Disclosed is a nucleic acid molecule comprising a first expressible
sequence encoding a protein of interest or polypeptide of interest which
contains an MHC Class II-presented epitope. In addition, the nucleic acid
molecule comprises a second expressible nucleic acid sequence encoding an
antigen presentation enhancing hybrid polypeptide. The antigen
presentation enhancing hybrid polypeptide includes the following
elements: i) an N-terminal element consisting essentially of 4 16
residues of the mammalian Ii-Key peptide LRMKLPKPPKPVSKMR (SEQ ID NO: 1)
and non-N-terminal deletion modifications thereof that retain antigen
presentation enhancing activity; ii) a C-terminal element comprising an
MHC Class II-presented epitope in the form of a polypeptide or
peptidomimetic structure which binds to the antigenic peptide binding
site of an MHC class II molecule, the MHC Class II-presented epitope
being contained in the protein of interest of step a); and iii) an
intervening peptidyl structure linking the N-terminal and C-terminal
elements of the hybrid, the peptidyl structure having a length of about
20 amino acids or less.