Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Micro-organism – tissue cell culture or enzyme using process... – Recombinant dna technique included in method of making a...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-05-19
2003-02-11
Spector, Lorraine (Department: 1646)
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Micro-organism, tissue cell culture or enzyme using process...
Recombinant dna technique included in method of making a...
C435S069100, C435S320100, C435S325000, C435S252300, C435S069500, C530S351000, C530S350000, C536S023500, C536S023400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06518046
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides, polypeptides encoded by such polynucleotides, the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides, as well as the production of such polynucleotides and polypeptides. More particularly, the polypeptides of the present invention are human chemokine beta-9 sometimes hereinafter referred to as “Ck&bgr;-9”. The invention also relates to inhibiting the action of such polypeptides.
Chemokines, also referred to as intercrine cytokines, are a subfamily of structurally and functionally related cytokines. These molecules are 8-10 kd in size. In general, chemokines exhibit 20% to 75% homology at the amino acid level and are characterized by four conserved cysteine residues that form two disulfide bonds. Based on the arrangement of the first two cysteine residues, chemokines have been classified into two subfamilies, alpha and beta. In the alpha subfamily, the first two cysteines are separated by one amino acid and hence are referred to as the “C—X—C” subfamily. In the beta subfamily, the two cysteines are in an adjacent position and are, therefore, referred to as the “C—C” subfamily. Thus far, at least eight different members of this family have been identified in humans.
The intercrine cytokines exhibit a wide variety of functions. A hallmark feature is their ability to elicit chemotactic migration of distinct cell types, including monocytes, neutrophils, T lymphocytes, basophils and fibroblasts. Many chemokines have pro-inflammatory activity and are involved in multiple steps during an inflammatory reaction. These activities include stimulation of histamine release, lysosomal enzyme and leukotriene release, increased adherence of target immune cells to endothelial cells, enhanced binding of complement proteins, induced expression of granulocyte adhesion molecules and complement receptors, and respiratory burst. In addition to their involvement in inflammation, certain chemokines have been shown to exhibit other activities. For example, macrophage inflammatory protein 1 (MIP-1) is able to suppress hematopoietic stem cell proliferation, platelet factor-4 (PF-4) is a potent inhibitor of endothelial cell growth, Interleukin-3 (IL-8) promotes proliferation of keratinocytes, and GRO is an autocrine growth factor for melanoma cells.
In light of the diverse biological activities, it is not surprising that chemokines have been implicated in a number of physiological and disease conditions, including lymphocyte trafficking, wound healing, hematopoietic regulation and immunological disorders such as allergy, asthma and arthritis.
Members of the “C—C” branch exert there effects on the following cells: eosinophils which destroy parasites to lessen parasitic infection and cause chronic inflammation in the airways of the respiratory system; macrophages which suppress tumor formation in vertebrates; and basophils which release histamine which plays a role in allergic inflammation. However, members of one branch may exert an effect on cells which are normally responsive to the other branch of chemokines and, therefore, no precise role can be attached to the members of the branches.
While members of the C—C branch act predominantly on mononuclear cells and members of the C—X—C branch act predominantly on neutrophils a distinct chemoattractant property cannot be assigned to a chemokine based on this guideline. Some chemokines from one family show characteristics of the other.
The polypeptide of the present invention has been putatively identified as Ck&bgr;-9 based on amino acid sequence homology.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there are provided novel polypeptides as well as biologically active and diagnostically or therapeutically useful fragments, analogs and derivatives thereof. The polypeptide of the present invention is of human origin.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there are provided isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding the polypeptide of the present invention, including mRNAs, DNAs, cDNAs, genomic DNAs as well as analogs and biologically active and diagnostically or therapeutically useful fragments and derivatives thereof.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques comprising culturing recombinant prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic host cells, containing a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide of the present invention, under conditions promoting expression of said protein and subsequent recovery of said protein.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for utilizing such polypeptides, or polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides for therapeutic purposes, for example, to treat solid tumors, chronic infections, auto-immune diseases, psoriasis, asthma, allergy, to regulate hematopoiesis, and to promote wound healing.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, there are provided antibodies against such polypeptides.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there are provided antagonists to such polypeptides, which may be used to inhibit the action of such polypeptides, for example, in the treatment of auto-immune diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases, histamine-mediated allergic reactions, asthma, arthritis, prostaglandin-independent fever, bone marrow failure, silicosis, sarcoidosis, hyper-eosinophilic syndrome and lung inflammation.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, there are also provided nucleic acid probes comprising nucleic acid molecules of sufficient length to specifically hybridize to a nucleic acid sequence of the present invention.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there are provided diagnostic assays for detecting diseases related to the expression of the polypeptide and mutations in the nucleic acid sequences encoding such polypeptide.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for utilizing such polypeptides, or polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides, for in vitro purposes related to scientific research, synthesis of DNA and manufacture of DNA vectors.
These and other aspects of the present invention should be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein.
The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention as encompassed by the claims.
FIG. 1
displays the cDNA sequence and corresponding deduced amino acid sequence of Ck&bgr;-9. The initial 23 amino acids represent the leader sequence such that the putative mature polypeptide comprises 111 amino acids. The standard one-letter abbreviation for amino acids is used.
FIG. 2
displays the amino acid sequence homology between Ck&bgr;-9 and the mature peptide of eotaxin (bottom).
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there are provided isolated nucleic acids (polynucleotides) which encode for the mature polypeptides having the deduced amino acid sequences of
FIG. 1
(SEQ ID No. 2) or for the mature polypeptide encoded by the cDNA of the clones deposited as ATCC Deposit No. 75803 on Jun. 7, 1994.
This ATCC number is directed to a biological deposit with the ATCC, located at American Type Culture Collection, 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas. Va. 20110-2209.
The polynucleotide encoding Ck&bgr;-9 was discovered in a cDNA library derived from a human breast lymph node. Ck&bgr;-9 is structurally related to the chemokine family. It contains an open reading frame encoding a protein of 134 amino acid residues of which approximately the first 23 amino acids residues are the putative leader sequence such that the mature protein comprises 111 amino acids. The protein exhibits the highest degree of homology to eotaxin with 32% identity and 69% similarity over a stretch of 75 amino acid residues. It is also important that the four spatially conserved cysteine residues in chemokines are found in the polype
Adams Mark D.
Li Haodong
Human Genome Sciences Inc.
Human Genome Sciences Inc.
Lazar-Wesley Eliane
Spector Lorraine
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