A method of modulating immune response in an animal is disclosed. Such a
method comprises: interacting the immature dendritic cells from the
animal with an antigen ex vivo so that the immature dendritic cells
present the antigen on their surfaces, inducing maturation of the
immature dendritic cells ex vivo, and contacting the mature dendritic
cells ex vivo with a modulator comprising TRANCE, conservative variants
thereof, fragments thereof, analogs or derivatives thereof, or a fusion
protein comprising the amino acid sequence of TRANCE, conservative
variants thereof, or fragments thereof. After contacting the modulator ex
vivo, the mature dendritic cells are introduced into the animal. As a
result, immune response in the animal towards the antigen is modulated
relative to the immune response against the antigen in an animal in which
dendritic cells did not interact with the antigen ex vivo, and did not
contact a modulator ex vivo. Preferably, the method of the present
invention results in increasing immune response towards the antigen in
the animal.