The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for norovirus therapeutics, such as vaccines, and diagnostics.

The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for norovirus therapeutics, such as vaccines, and diagnostics.

Described is a targeting construct encoding a modified Sindbis virus envelope protein, comprising mutations in the E1, E2 and/or E3 proteins, fused with a monomeric biotin-binding molecule. Lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with the novel envelope proteins, such as E2 71 eMA and E2 71 mSAH, can be conjugated with biotinylated targeting ligands The conjugated ligands mediate specific binding and transduction of the target cell types. This lentiviral transduction system can be used to selectively deliver transgenes into specific cell types in vivo, which increases the numbers of vectors reaching the targeted cells and tissues and decreases adverse effects in non-targeted cells and tissues. The vectors transduce B cells without conjugation of targeting ligands. The B cell type most efficiently transduced in this manner is long-lived plasma cells, and thus can be used for long-term transgene expression.

Immunomodulatory compositions that include at least one alphavirus capsid protein and methods of using such immunomodulatory compositions. In one aspect, methods of immunomodulating IL-1/TLR signaling in a cell are provided. Such methods typically include contacting the cell with an alphavirus capsid protein or a portion thereof, thereby immunomodulating IL-1/TLR signaling in the cell.

A virus like particle comprising a viral structural protein which comprises modified envelope protein E3. The viral structural protein may be that derived from or alphavirus or flavivirus. Especially, the viral structural protein may be derived from Chikungunya virus or Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.