Patent ID: 7329408

Claim:
A method of eliciting a humoral immune response against a hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 or E1E2 antigen comprising the step of (a) administering to a subject (i) a composition comprising an isolated polynucleotide encoding an HCV E1E2 antigen, wherein the E1E2 antigen consists of an HCV E1 polypeptide and an HCV E2 polypeptide and optionally an HCV p7 polypeptide, and further wherein the E1E2 antigen encoded by the polynucleotide consists of a sequence selected from the group consisting of a sequence of amino acids corresponding to amino acids 192-715 and optionally amino acids 747-809 numbered relative to the HCV-1 polyprotein, a sequence of amino acids corresponding to amino acids 192-661 and optionally amino acids 747-809 numbered relative to the HCV-1 polyprotein, and a sequence of amino acids corresponding to amino acids 192-674 and optionally amino acids 747-809 numbered relative to the HCV-1 polyprotein, or (ii) a composition comprising an isolated polynucleotide encoding a truncated E2 antigen, wherein said truncated E2 antigen does not include the p7 polypeptide, wherein the E2 antigen encoded by the polynucleotide consists of a sequence selected from the group consisting of a sequence of amino acids corresponding to amino acids 384-715 numbered relative to the HCV-1 polyprotein, a sequence of amino acids corresponding to amino acids 384-661 numbered relative to the HCV-1 polyprotein, and a sequence of amino acids corresponding to amino acids 384-674 numbered relative to the HCV-1 polyprotein, wherein the E2 or E1E2 antigen encoded by the polynucleotide is produced intracellularly and not secreted when expressed in cells of the subject.