Compositions and methods for inducing, enhancing, or promoting an immune response are disclosed. In some embodiments the increased immune response is against an antigen such as a tumor antigen or a viral antigen. Immune responses include activation of cytotoxic T cells to kill cells displaying the antigen. In some embodiments, the methods include contacting cells with an effective amount of a transcription factor A-mitochondrial (TFAM) fusion protein to increase expression of a Major Histocompatibility Complex I (MHC I), reduce expression of HLA-G on the surface of cells, or increase expression of one or more cytokines or chemokines Methods of treating cancer are also disclosed.
