly to the liposomal core.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the immune stimulant is associated with the liposomal core by being linked directly to the liposomal core.
• the nanostructure comprises a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, wherein an immune stimulant or an immune suppressor is associated with the lipid bilayer, and oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core, wherein the oligonucleotides form an oligonucleotide shell, wherein the oligonucleotides of the oligonucleotide shell are oriented radially outwards.
• the linker is selected from the group consisting of tocopherols, sphingolipids such as sphingosine, sphingosine phosphate, methylated sphingosines and sphinganines, ceramides, ceramide phosphates, 1-0 acyl ceramides, dihydroceramides, 2- hydroxy ceramides, sphingomyelin, glycosylated sphingolipids, sulfatides, gangliosides, phospho sphingolipids, and phytosphingosines of various lengths and saturation states and their derivatives, phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidic acids, lysophosphatidic acids, cyclic LPA, phosphatidylethanolamines, lysophosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylglycerols, lysophosphatidylg
• the antigen is attached non-covalently to the oligonucleotide of the oligonucleotide shell.
• the antigen is selected from the group consisting of a cancer antigen, a bacterial antigen, a viral antigen, a parasitic antigen, a hapten, and an allergen.
• the nanostructure is a self-assembling nanostructure.
• Another aspect of the invention comprises a method for treating a subject, comprising administering to a subject a nucleic acid nanostructure in an effective amount to promote an immune response.
• the subject has a disorder and wherein the method is a method for treating the disorder.
• the disorder is cancer.
• the disorder is infectious disease.
• infectious disease is a viral infection.
• the infectious disease is a bacterial infection.
• the disorder is allergy.
• the disorder is asthma.
• the disorder is autoimmune disease.
• the therapeutic protocol is surgery.
• the therapeutic protocol is radiation.
• the therapeutic protocol is a medicament.
• the method further comprises administering an adjuvant.
• the subject has a disorder and wherein the method is a method for treating the disorder, wherein the nanostructure is associated with a targeting molecule.
• the subject has a disorder and wherein the method is a method for treating the disorder, wherein the nanostructure is delivered by a route selected from the group consisting of oral, nasal, sublingual, intravenous, subcutaneous, mucosal, respiratory, direct injection, enema, and dermally.
• composition for use in the treatment of disease comprises the nucleic acid nanostructure and embodiments thereof.
• FIG. 1 shows a general structure of an exemplary liposomal nanostructure of the invention for co-delivery of oligonucleotide and lipophilic immune stimulants.
• the nanostructure includes: (1) a liposomal core, which contains lipophilic immune stimulants (TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, TLR6, among others) attached to and possibly embedded in the lipid bilayer, and (2) an oligonucleotide shell, which has dual function in that it helps to target the entire construct to immune cells and also acts to stimulate immune receptors that can recognize nucleic acids (TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, TLR9, TLR13, RIG-I, among others).
• Figure 2 shows a general structure of another exemplary antigen-conjugated liposomal nanostructure for co-delivery of oligonucleotide and lipophilic immune stimulants and antigen.
• the construct is similar to that shown in Figure 1 but includes an additional modification whereby an antigen-conjugated oligonucleotide is attached non-covalently to the parent structure.
• the antigen is conjugated to the liposomal SNA via interactions with the oligonucleotide shell.
• Figure 3 shows another general structure of antigen-conjugated liposomal nanostructure for co-delivery of oligonucleotide and lipophilic immune stimulants and antigen.
• the antigen may also be encapsulated in the liposomal core.
• Figure 4 is a graph showing that stimulating both TLR4 and TLR9 via liposomal nanostructures induce greater activation than either in isolation. Liposomal nanostructures which carry agonists of both TLR4 and TLR9 induce greater activation of the RAW Blue cells than either alone in isolation.
• Figures 5A-5B are a set of bar graphs showing that activation of NF-kB by MPLA is dependent on functional TLR4. Activation of NF-kB by liposomal SNAs containing MPLA depended on functional TLR4, as the RAW Blue cell line (Figure 5A) but not the Ramos Blue cell line ( Figure 5B) demonstrated NF-kB activation in response to stimulation.
• Figures 6A-6B are a set of bar graphs showing that nanostructure co-delivery of CpG and MPLA optimally activates both MyD88-dependent and -independent pathways.
• Liposomal nanostructures that deliver both CpG 1826 and MPLA in a single construct demonstrate elevated TNF (Figure 6A) and IFN-alpha (Figure 6B) levels that cannot be replicated either by delivering each in isolation, or by delivering both components in the same well but not on the same construct.
• ANOVA **p ⁇ 0.01, ****p ⁇ 0.0001.
• Figures 7A-7B are a set of bar graphs showing liposomal nanostructure delivery of MPLA improves activation of NF-kB even without CpG motif.
• Figure 7A shows NF-kB activation and
• Figure 7B shows TNF (OD).
• Figure 8 is a graph showing that increasing MPLA feed into nanostructures formulation above 3.8% but not beyond 7.7% improves activity.
• increasing the MPLA feed up to 7.7% MPLA but not up to 11.5% increased the potency of activation of the liposomal SNA.
• Figure 9 is a set of graphs showing that phosphorothioate (PS) linkages increase potency but not maximal stimulation in murine immune cells at 11.5% MPLA (top panel) or 7.7% MPLA (bottom panel).
• PS phosphorothioate
• Figure 10 is a graph showing antigen-conjugated liposomal nanostructures demonstrates activation of immune cells.
• Figure 11 is a graph showing that nanostructures induce cellular responses more effectively than free PS oligo and alum.
• splenocytes were collected and incubated overnight on IFN- ⁇ ELISPOT plates with 1 uM OVA(257-264). The number of IFN- ⁇ spots was quantified using an automated
• Figure 12 is a graph showing that hollow nanostructures with antigen reduce tumor growth rates.
• TLRs Toll-like receptors
• PRRs pattern recognition receptors
• TLRs are a family of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that trigger activation of innate immune cells, promoting their effector functions and bridging innate and adaptive immunity.
• Agents that stimulate TLRs are being investigated extensively as potential therapeutic and prophylactic compounds due to the central role these receptors play in coordinating immune responses. Similar to the way that multiple TLRs and immune receptors are stimulated when an immune cell processes a pathogen, it has been shown that stimulation of multiple TLRs with multiple compounds can yield greater efficacy.
• TLR agonists in combination can be quite difficult for a number of reasons: (1) synergy is often observed only in a narrow window of fixed concentration ratios between the two compounds, due to their typically different IC50 or EC50 values, (2) different physicochemical properties such as different size, charge, and hydrophobicity can make attaching them to each other difficult or make them have drastically different PK/PD/ADME properties, (3) the toxic levels of the compounds tend to be different, and (4) the target receptors of one or more of the different compounds may be inaccessible, such as the cytosol, or located in a degradative compartment, such as endosomes or lysosomes.
• nanostructures having unexpectedly high immune modulating activity have been developed according to the invention.
• These nanostructures are supra- molecular assemblies, which are immune-modulating liposomal spherical nucleic acids
• nanostructures can deliver combinations of immune modulating materials in a highly spatiotemporally controlled manner to cells (Examples are shown in Figures 1-3).
• a distinctive feature of these nanostructures is the incorporation of immune modulating materials both within the external shell as well as within the core, which work in concert to achieve unexpected immune modulating effects in terms of the magnitude and quality of the immune response.
• These immunomodulating effects cannot be achieved by delivering the materials individually or in combination but not physically associated together in the same construct. It has been demonstrated according to the invention that the assembly of all components into a single structure is vital to achieving optimal effects (Data is shown in Figures 6-7).
• the nanostructure of the invention include: (1) a liposomal core having a lipid bilayer, which contains an immune stimulant embedded in or attached to the lipid bilayer, and (2) a layer of oligonucleotides, which may be an oligonucleotide shell, and which have dual function in that they help to target the nanostructure to immune cells and also act to stimulate immune receptors that can recognize nucleic acids (Figure 1). Antigen may also be coupled to this construct, such that it will be delivered together with the co- stimulatory signals ( Figure 2). A similar construct to that shown in Figure 1 undergoes an additional modification whereby an antigen-conjugated oligonucleotide is attached to the
• a water-soluble immune stimulant or antigen can be encapsulated in the core.
• the nanostructure of the invention includes a liposomal core.
• a liposomal core refers to a centrally located core compartment formed by a component of the lipids or phospholipids that form a lipid bilayer.
• "Liposomes” are artificial, self closed vesicular structure of various sizes and structures, where one or several membranes encapsulate an aqueous core. Most typically liposome membranes are formed from lipid bilayers membranes, where the hydrophilic head groups are oriented towards the aqueous environment and the lipid chains are embedded in the lipophilic core. Liposomes can be formed as well from other amphiphilic monomeric and polymeric molecules, such as polymers, like block copolymers, or polypeptides.
• Unilamellar vesicles are liposomes defined by a single membrane enclosing an aqueous space.
• oligo- or multilamellar vesicles are built up of several membranes.
• the membranes are roughly 4 nm thick and are composed of amphiphilic lipids, such as phospholipids, of natural or synthetic origin.
• the membrane properties can be modified by the incorporation of other lipids such as sterols or cholic acid derivatives.
• the lipid bilayer is composed of two layers of lipid molecules. Each lipid molecule in a layer is oriented substantially parallel to adjacent lipid bilayers, and two layers that form a bilayer have the polar ends of their molecules exposed to the aqueous phase and the non- polar ends adjacent to each other, as shown in the diagrams of Figures 1-3.
• the central aqueous region of the liposomal core may be empty or filled fully or partially with water, an aqueous emulsion, antigen, immune stimulant, immune suppressor or other therapeutic or diagnostic agent.
• Lipid refers to its conventional sense as a generic term encompassing fats, lipids, alcohol-ether- soluble constituents of protoplasm, which are insoluble in water. Lipids usually consist of a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic moiety. In water lipids can self organize to form bilayers membranes, where the hydrophilic moieties (head groups) are oriented towards the aqueous phase, and the lipophilic moieties (acyl chains) are embedded in the bilayers core. Lipids can comprise as well two hydrophilic moieties (bola amphiphiles). In that case, membranes may be formed from a single lipid layer, and not a bilayer.
• lipids in the current context are fats, fatty oils, essential oils, waxes, steroid, sterols, phospholipids, glycolipids, sulpholipids, aminolipids, chromolipids, and fatty acids.
• the term encompasses both naturally occurring and synthetic lipids.
• Preferred lipids in connection with the present invention are: steroids and sterol, particularly cholesterol, phospholipids, including phosphatidyl, phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines and sphingomyelins.
• fatty acids they could be about 12-24 carbon chains in length, containing up to 6 double bonds.
• the fatty acids are linked to the backbone, which may be derived from glycerol.
• the fatty acids within one lipid can be different
• non-cationic lipids are derived from natural sources, such as lecithins (phosphatidylcholines) purified from egg yolk, bovine heart, brain, liver or soybean.
• the liposomal core can be constructed from one or more lipids known to those in the art including but not limited to: sphingolipids such as sphingosine, sphingosine phosphate, methylated sphingosines and sphinganines, ceramides, ceramide phosphates, 1-0 acyl ceramides, dihydroceramides, 2-hydroxy ceramides, sphingomyelin, glycosylated sphingolipids, sulfatides, gangliosides, phospho sphingolipids, and phytosphingosines of various lengths and saturation states and their derivatives, phospholipids such as
• phosphatidylcholines lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidic acids, lysophosphatidic acids, cyclic LPA, phosphatidylethanolamines, lysophosphatidylethanolamines,
• phosphatidylglycerols phosphatidylglycerols, lysophosphatidylglycerols, phosphatidylserines,
• lysophosphatidylserines phosphatidylinositols, inositol phosphates, LPI, cardiolipins, lysocardiolipins, bis(monoacylglycero) phosphates, (diacylglycero) phosphates, ether lipids, diphytanyl ether lipids, and plasmalogens of various lengths, saturation states, and their derivatives, sterols such as cholesterol, desmosterol, stigmasterol, lanosterol, lathosterol, diosgenin, sitosterol, zymosterol, zymostenol, 14-demethyl-lanosterol, cholesterol sulfate, DHEA, DHEA sulfate, 14-demethyl-14-dehydrlanosterol, sitostanol, campesterol, ether anionic lipids, ether cationic lipids, lanthanide chelating lipids, A
• An immune stimulant is associated with the lipid bilayer of the liposomal core.
• An immune stimulant is a substance that causes stimulation of the immune system such that one or more immune factors, i.e., cytokines, immune cells, antibodies, chemokines are induced or activated.
• the immune response may comprise a cellular and/or a humoral response.
• the immune stimulant can be, for example, a small molecule, a nucleic acid, a protein, or a combination thereof.
• the immune stimulant may also be capable of activating expression of immune stimulatory molecules on cells of a localized
• the immune stimulant incorporated into the bilayer can be a wide variety of molecules including but not limited to: monophosphoryl lipid A, lipid A from bacterial origin, 22:0 trehalose, dimethyldioctadecyl-ammonium, Kdo2 lipid A, inositol phosphates including IP3(1,3,4), IP3(1,3,5), IP3(1,4,5), IPR(1,3,4,5), LPA/S1P receptor selective agonists, PAF and PAF analogs, liponucleotides, cyclic LPA, bioactive ceramides, endocannabinoids, anandamides, lipid oxidation products, diacylglycerol phosphate, bacterial membrane lipids, N-acylglycine lipids, acyl carnitine lipids, mycolic acids, plant lipid extracts, FSL-1, PAM3CSK4, HKLM, LPS, FLA-ST, imiquimod, resiquimod,
• the immune stimulant is associated with the liposomal core. It may be associated with by being embedded within the core or it may be attached or linked, either indirectly (i.e. non-covalently or covalently through other molecules such a linkers) or directly (i.e. covalently).
• the nanostructure of the invention also includes an oligonucleotide which is preferably a therapeutic oligonucleotide.
• An oligonucleotide refers to any nucleic acid containing molecule.
• the nucleic acid may be DNA, RNA, PNA, LNA, ENA or combinations or modifications thereof. It may also be single, double or triple stranded.
• a therapeutic oligonucleotide is an oligonucleotide that can function as a therapeutic and or diagnostic agent.
• the oligonucleotides are positioned on the exterior of the liposomal core. At least one oligonucleotide is on the exterior. In some embodiments at least 25, 50, 75, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 or 1,000 oligonucleotides or any range combination thereof are on the exterior of the liposomal core. In some embodiments, 1-1000, 10-500, 50- 250, or 50-300 oligonucleotides are present on the surface. In some instance the
• oligonucleotides form an oligonucleotide shell.
• An oligonucleotide shell is formed when at least 50% of the available surface area of the exterior surface of the liposomal includes an oligonucleotide. In some embodiments at least 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97% 98% or 99% of the available surface area of the exterior surface of the liposomal includes an oligonucleotide.
• the oligonucleotides of the oligonucleotide shell may be oriented in a variety of directions. In some embodiments the oligonucleotides are oriented radially outwards.
• the oligonucleotides may be linked to the core or to one another and/or to other molecules such an antigens either directly or indirectly through a linker.
• oligonucleotides may be conjugated to a linker via the 5' end or the 3' end.
• a linker via the 5' end or the 3' end.
• Some or all of the oligonucleotides of the nanostructure may be linked to one another either directly or indirectly through a covalent or non-covalent linkage.
• the linkage of one oligonucleotide to another oligonucleotide may be in addition to or alternatively to the linkage of that oligonucleotide to liposomal core.
• One or more of the oligonucleotides may also be linked to other molecules such as an antigen.
• the oligonucleotides may be linked to the antigen of the core either directly or indirectly through a covalent or non-covalent linkage.
• the oligonucleotide shell can be a wide variety of molecules including but not limited to: single- stranded deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, and other single- stranded oligonucleotides incorporating one or a multiplicity of modifications known to those in the art, double- stranded deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, and other double- stranded oligonucleotides incorporating one or a multiplicity of modifications known to those in the art, oligonucleotide triplexes incorporating deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, or oligonucleotides that incorporate one or a multiplicity of modifications known to those in the art. In another embodiment one or a multiplicity of different oligonucleotides are present on the same surface of a single liposomal nanostructure.
• the oligonucleotide shell may be anchored to the surface of the liposomal core through conjugation to one or a multiplicity of linker molecules including but not limited to: tocopherols, sphingolipids such as sphingosine, sphingosine phosphate, methylated sphingosines and sphinganines, ceramides, ceramide phosphates, 1-0 acyl ceramides, dihydroceramides, 2-hydroxy ceramides, sphingomyelin, glycosylated sphingolipids, sulfatides, gangliosides, phosphosphingolipids, and phytosphingosines of various lengths and saturation states and their derivatives, phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidic acids, lysophosphatidic acids, cyclic LPA, phosphatidylethanolamines, lysophosphatid
• sterols such as cholesterol, desmosterol, stigmasterol, lanosterol, lathosterol, diosgenin, sitosterol, zymosterol, zymostenol, 14-demethyl-lanosterol, cholesterol sulfate, DHEA, DHEA sulfate, 14-demethyl-14-dehydrlanosterol, sitostanol, campesterol, ether anionic lipids, ether cationic lipids, lanthanide chelating lipids, A-ring substituted oxysterols, B-ring substituted oxysterols, D-ring substituted oxysterols, side-chain substituted oxysterols, double substituted oxysterols, chol
• the oligonucleotide may be a nucleic acid that interacts with a molecule or complex of molecules that when stimulated produce an immune response in response to that interaction.
• the molecule or complex of molecules may be a receptor.
• the oligonucleotide may be a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) modulating oligonucleotide.
• PRRs are a primitive part of the immune system composed of proteins expressed by cells of the innate immune system to identify pathogen- associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), which are associated with microbial pathogens or cellular stress, as well as damage- associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which are associated with cell components released during cell damage.
• PAMPs pathogen- associated molecular patterns
• DAMPs damage- associated molecular patterns
• PRRs include but are not limited to membrane-bound PRRs, such as receptor kinases, toll-like receptors (TLR), and C-type lectin Receptors (CLR) (mannose receptors and asialoglycoprotein receptors);
• TLR toll-like receptors
• CLR C-type lectin Receptors
• Cytoplasmic PRRs such as RIG-I-like receptors (RLR), RNA Helicases, Plant PRRs, and NonRD kinases; and secreted PRRs.
• PRR modulating oligonucleotides include but are not limited to TLR agonists, agonists or antagonists of RIG-I, transcription factors, cellular translation machinery, cellular transcription machinery, nucleic-acid acting enzymes, and nucleic acid associating autoantigens.
• TLR agonists, agonists or antagonists of RIG-I transcription factors
• cellular translation machinery cellular transcription machinery
• nucleic-acid acting enzymes and nucleic acid associating autoantigens.
• CpG unmethylated 5'-cytosine-phosphate-guanosine-3'
• Another is the use of 5'- UUG-3' or 5'-UUA-3' motifs.
• TLR agonist is a nucleic acid molecule that interacts with and stimulates the activity of a TLR.
• Toll-like receptors are a family of highly conserved polypeptides that play a critical role in innate immunity in mammals. At least ten family members, designated TLR1 - TLR10, have been identified.
• the cytoplasmic domains of the various TLRs are characterized by a Toll-interleukin 1 (IL-1) receptor (TIR) domain.
• IL-1 Toll-interleukin 1
• TLRs Recognition of microbial invasion by TLRs triggers activation of a signaling cascade that is evolutionarily conserved in Drosophila and mammals.
• the TIR domain-containing adaptor protein MyD88 has been reported to associate with TLRs and to recruit IL-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) to the TLRs.
• IRAK IL-1 receptor-associated kinase
• TNF tumor necrosis factor
• the MyD88-dependent signaling pathway is believed to lead to activation of NF- ⁇ transcription factors and c-Jun NH 2 terminal kinase (Jnk) mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), critical steps in immune activation and production of inflammatory cytokines.
• Jnk c-Jun NH 2 terminal kinase
• MAPKs mitogen-activated protein kinases
• TLRs are believed to be differentially expressed in various tissues and on various types of immune cells.
• human TLR7 has been reported to be expressed in placenta, lung, spleen, lymph nodes, tonsil and on plasmacytoid precursor dendritic cells (pDCs).
• pDCs plasmacytoid precursor dendritic cells
• Human TLR8 has been reported to be expressed in lung, peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL), placenta, spleen, lymph nodes, and on monocytes.
• PBL peripheral blood leukocytes
• monocytes Kadowaki N et al.
• TLR7 polypeptides include an extracellular domain having a leucine-rich repeat region, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain that includes a TIR domain.
• Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of human and murine TLR8 are known. See, for example, GenBank Accession Nos. AF246971, AF245703, NM_016610, XM_045706, AY035890, NM_133212; and AAF64061, AAF78036, NP_057694, XP_045706,
• TLR8 Human TLR8 is reported to exist in at least two isoforms, one 1041 amino acids long and the other 1059 amino acids long.
• Murine TLR8 is 1032 amino acids long.
• TLR8 polypeptides include an extracellular domain having a leucine-rich repeat region, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain that includes a TIR domain.
• TLR9 Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of human and murine TLR9 are known. See, for example, GenBank Accession Nos. NM_017442, AF259262, AB045180, AF245704, AB045181, AF348140, AF314224, NM_031178; and NP_059138, AAF72189, BAB19259, AAF78037, BAB19260, AAK29625, AAK28488, and NP_112455, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• Human TLR9 is reported to exist in at least two isoforms, one 1032 amino acids long and the other 1055 amino acids.
• Murine TLR9 is 1032 amino acids long.
• TLR9 polypeptides include an extracellular domain having a leucine-rich repeat region, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain that includes a TIR domain.
• TLR signaling refers to any aspect of intracellular signaling associated with signaling through a TLR.
• TLR- mediated immune response refers to the immune response that is associated with TLR signaling.
• the level of TLR signaling may be enhanced over a pre-existing level of signaling or it may be induced over a background level of signaling.
• a TLR3-mediated immune response is a response associated with TLR3 signaling.
• TLR3 agonists include but are not limited to dsRNA such as dsRNA having multiple AU motifs.
• TLR7-mediated immune response is a response associated with TLR7 signaling.
• TLR7-mediated immune response is generally characterized by the induction of IFN-a and IFN-inducible cytokines such as IP- 10 and I-TAC.
• IFN-a and IFN-inducible cytokines such as IP- 10 and I-TAC.
• the levels of cytokines IL-1 ⁇ / ⁇ , IL-6, IL-8, ⁇ -1 ⁇ / ⁇ and ⁇ -3 ⁇ / ⁇ induced in a TLR7 -mediated immune response are less than those induced in a TLR8-mediated immune response.
• TLR7 ligands include, without limitation, guanosine analogues such as C8-substituted guanosines, mixtures of
• ribonucleosides consisting essentially of G and U, guanosine ribonucleotides and RNA or RNA-like molecules (PCT/US03/10406), and adenosine-based compounds (e.g., 6-amino-9- benzyl-2-(3-hydroxy-propoxy)-9H-purin-8-ol, and similar compounds made by Sumitomo (e.g., CL-029)).
• guanosine analogues refers to a guano sine-like nucleotide (excluding guanosine) having a chemical modification involving the guanine base, guanosine nucleoside sugar, or both the guanine base and the guanosine nucleoside sugar. Guanosine analogues specifically include, without limitation, 7-deaza-guanosine.
• Guanosine analogues further include C8-substituted guanosines such as 7-thia-8- oxoguanosine (immunosine), 8-mercaptoguanosine, 8-bromoguanosine, 8-methylguanosine, 8-0X0-7, 8-dihydroguanosine, C8-arylamino-2'-deoxyguanosine, C8-propynyl-guanosine, C8- and N7- substituted guanine ribonucleosides such as 7 -allyl- 8 -oxoguanosine
• C8-substituted guanosines such as 7-thia-8- oxoguanosine (immunosine), 8-mercaptoguanosine, 8-bromoguanosine, 8-methylguanosine, 8-0X0-7, 8-dihydroguanosine, C8-arylamino-2
• a TLR8-mediated immune response is a response associated with TLR8 signaling. This response is further characterized by the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN- ⁇ , IL- 12p40/70, TNF-a, IL- 1 ⁇ / ⁇ , IL-6, IL-8, MIP- 1 ⁇ / ⁇ and MIP-3 ⁇ / ⁇ .
• TLR8 ligands include mixtures of ribonucleosides consisting essentially of G and U, guanosine ribonucleotides and RNA or RNA-like molecules (PCT/US03/10406). Additional TLR8 ligands are also disclosed in Gorden et al. J. Immunol. 2005, 174: 1259-1268).
• TLR7/8 agonist collectively refers to any nucleic acid that is capable of increasing TLR7 and/or TLR8 signaling (i.e., an agonist of TLR7 and/or TLR8).
• TLR7/8 ligands induce TLR7 signaling alone (e.g., TLR7 specific agonists), some induce TLR8 signaling alone (e.g., TLR8 specific agonists), and others induce both TLR7 and TLR8 signaling.
• TLR9-mediated immune response is a response associated with TLR9 signaling. This response is further characterized at least by the production/secretion of IFN- ⁇ and IL- 12, albeit at levels lower than are achieved via a TLR8-mediated immune response.
• TLR9 agonist refers to any agent that is capable of increasing TLR9 signaling (i.e., an agonist of TLR9). TLR9 agonists specifically include, without limitation, immuno stimulatory nucleic acids, and in particular CpG immuno stimulatory nucleic acids.
• oligonucleotides refers to any CpG-containing nucleic acid that is capable of activating an immune cell. At least the C of the CpG dinucleotide is typically, but not necessarily, unmethylated.
• Immuno stimulatory CpG nucleic acids are described in a number of issued patents and published patent applications, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,194,388; 6,207,646; 6,218,371; 6,239,116; 6,339,068; 6,406,705; and 6,429,199.
• a TLR13-mediated immune response is a response associated with TLR13 signaling.
• a TLR13 agonist is bacterial 23S rRNA.
• the oligonucleotides may also be retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I) agonists or antagonists.
• RIG-I corresponds to GenBank Accession No. AF038963.
• RIG-I agonists include but are not limited to dsRNA such as Poly(LC).
• RIG-I antagonists include short 5 'triphosphate DNA or RNA.
• an "immuno stimulatory oligonucleotide” is any nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) containing an immuno stimulatory motif or backbone that is capable of inducing an immune response.
• An induction of an immune response refers to any increase in number or activity of an immune cell, or an increase in expression or absolute levels of an immune factor, such as a cytokine.
• Immune cells include, but are not limited to, NK cells, CD4+ T lymphocytes, CD8+ T lymphocytes, B cells, dendritic cells, macrophage and other antigen-presenting cells.
• Cytokines include, but are not limited to, interleukins, TNF-cc, IFN- ⁇ , ⁇ and ⁇ , Flt- ligand, and co- stimulatory molecules.
• Immuno stimulatory motifs include, but are not limited to CpG motifs and T-rich motifs.
• a non-limiting set of immuno stimulatory oligonucleotides includes:
• oligonucleotide and “nucleic acid” are used interchangeably to mean multiple nucleotides (i.e., molecules comprising a sugar (e.g., ribose or deoxyribose) linked to a phosphate group and to an exchangeable organic base, which is either a substituted pyrimidine (e.g., cytosine (C), thymidine (T) or uracil (U)) or a substituted purine (e.g., adenine (A) or guanine (G)).
• a substituted pyrimidine e.g., cytosine (C), thymidine (T) or uracil (U)
• a substituted purine e.g., adenine (A) or guanine (G)
• oligonucleotides are also include oligonucleosides (i.e., a oligonucleotide minus the phosphate) and any other organic base containing polymer. Oligonucleotides can be obtained from existing nucleic acid sources (e.g., genomic or cDNA), but are preferably synthetic (e.g., produced by nucleic acid synthesis).
• the oligonucleotides may be single stranded or double stranded.
• a double stranded oligonucleotide is also referred to herein as a duplex.
• Double-stranded oligonucleotides of the invention can comprise two separate complementary nucleic acid strands.
• duplex includes a double- stranded nucleic acid molecule(s) in which complementary sequences or partially complementary sequences are hydrogen bonded to each other.
• the complementary sequences can include a sense strand and an antisense strand.
• the antisense nucleotide sequence can be identical or sufficiently identical to the target gene to mediate effective target gene inhibition (e.g. , at least about 98% identical, 96% identical, 94%, 90% identical, 85% identical, or 80% identical) to the target gene sequence.
• a double- stranded oligonucleotide can be double- stranded over its entire length, meaning it has no overhanging single- stranded sequences and is thus blunt-ended.
• the two strands of the double- stranded oligonucleotide can have different lengths producing one or more single- stranded overhangs.
• oligonucleotide of the invention can contain mismatches and/or loops or bulges. In some embodiments, it is double- stranded over at least about 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% of the length of the oligonucleotide. In some embodiments, the double- stranded oligonucleotide of the invention contains at least or up to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 mismatches.
• Oligonucleotides associated with the invention can be modified such as at the sugar moiety, the phosphodiester linkage, and/or the base.
• sugar moieties includes natural, unmodified sugars, including pentose, ribose and deoxyribose, modified sugars and sugar analogs. Modifications of sugar moieties can include replacement of a hydroxyl group with a halogen, a heteroatom, or an aliphatic group, and can include functionalization of the hydroxyl group as, for example, an ether, amine or thiol.
• Modification of sugar moieties can include 2'-0-methyl nucleotides, which are referred to as "methylated.”
• oligonucleotides associated with the invention may only contain modified or unmodified sugar moieties, while in other instances, oligonucleotides contain some sugar moieties that are modified and some that are not.
• modified nucleomonomers include sugar- or backbone-modified ribonucleotides.
• Modified ribonucleotides can contain a non-naturally occurring base such as uridines or cytidines modified at the 5'-position, e.g., 5'-(2-amino)propyl uridine and 5'- bromo uridine; adenosines and guanosines modified at the 8-position, e.g., 8-bromo guanosine; deaza nucleotides, e.g. , 7-deaza-adenosine; and N-alkylated nucleotides, e.g.
• sugar-modified ribonucleotides can have the 2'-OH group replaced by an H, alkoxy (or OR), R or alkyl, halogen, SH, SR, amino (such as NH 2 , NHR, NR 2> ), or CN group, wherein R is lower alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl.
• modified ribonucleotides can have the phosphodiester group connecting to adjacent ribonucleotides replaced by a modified group, such as a phosphorothioate group.
• 2'-0-methyl modifications can be beneficial for reducing undesirable cellular stress responses, such as the interferon response to double- stranded nucleic acids.
• the sugar moiety can also be a hexose.
• alkyl includes saturated aliphatic groups, including straight-chain alkyl groups (e.g. , methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, etc.), branched-chain alkyl groups (isopropyl, tert-butyl, isobutyl, etc.), cycloalkyl (alicyclic) groups (cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl), alkyl substituted cycloalkyl groups, and cycloalkyl substituted alkyl groups.
• straight-chain alkyl groups e.g. , methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decy
• a straight chain or branched chain alkyl has 6 or fewer carbon atoms in its backbone (e.g. , Q-C 6 for straight chain, C3-C 6 for branched chain), and more preferably 4 or fewer.
• preferred cycloalkyls have from 3-8 carbon atoms in their ring structure, and more preferably have 5 or 6 carbons in the ring structure.
• C C 6 includes alkyl groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
• alkyl includes both "unsubstituted alkyls” and “substituted alkyls,” the latter of which refers to alkyl moieties having independently selected substituents replacing a hydrogen on one or more carbons of the hydrocarbon backbone.
• alkenyl includes unsaturated aliphatic groups analogous in length and possible substitution to the alkyls described above, but that contain at least one double bond.
• alkenyl includes both "unsubstituted alkenyls” and “substituted alkenyls,” the latter of which refers to alkenyl moieties having independently selected substituents replacing a hydrogen on one or more carbons of the hydrocarbon backbone.
• base includes the known purine and pyrimidine heterocyclic bases, deazapurines, and analogs (including heterocyclic substituted analogs, e.g., aminoethyoxy phenoxazine), derivatives (e.g. , 1-alkyl-, 1-alkenyl-, heteroaromatic- and 1-alkynyl derivatives) and tautomers thereof.
• purines include adenine, guanine, inosine, diaminopurine, and xanthine and analogs (e.g., 8-oxo-N 6 -methyladenine or 7-diazaxanthine) and derivatives thereof.
• Pyrimidines include, for example, thymine, uracil, and cytosine, and their analogs (e.g., 5-methylcytosine, 5-methyluracil, 5-(l-propynyl)uracil, 5-(l- propynyl)cytosine and 4,4-ethanocytosine).
• suitable bases include non- purinyl and non-pyrimidinyl bases such as 2-aminopyridine and triazines.
• the nucleomonomers of a oligonucleotide of the invention are RNA nucleotides, including modified RNA nucleotides.
• nucleoside includes bases which are covalently attached to a sugar moiety, preferably ribose or deoxyribose.
• examples of preferred nucleosides include ribonucleosides and deoxyribonucleosides.
• Nucleosides also include bases linked to amino acids or amino acid analogs which may comprise free carboxyl groups, free amino groups, or protecting groups. Suitable protecting groups are well known in the art (see P. G. M. Wuts and T. W. Greene, "Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis", 2 nd Ed., Wiley- Interscience, New York, 1999).
• linkage used in the context of an internucleotide linkage includes a naturally occurring, unmodified phosphodiester moiety (-0-(PO )-0-) that covalently couples adjacent nucleomonomers.
• substitute linkage or “modified linkage” or modified internucleotide linkage” includes any analog or derivative of the native phosphodiester group that covalently couples adjacent nucleomonomers. Substitute linkages include phosphodiester analogs, e.g.
• Nonphosphorus containing linkages e.g. , acetals and amides.
• Such substitute linkages are known in the art (e.g. , Bjergarde et al. 1991. Nucleic Acids Res. 19:5843; Caruthers et al. 1991. Nucleosides Nucleotides. 10:47).
• non-hydrolizable linkages are preferred, such as phosphorothioate linkages.
• oligonucleotides of the invention comprise 3' and 5' termini (except for circular oligonucleotides).
• the 3' and 5' termini of a oligonucleotide can be substantially protected from nucleases, for example, by modifying the 3' or 5' linkages (e.g. , U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,902 and WO 98/13526).
• Oligonucleotides can be made resistant by the inclusion of a "blocking group.”
• the term "blocking group” as used herein refers to substituents (e.g.
• oligonucleotides or nucleomonomers that can be attached to oligonucleotides or nucleomonomers, either as protecting groups or coupling groups for synthesis (e.g. , FITC, propyl (CH 2 -CH 2 -CH 3 ), glycol (-O-CH 2 -CH 2 -O-) phosphate (PO 3 " ), hydrogen phosphonate, or phosphoramidite).
• “Blocking groups” also include "end blocking groups” or "exonuclease blocking groups” which protect the 5' and 3' termini of the oligonucleotide, including modified nucleotides and non-nucleotide exonuclease resistant structures.
• Exemplary end-blocking groups include cap structures (e.g., a 7-methylguanosine cap), inverted nucleomonomers, e.g., with 3'-3' or 5 '-5' end inversions (see, e.g. , Ortiagao et al. 1992. Antisense Res. Dev. 2: 129), methylphosphonate, phosphoramidite, non-nucleotide groups (e.g. , non-nucleotide linkers, amino linkers, conjugates) and the like.
• the 3' terminal nucleomonomer can comprise a modified sugar moiety.
• the 3' terminal nucleomonomer comprises a 3'-0 that can optionally be substituted by a blocking group that prevents 3'- exonuclease degradation of the oligonucleotide.
• the 3'-hydroxyl can be esterified to a nucleotide through a 3' ⁇ 3' internucleotide linkage.
• the alkyloxy radical can be methoxy, ethoxy, or isopropoxy, and preferably, ethoxy.
• the 3' ⁇ 3'linked nucleotide at the 3' terminus can be linked by a substitute linkage.
• the 5' most 3' ⁇ 5' linkage can be a modified linkage, e.g., a phosphorothioate or a P-alkyloxyphosphotriester linkage.
• the two 5' most 3' ⁇ 5' linkages are modified linkages.
• the 5' terminal hydroxy moiety can be esterified with a phosphorus containing moiety, e.g., phosphate, phosphorothioate, or P- ethoxypho sphate .
• oligonucleotides can be chimeric RNA-DNA oligonucleotides which include both DNA and RNA.
• the oligonucleotides are preferably in the range of 6 to 100 bases in length.
• nucleic acids of any size greater than 4 nucleotides are capable of inducing a biological response according to the invention if sufficient stimulatory motifs are present.
• the nucleic acid is in the range of between 8 and 100 and in some embodiments between 8 and 50 or 8 and 30 nucleotides in size.
• the oligonucleotides have a modified backbone such as a phosphorothioate (PS) backbone. In other embodiments the oligonucleotides have a phosphodiester (PO) backbone. In yet other embodiments oligonucleotides have a mixed or chimeric PO and PS backbone.
• PS phosphorothioate
• PO phosphodiester
• the nanostructure may also include an antigen.
• An antigen as used herein is a molecule capable of provoking an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies.
• Antigens include but are not limited to cells, cell extracts, proteins, polypeptides, peptides, polysaccharides, polysaccharide conjugates, peptide and non-peptide mimics of polysaccharides and other molecules, small molecules, lipids, glycolipids, carbohydrates, viruses and viral extracts and muticellular organisms such as parasites and allergens.
• the term antigen broadly includes any type of molecule which is recognized by a host immune system as being foreign.
• Antigens include but are not limited to cancer antigens, microbial antigens, and allergens.
• Antigen can be attached to the structures by the externally-facing oligonucleotide through covalent or non-covalent, e.g. Watson/Crick hybridization.
• the antigen may be incorporated into the liposomal bilayer via conjugation to a hydrophobic moiety ( Figures 2-3).
• the data presented herein demonstrates that this form of antigen delivery provokes unexpectedly more potent induction of immune stimulatory effects in vitro ( Figure 10) and induces effective antigen processing and presentation, leading to effective induction of an anti-tumor immune response in vivo at highly unexpected levels (Figure 11-12).
• antigen may be incorporated inside the inner aqueous layer of the liposome (Figure 3).
• antigen is conjugated to the liposomal nanostructure via interactions with the oligonucleotide shell ( Figure 2).
• the antigen -oligonucleotide conjugate is linked to the liposomal core through oligonucleotide hybridization.
• the oligonucleotide is hybridized to a complementary or partially complementary oligonucleotide to form a duplex or partial duplex.
• oligonucleotides of the duplex is linked directly to the liposomal core and the antigen which is external facing (on the outside of the lipid bilayer) or which is internal (in the inner aqueous layer) and not directly linked to the liposomal core is linked to one or both of the oligonucleotides in the duplex.
• antigen is conjugated to the liposomal nanostructure via direct interactions with the liposomal core ( Figure 3).
• the antigen can be anchored to the surface of the liposomal core through conjugation to one or a multiplicity of linker molecules including but not limited to: tocopherols, sphingolipids such as sphingosine, sphingosine phosphate, methylated sphingosines and sphinganines, ceramides, ceramide phosphates, 1-0 acyl ceramides, dihydroceramides, 2-hydroxy ceramides, sphingomyelin, glycosylated sphingolipids, sulfatides, gangliosides, phosphosphingolipids, and
• phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidic acids, lysophosphatidic acids, cyclic LPA, phosphatidylethanolamines,
• lysophosphatidylethanolamines phosphatidylglycerols, lysophosphatidylglycerols, phosphatidylserines, lysophosphatidylserines, phosphatidylinositols, inositol phosphates, LPI, cardiolipins, lysocardiolipins, bis(monoacylglycero) phosphates, (diacylglycero) phosphates, ether lipids, diphytanyl ether lipids, and plasmalogens of various lengths, saturation states, and their derivatives, sterols such as cholesterol, desmosterol, stigmasterol, lanosterol, lathosterol, diosgenin, sitosterol, zymosterol, zymostenol, 14-demethyl- lanosterol, cholesterol sulfate, DHEA, DHEA sulfate, 14
• a cancer antigen as used herein is a compound, such as a peptide or protein, associated with a tumor or cancer cell surface and which is capable of provoking an immune response when expressed on the surface of an antigen presenting cell in the context of an MHC molecule.
• Cancer antigens can be prepared from cancer cells either by preparing crude extracts of cancer cells, for example, as described in Cohen, et al., 1994, Cancer Research, 54: 1055, by partially purifying the antigens, by recombinant technology, or by de novo synthesis of known antigens.
• Cancer antigens include but are not limited to antigens that are recombinantly expressed, an immunogenic portion of, or a whole tumor or cancer. Such antigens can be isolated or prepared recombinantly or by any other means known in the art.
• a microbial antigen as used herein is an antigen of a microorganism and includes but is not limited to virus, bacteria, parasites, and fungi.
• antigens include the intact microorganism as well as natural isolates and fragments or derivatives thereof and also synthetic compounds which are identical to or similar to natural microorganism antigens and induce an immune response specific for that microorganism.
• a compound is similar to a natural microorganism antigen if it induces an immune response (humoral and/or cellular) to a natural microorganism antigen.
• Such antigens are used routinely in the art and are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
• Retroviridae e.g. human immunodeficiency viruses, such as HIV-1 (also referred to as HDTV-III, LAVE or HTLV-III/LAV, or HIV-III; and other isolates, such as HIV-LP;
• Picornaviridae e.g. polio viruses, hepatitis A virus; enteroviruses, human Coxsackie viruses, rhinoviruses, echoviruses); Calciviridae (e.g. strains that cause gastroenteritis); Togaviridae (e.g. equine encephalitis viruses, rubella viruses); Flaviridae (e.g. dengue viruses, encephalitis viruses, yellow fever viruses); Coronoviridae (e.g. coronaviruses); Rhabdoviradae (e.g. vesicular stomatitis viruses, rabies viruses); Filoviridae (e.g. ebola viruses); Paramyxoviridae (e.g.
• parainfluenza viruses mumps virus, measles virus, respiratory syncytial virus
• Orthomyxoviridae e.g. influenza viruses
• Bungaviridae e.g. Hantaan viruses, bunga viruses, phleboviruses and Nairo viruses
• Reoviridae e.g. reoviruses, orbiviurses and rotaviruses
• Papovaviridae papilloma viruses, polyoma viruses
• Adenoviridae most adenoviruses
• Herpesviridae herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes virus
• Herpesviridae variola viruses, vaccinia viruses, pox viruses
• Iridoviridae e.g. African swine fever virus
• other viruses e.g. the agent of delta hepatitis (thought to be a defective satellite of hepatitis B virus), Hepatitis C; Norwalk and related viruses, and astro viruses).
• Both gram negative and gram positive bacteria serve as antigens in vertebrate animals.
• Such gram positive bacteria include, but are not limited to, Pasteurella species, Staphylococci species, and Streptococcus species.
• Gram negative bacteria include, but are not limited to, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas species, and Salmonella species.
• infectious bacteria include but are not limited to, Helicobacter pyloris, Borelia burgdorferi, Legionella pneumophilia, Mycobacteria sps (e.g. M. tuberculosis, M. avium, M. intracellular e, M. kansaii, M.
• Streptococcus Streptococcus
• Streptococcus agalactiae Group B Streptococcus
• Streptococcus viridans group
• Streptococcus faecalis Streptococcus bovis
• Streptococcus anaerobic sps.
• Streptococcus pneumoniae pathogenic Campylobacter sp., Enterococcus sp., Haemophilus influenzae, Bacillus antracis, corynebacterium diphtheriae, corynebacterium sp.,
• Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Clostridium perfringers, Clostridium tetani, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pasturella multocida, Bacteroides sp., Fusobacterium nucleatum, Streptobacillus moniliformis, Treponema pallidium, Treponema per pneumonia, Leptospira, Rickettsia, and Actinomyces israelii.
• fungi examples include Cryptococcus neoformans, Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Candida albicans.
• infectious organisms include Plasmodium spp. such as
• Plasmodium falciparum Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium vivax and Toxoplasma gondii.
• Blood-borne and/or tissues parasites include Plasmodium spp., Babesia microti, Babesia diver gens, Leishmania tropica, Leishmania spp., Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma gambiense and Trypanosoma rhodesiense (African sleeping sickness), Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas' disease), and Toxoplasma gondii.
• cancer antigen and “tumor antigen” are used interchangeably.
• Cancer antigens are antigens which can potentially stimulate apparently tumor- specific immune responses. Some of these antigens are encoded, although not necessarily expressed, by normal cells. These antigens can be characterized as those which are normally silent (i.e., not expressed) in normal cells, those that are expressed only at certain stages of differentiation and those that are temporally expressed such as embryonic and fetal antigens.
• cancer antigens are encoded by mutant cellular genes, such as oncogenes (e.g., activated ras oncogene), suppressor genes (e.g., mutant p53), fusion proteins resulting from internal deletions or chromosomal translocations. Still other cancer antigens can be encoded by viral genes such as those carried on RNA and DNA tumor viruses.
• the nanostructures of the invention may be delivered to a subject in vivo or ex vivo for therapeutic and/or diagnostic use or may be used in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo for research purposes. Alternatively the nanostructures may be used for the purpose of provoking an immune response for generating reagents such as antibodies or cytokines which can be harvested.
• the nanostructures may be administered alone or in any appropriate pharmaceutical carrier, such as a liquid, for example saline, or a powder, for administration in vivo. They can also be co-delivered with larger carrier particles or within administration devices.
• the nanostructures may be formulated or unformulated.
• the formulations of the invention can be administered in pharmaceutically acceptable solutions, which may routinely contain pharmaceutically acceptable concentrations of salt, buffering agents, preservatives, compatible carriers, adjuvants, and optionally other therapeutic ingredients.
• nanostructures are mixed with a substance such as a lotion (for example, aquaphor) and are administered to the skin of a subject, whereby the nanostructures are delivered through the skin of the subject. It should be appreciated that any method of delivery of nanoparticles known in the art may be compatible with aspects of the invention.
• the nanostructures may also be sterile.
• an effective amount of the nanostructures can be administered to a subject by any mode that delivers the nanostructures to the desired cell.
• Administering pharmaceutical compositions may be accomplished by any means known to the skilled artisan. Routes of administration include but are not limited to oral, parenteral,
• the invention in one aspect involves the finding that the nanostructures of the invention are highly effective in mediating immune stimulatory effects.
• nanostructures are useful therapeutically and prophylactically for modulating the immune system to treat cancer, infectious diseases, allergy, asthma, autoimmune disease, and other disorders and to help protect against opportunistic infections following cancer chemotherapy.
• the nanostructures of the invention are useful as a vaccine for the treatment of a subject at risk of developing or a subject having allergy or asthma, an infection with an infectious organism or a cancer in which a specific cancer antigen has been identified.
• the nanostructures can also be formulated without an antigen or allergen for protection against infection, allergy or cancer, and in this case repeated doses may allow longer term protection.
• a subject at risk as used herein is a subject who has any risk of exposure to an infection causing pathogen or a cancer or an allergen or a risk of developing cancer.
• a subject at risk may be a subject who is planning to travel to an area where a particular type of infectious agent is found or it may be a subject who through lifestyle or medical procedures is exposed to bodily fluids which may contain infectious organisms or directly to the organism or even any subject living in an area where an infectious organism or an allergen has been identified.
• Subjects at risk of developing infection also include general populations to which a medical agency recommends vaccination with a particular infectious organism antigen. If the antigen is an allergen and the subject develops allergic responses to that particular antigen and the subject may be exposed to the antigen, i.e., during pollen season, then that subject is at risk of exposure to the antigen.
• a subject having an infection is a subject that has been exposed to an infectious pathogen and has acute or chronic detectable levels of the pathogen in the body.
• the nanostructures can be used with or without an antigen to mount an antigen specific systemic or mucosal immune response that is capable of reducing the level of or eradicating the infectious pathogen.
• An infectious disease as used herein, is a disease arising from the presence of a foreign microorganism in the body. It is particularly important to develop effective vaccine strategies and treatments to protect the body's mucosal surfaces, which are the primary site of pathogenic entry.
• a subject having a cancer is a subject that has detectable cancerous cells.
• the cancer may be a malignant or non-malignant cancer.
• Cancers or tumors include but are not limited to biliary tract cancer; brain cancer; breast cancer; cervical cancer; choriocarcinoma; colon cancer; endometrial cancer; esophageal cancer; gastric cancer; intraepithelial neoplasms; lymphomas; liver cancer; lung cancer (e.g. small cell and non-small cell); melanoma;
• the cancer is hairy cell leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, cutaneous T-cell leukemia, multiple myeloma, follicular lymphoma, malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, bladder cell carcinoma, or colon carcinoma.
• a subject shall mean a human or vertebrate animal including but not limited to a dog, cat, horse, cow, pig, sheep, goat, turkey, chicken, primate, e.g., monkey, and fish
• the invention can also be used to treat cancer and tumors, infections, autoimmune disease and allergy/asthma in non-human subjects.
• treat, treated, or treating when used with respect to an disorder such as an infectious disease, autoimmune disease, cancer, allergy, or asthma refers to a prophylactic treatment which increases the resistance of a subject to development of the disease (e.g., to infection with a pathogen) or, in other words, decreases the likelihood that the subject will develop the disease (e.g., become infected with the pathogen) as well as a treatment after the subject has developed the disease in order to fight the disease (e.g., reduce or eliminate the infection) or prevent the disease from becoming worse.
• a prophylactic treatment which increases the resistance of a subject to development of the disease (e.g., to infection with a pathogen) or, in other words, decreases the likelihood that the subject will develop the disease (e.g., become infected with the pathogen) as well as a treatment after the subject has developed the disease in order to fight the disease (e.g., reduce or eliminate the infection) or prevent the disease from becoming worse.
• the nanostructures of the invention may also be coated with or administered in conjunction with an anti-microbial agent.
• An anti-microbial agent refers to a naturally- occurring or synthetic compound which is capable of killing or inhibiting infectious microorganisms.
• the type of anti-microbial agent useful according to the invention will depend upon the type of microorganism with which the subject is infected or at risk of becoming infected.
• Anti-microbial agents include but are not limited to antibacterial agents, anti-viral agents, anti-fungal agents and anti-parasitic agents.
• anti-bacterial agents kill or inhibit bacteria, and include antibiotics as well as other synthetic or natural compounds having similar functions.
• Antibiotics are low molecular weight molecules which are produced as secondary metabolites by cells, such as microorganisms. In general, antibiotics interfere with one or more bacterial functions or structures which are specific for the microorganism and which are not present in host cells.
• Anti-viral agents can be isolated from natural sources or synthesized and are useful for killing or inhibiting viruses.
• Antifungal agents are used to treat superficial fungal infections as well as opportunistic and primary systemic fungal infections. Anti-parasite agents kill or inhibit parasites.
• the nanostructures of the invention may also be used for regulating the immune response such that the level of some immune factors are decreased.
• Achieving specific immune downregulation or "tolerance" is a significant challenge, as the prior art, in general, acts by broadly downregulating immune responses. This non-specific approach can lead to a high incidence of side effects, toxicity, and an increased risk of acquiring infectious diseases, among others. No commercially available compounds or structures have demonstrated the ability to induce potent and specific anti-inflammatory effects in the clinic.
• a challenge is delivery of the appropriate signals to immune cells, such as antigen, in the absence of additional co- stimulatory signals.
• an antigen can be delivered intracellularly efficiently via conjugation to a nanostructure of the invention in a manner that achieves or promotes tolerance.
• the methods may involve antagonizing toll-like receptors during the antigen delivery process in order to enhance the ability to induce antigen- specific tolerance.
• the nanostructures used for these embodiments of the invention include a liposomal core which is attached to an immune suppressor, such as a TLR 4 immune suppressor and
• oligonucleotides positioned on the exterior of the core.
• regulatory nanostructures are useful for downregulating an immune response or anytime it is desirable to induce tolerance. For instance, they are useful for treating and preventing autoimmune disease, allergy, asthma, or other conditions where a component of the pathology involves an overactive immune response, such as liver fibrosis or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
• a subject having an allergy is a subject that has or is at risk of developing an allergic reaction in response to an allergen.
• An allergy refers to acquired hypersensitivity to a substance (allergen). Allergic conditions include but are not limited to eczema, allergic rhinitis or coryza, hay fever, conjunctivitis, bronchial asthma, urticaria (hives) and food allergies, and other atopic conditions.
• An allergen refers to a substance (antigen) that can induce an allergic or asthmatic response in a susceptible subject.
• the list of allergens is enormous and can include pollens, insect venoms, animal dander dust, fungal spores and drugs (e.g. penicillin).
• Examples of natural, animal and plant allergens include but are not limited to proteins specific to the following genuses: Canine (Canis familiaris); Dermatophagoides (e.g. Dermatophagoides farinae); Felis (Felis domesticus); Ambrosia (Ambrosia artemiisfolia; Lolium (e.g. Folium perenne ox Folium multiflorum); Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica); Altemaria
• Periplaneta americana Agropyron (e.g. Agropyron repens); Secale (e.g. Secale cereale); Triticum (e.g. Triticum aestivum); Dactylis (e.g. Dactylis glomerata); Festuca (e.g. Festuca elatior); Poa (e.g. Poa pratensis or Poa compressa); Avena (e.g. Avena sativa); Holcus (e.g. Holcus lanatus); Anthoxanthum (e.g. Anthoxanthum odoratum); Arrhenatherum (e.g.
• Arrhenatherum elatius e.g. Agrostis alba
• Phleum e.g. Phleum pratense
• Phalaris e.g. Phalaris arundinacea
• Paspalum e.g. Paspalum notatum
• Sorghum e.g. Sorghum halepensis
• Bromus e.g. Bromus inermis
• Autoimmune disease is a class of diseases in which an subject's own antibodies react with host tissue or in which immune effector T cells are autoreactive to endogenous self peptides and cause destruction of tissue. Thus an immune response is mounted against a subject's own antigens, referred to as self antigens.
• Autoimmune diseases include but are not limited to rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), autoimmune encephalomyelitis, myasthenia gravis (MG),
• Hashimoto's thyroiditis Goodpasture's syndrome, pemphigus (e.g., pemphigus vulgaris), Grave's disease, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura, scleroderma with anti-collagen antibodies, mixed connective tissue disease, polymyositis, pernicious anemia, idiopathic Addison's disease, autoimmune-associated infertility, glomerulonephritis (e.g., crescentic glomerulonephritis, proliferative glomerulonephritis), bullous pemphigoid, Sjogren's syndrome, insulin resistance, and autoimmune diabetes mellitus.
• pemphigus e.g., pemphigus vulgaris
• Grave's disease autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura, scleroderma with anti-collagen antibodies, mixed connective tissue disease, polymyositis, pernicious
• a "self-antigen” as used herein refers to an antigen of a normal host tissue.
• Normal host tissue does not include cancer cells.
• an immune response mounted against a self- antigen in the context of an autoimmune disease, is an undesirable immune response and contributes to destruction and damage of normal tissue, whereas an immune response mounted against a cancer antigen is a desirable immune response and contributes to the destruction of the tumor or cancer.
• the nanostructure be formulated with self antigens, particularly those that are the targets of the autoimmune disorder.
• the nanostructures may include small amounts of self-antigens.
• mucosal administration of low doses of antigen can result in a state of immune hyporesponsiveness or "tolerance.”
• the active mechanism appears to be a cytokine-mediated immune deviation away from a Thl towards a predominantly Th2 and Th3 (i.e., TGF- ⁇ dominated) response.
• the active suppression with low dose antigen delivery can also suppress an unrelated immune response (bystander suppression) which is of considerable interest in the therapy of autoimmune diseases, for example, rheumatoid arthritis and SLE.
• Bystander suppression involves the secretion of Thl -counter-regulatory, suppressor cytokines in the local environment where
• Thl cytokines proinflammatory and Thl cytokines are released in either an antigen- specific or antigen- nonspecific manner.
• “Tolerance” as used herein is used to refer to this phenomenon.
• autoimmune disease is associated with a shift in antigen-specific humoral and cellular responses from a Thl to Th2/Th3 response.
• kits typically defines a package or an assembly including one or more of the compositions of the invention, and/or other compositions associated with the invention, for example, as previously described.
• kits typically defines a package or an assembly including one or more of the compositions of the invention, and/or other compositions associated with the invention, for example, as previously described.
• Each of the compositions of the kit if present, may be provided in liquid form (e.g., in solution), or in solid form (e.g., a dried powder).
• some of the compositions may be constitutable or otherwise processable (e.g., to an active form), for example, by the addition of a suitable solvent or other species, which may or may not be provided with the kit.
• kits associated with the invention includes one or more components of the nano structure.
• the kit may include liposomes for forming a liposome core, an immune stimulant or TLR4 immune suppressor and or oligonucleotides for the exterior of the nanostructure.
• a kit can also include one or more antigens and or other therapeutic agents.
• a kit of the invention may, in some cases, include instructions in any form that are provided in connection with the compositions of the invention in such a manner that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the instructions are to be associated with the compositions of the invention.
• the instructions may include instructions for the use, modification, mixing, diluting, preserving, administering, assembly, storage, packaging, and/or preparation of the compositions and/or other compositions associated with the kit.
• the instructions may also include instructions for the use of the compositions, for example, for a particular use, e.g., to a sample.
• the instructions may be provided in any form recognizable by one of ordinary skill in the art as a suitable vehicle for containing such instructions, for example, written or published, verbal, audible (e.g., telephonic), digital, optical, visual (e.g., videotape, DVD, etc.) or electronic communications (including Internet or web-based communications), provided in any manner.
• verbal e.g., telephonic
• digital e.g., optical, visual
• visual e.g., videotape, DVD, etc.
• electronic communications including Internet or web-based communications
• Example 1 In one embodiment reduced to practice, oligonucleotides of sequence 5'- TCCATGACGTTCCTGACGTT-3 ' (SEQ ID NO: l; designated as "CpG 1826") were 3'- modified with alpha-tocopherol and incorporated into small unilamellar vesicles composed of (92% w/w) l ⁇ -dioleoyl-sw-glycero-S-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) mixed with (8% w/w) monophosphoryl lipid A ( Figure 1).
• DOPC dioleoyl-sw-glycero-S-phosphatidylcholine
• these structures were further conjugated with ovalbumin, a model protein antigen via Watson-Crick type hybridization of an ovalbumin- oligo construct, where the oligo portion was complementary to CpG 1826 (5'- AACGTCAGGAACGTCATGGA-3 ' SEQ ID NO:2) ( Figure 2).
• the oligonucleotide here was selected on the basis of its ability to stimulate TLR9, whereas MPLA was selected for its ability to stimulate TLR4.
• DOPC l,2-dioleoyl-OT-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine
• DCM dichloromethane
• MPLA monophosphoryl lipid A
• the lipids were reconstituted in 10 mL of liposome buffer (150 mM NaCl, 20 mM HEPES) by vortex and sonication, then passed through 2-5 freeze thaw cycles prior to serial extrusion through 100 nm, 50 nm, then 30 nm extrusion membranes. Following extrusion, 1 umol of liposome buffer (150 mM NaCl, 20 mM HEPES) by vortex and sonication, then passed through 2-5 freeze thaw cycles prior to serial extrusion through 100 nm, 50 nm, then 30 nm extrusion membranes. Following extrusion, 1 umol of liposome buffer (150 mM NaCl, 20 mM HEPES) by vortex and sonication, then passed through 2-5 freeze thaw cycles prior to serial extrusion through 100 nm, 50 nm, then 30 nm extrusion membranes. Following extrusion, 1 umol of liposome
• oligonucleotide (5 ' -TCCATGACGTTCCTGACGTT-3 ' SEQ ID NO: l) with a 3 '-alpha- tocopherol group covalently attached) was mixed with the 26 mg of lipid and incubated overnight at 4C to form the liposomal SNAs. The following day, the liposomal SNAs were purified by tangential flow filtration using a 300 kDa membrane cutoff filter using >5 volume exchanges of lx PBS.
• Some liposomal SNAs were additionally modified to contain ovalbumin by conjugating the ovalbumin first to an oligonucleotide complementary to CpG 1826 (5'- AACGTCAGGAACGTCATGGA-3 ' SEQ ID NO:2).
• This ovalbumin- oligonucleotide conjugate was then hybridized to the liposomal SNAs by incubating at a 2-fold excess of ovalbumin-oligonucleotide conjugate relative to oligonucleotide on the liposomal SNA for 3 hours at 37C, followed by overnight incubation at 4C. Excess ovalbumin-oligonucleotide conjugate was removed by tangential flow filtration.
• RAW Blue cells (InVivoGen)
• SEAP alkaline phosphatase
• Ramos Blue cells (InvivoGen)
• Ramos Blue cells a reporter human B cell line derived from Ramos cells containing a NF-kB inducible SEAP were seeded at 306k cells/well in 180 uL per well and added to the test compounds on the 96 well plate.
• Ramos Blue cells do not have functional signaling through TLR4.
• the cells were incubated with the test compound overnight at 37C, 5% C02 in a humidified chamber. The following day, the supernatants were probed for SEAP activity using the QuantiBlue reagent (InVivoGen) following the manufacturer recommended protocol.
• the results show that liposomal SNAs which carry agonists of both TLR4 and TLR9 induce greater activation of the RAW Blue cells that either alone in isolation (Figure 4).
• the results show that activation of NF-kB by liposomal SNAs containing MPLA depended on functional TLR4, as the RAW Blue cell line but not the Ramos Blue cell line demonstrated NF-kB activation in response to stimulation (Figure 5).
• PBMCs peripheral blood mononuclear cells
• liposomal SNAs were developed with increasing MPLA feed from 3.8% (w/w) to 11.5% (w/w) and constructs containing both PO and PS linkages and tested them for activity in RAW Blue cells. In this cell line, it was observed that increasing the MPLA feed up to 7.7% MPLA but not up to 11.5% increased the potency of activation of the liposomal SNA (Figure 8). In the RAW Blue cells, a shift was observed in the potency of the liposomal SNA but not in the maximal stimulation (Figure 9), though this is anticipated to be species dependent.
• the invention encompasses all variations, combinations, and permutations in which one or more limitations, elements, clauses, and descriptive terms from one or more of the listed claims is introduced into another claim.
• any claim that is dependent on another claim can be modified to include one or more limitations found in any other claim that is dependent on the same base claim.
• elements are presented as lists, e.g., in Markush group format, each subgroup of the elements is also disclosed, and any element(s) can be removed from the group. It should it be understood that, in general, where the invention, or aspects of the invention, is/are referred to as comprising particular elements and/or features, certain embodiments of the invention or aspects of the invention consist, or consist essentially of, such elements and/or features.

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