A composition and method for activating immune cellser-vivo, or inducing an immune response in a subject including a composition comprising at least one chiral cationic lipid. The chiral cationic lipid in one embodiment comprises a nonsteroidal cationic lipid having a structure represented by the formulawherein in R1is a quaternary ammonium group, Y1is a spacer chosen from a hydrocarbon chain, an ester, a ketone, and a peptide, C* is a chiral carbon, R2and R3are independently chosen from a saturated fatty acid, an unsaturated fatty acid, an ester-linked hydrocarbon, phosphor-diesters, and combinations thereof.本發明提供用於一種激活離體免疫細胞、或在個體中誘導免疫反應之組合物及方法,其包括包含至少一種對掌性陽離子性脂質之組合物。在一個實施例中,該對掌性陽離子性脂質包含具有由下式表示之結構的非類固醇陽離子性脂質:其中R1係四級銨基團,Y1係選自烴鏈、酯、酮、及肽之間隔體,C*係對掌性碳,R2及R3獨立地選自飽和脂肪酸、不飽和脂肪酸、與酯連接之烴、磷酸二酯、及其組合。
