An immunogen generally includes a virus-like particle and an antigen linked to the virus-like particle. The antigen includes an antigenic portion of a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide inhibits lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity by binding to LPL. In some embodiments, the polypeptide is at least a portion of angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3). In other embodiments, the polypeptide is at least a portion of angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4). In other embodiments, the polypeptide at least a portion of angiopoietin-like 8 (ANGPTL8). In some embodiments, the virus-like particle is a Qbeta immunogenic carrier. In some of these embodiments, the antigen is linked to the virus-like particle through a Gly-Gly-Gly-Cys linker at the C-terminal of the antigen.

An immunogen generally includes a virus-like particle and an antigen linked to the virus-like particle. The antigen includes an antigenic portion of a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide inhibits lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity by binding to LPL. In some embodiments, the polypeptide is at least a portion of angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3). In other embodiments, the polypeptide is at least a portion of angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4). In other embodiments, the polypeptide at least a portion of angiopoietin-like 8 (ANGPTL8). In some embodiments, the virus-like particle is a Qbeta immunogenic carrier. In some of these embodiments, the antigen is linked to the virus-like particle through a Gly-Gly-Gly-Cys linker at the C-terminal of the antigen.

A method of producing dendritic gold nanoparticles by combining a gold precursor solution, a reducing agent, and a bifunctional peptide having an amine-rich amino acid sequence into a buffered aqueous solution in a single container, and agitating the mixture causing the formation of the dendritic gold nanoparticles having a surface with a positive charge and a second end portion of the bifunctional peptide exposed on the surface of the dendritic gold nanoparticles. The dendritic gold nanoparticles may be used to deliver therapeutic, diagnostic, and/or immunogenic amino acid sequences as portions of the bifunctional peptide.

A method of producing dendritic gold nanoparticles by combining a gold precursor solution, a reducing agent, and a bifunctional peptide having an amine-rich amino acid sequence into a buffered aqueous solution in a single container, and agitating the mixture causing the formation of the dendritic gold nanoparticles having a surface with a positive charge and a second end portion of the bifunctional peptide exposed on the surface of the dendritic gold nanoparticles. The dendritic gold nanoparticles may be used to deliver therapeutic, diagnostic, and/or immunogenic amino acid sequences as portions of the bifunctional peptide.

Several embodiments of the present disclosure relate to therapeutic compositions configured to target the liver of a subject and that are useful in the treatment or prevention of one or more of transplant rejection, autoimmune disease, food allergy, and immune response against a therapeutic agent. In several embodiments, the compositions are configured to target the liver and deliver antigens to which tolerance is desired. In several embodiments, the compositions are configured for clearance of a circulating protein or peptide or antibody associated with one or more of the above-mentioned maladies. Methods and uses of the compositions for induction of immune tolerance are also disclosed herein.

Several embodiments of the present disclosure relate to therapeutic compositions configured to target the liver of a subject and that are useful in the treatment or prevention of one or more of transplant rejection, autoimmune disease, food allergy, and immune response against a therapeutic agent. In several embodiments, the compositions are configured to target the liver and deliver antigens to which tolerance is desired. In several embodiments, the compositions are configured for clearance of a circulating protein or peptide or antibody associated with one or more of the above-mentioned maladies. Methods and uses of the compositions for induction of immune tolerance are also disclosed herein.

Compositions and methods are described for inducing an immune response against extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) to thereby provide immune protection against diseases associated with ExPEC. In particular, compositions and methods are described for using conjugates of E. coli polysaccharide antigens O25B, O1A, O2, and O6A covalently bound to a detoxified exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (EPA) carrier protein as vaccines for the prevention of invasive ExPEC disease caused by ExPEC serotypes O1A, O2, O6A and O25B.

Compositions and methods are described for inducing an immune response against extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) to thereby provide immune protection against diseases associated with ExPEC. In particular, compositions and methods are described for using conjugates of E. coli polysaccharide antigens O25B, O1A, O2, and O6A covalently bound to a detoxified exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (EPA) carrier protein as vaccines for the prevention of invasive ExPEC disease caused by ExPEC serotypes O1A, O2, O6A and O25B.

The present disclosure provides T-cell modulatory multimeric polypeptides (T-Cell-MMPs) conjugated to a coronavirus epitope and comprising at least one immunomodulatory polypeptide (“MOD”) that may be selected to exhibit reduced binding affinity to a cognate co-immunomodulatory polypeptide (“Co-MOD”). By presenting the coronavirus epitope and MOD to a T-cell, the T-Cell-MMP-coronavirus epitope conjugates are useful for modulating the activity (e.g., increasing proliferation or cytotoxic activity) of T-cells specific to the coronavirus peptide in an epitope selective/specific manner, and accordingly, for treating individuals with a coronavirus infection.

The present invention is directed to virus-like particles (VLPs) preferably derived from Qbeta bacteriophage which are engineered to conjugate to derivatives of opioid drugs. The opioid drugs are conjugated at high density to the virus-like particles to achieve long-lasting and high titer antibodies to the drugs of interest. Methods of treatment are also described.