Patent ID: 6627407
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for assessing the ability of a vaccine composition in a group consisting of two or more distinct vaccine compositions each having one or more nucleic acid molecules encoding one or more antigens which comprise the same T cell epitope, to stimulate a monoclonal human T cell response, said method comprising the steps of:(a) contacting human antigen presenting cells in culture with the vaccine composition, thereby, if one or more of the nucleic acid molecules are taken up and processed by said antigen presenting cells, producing one or more processed antigens; (b) contacting said antigen presenting cells of step (a) with monoclonal human T cells having a T cell receptor specific for the peptide encoded by said nucleic acid molecule(s) encoding one or more antigens which comprise said T cell epitope and known HLA allele for said T cells under conditions sufficient for said T cells to respond to the processed antigen; (c) determining the level of said T cells' response to the processed antigen; and, if the vaccine composition exceeds a predetermined level of said T cells' response, (d) assessing the vaccine composition in one or more human subjects.