Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Peptide containing doai
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-09
2004-03-09
Spector, Lorraine (Department: 1647)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Peptide containing doai
C424S192100, C536S023500, C530S350000, C530S351000, C530S387300, C435S069100, C435S069700, C435S320100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06703360
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to novel canine proteins, and more particularly to canine IgG and canine interleuken-13 receptor proteins, fusion proteins, nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins and methods of making and using the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Regulation of immune and inflammatory responses in animals is important in disease management. Immune responses can be regulated by modifying the activity of immunoregulatory molecules and immune cells. Such immunoregulatory molecules include, for example, cytokines, chemokines as well as soluble and membrane-bound immunoglobulin molecules.
One type of immunoregulatory molecule is immunoglobulin, a class of which is immunoglobulin G (IgG). The DNA and amino acid sequences of IgG molecules from several species have been reported. Peptides derived from known IgG sequences have been used to generate antibodies which alter IgG function. In humans and mice, IgGs have been fairly well characterized. In general, IgGs have been characterized by function and not DNA similarity since DNA similarity is not a reliable indicator of function.
Another type of immunoregulatory molecule is interleuken-13 (IL-13). Interleukin-13 is a cytokine produced by activated type 2 helper cells (Th2 cells). IL-13 promotes growth and differentiation of B cells, and IL-13 inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10 and interleukin-12 (designated as IL-1&agr;, IL-1&bgr;, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12, respectively), among others.
A cDNA encoding IL-13 was first isolated from the mouse in 1989 and the human homologue was isolated in 1993. The human IL-13 gene is located on chromosome 5 q 31 which is 12 kilobases (kb) upstream of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) gene. Given the close proximity of the two genes, it is not surprising that IL-13 and IL-4 proteins share 25% sequence identity in humans and 30% sequence identity in mice. IL-13 and IL-4 are often simultaneously produced (with other cytokines) by Th2 cells. Both IL-13 and IL-4 share functional characteristics, such as inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines, and up-regulating the MHC class II and CD23 expression on monocytes and/or macrophages in B cells. Furthermore, IL-4 and IL-13 induce the IgE class switch in human cells in vitro and trigger IgG and IgM synthesis.
Both IL-13 and IL-4 have long played a role in allergy and inflammation, but until recently it has been difficult to separate the roles of these cytokines. Th2 cells are important participants in allergic conditions; as Th2 cells differentiate they produce cytokines directly or signal other allergic effector cells which induce and maintain allergic inflammatory responses. It is proposed that an allergen stimulates Th2 cells to produce IL-13 and/or IL-4, which in turn binds to IL-4R and/or IL-13R, signaling induction of IgE synthesis on B cells. Allergen-specific IgE then binds to IgE receptors on mast cells and basophils activating these cells and causing release of mediators of allergic inflammation. Induction of allergen specific Th2 differentiation represents a hallmark of allergic disease because cytokines produced by these cells induce and maintain allergic inflammatory processes. Th2 cells selectively develop and expand in the presence of IL-4. In humans, IL-13 fails to induce Th2-cell differentiation due to the lack of functional IL-13 receptors on T cells. IL-13 and IL-4 both induce IgE synthesis on B cells though IL-13 appears to be less potent in humans.
IL-4 and IL-13 receptors (referred to as IL-4R and IL-13R, respectively) share structural homology, in that both receptor complexes contain the IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4R&agr;) chain which is required for signal transduction. Binding of IL-13 or IL-4 to IL-4R and IL-13R results in comparable signaling pathways. For example, if monoclonal antibodies are directed against the IL-4R&agr; chain (part of both the IL-4 and IL-13R complexes) IL-4 and IL-13 activity would be inhibited. Inhibition of biological activity of either of these cytokines would cause downstream regulation changes suggesting the importance of IL-4R□ for signal transduction. IL-13R can also function as a second receptor for IL-4 in cases where the IL-4R complex is compromised.
IL-13R is expressed on many cell types such as B cells, monocytes, macrophages, basophils, eosinophils, mast cells, endothelial cells, keratinocytes and some types of tumor cells, but active receptors have not been found on human T cells or murine B cells. Generally IL-13R is present in high numbers and thought to bind IL-13 with high affinity. The human IL-13 receptor complex consists of the 140-kilodalton (kD) IL-4R&agr; chain, which binds IL-4 but not IL-13, and an IL-13 binding protein. cDNAs encoding two different IL-13R&agr; (designated as IL-13R&agr;1 and IL-13R&agr;2) proteins have been isolated from humans and mice. Human IL-13R&agr;1 consists of 427 amino acids and binds IL-13 with low affinity (kD~4 nanomoles/Liter) while human IL-13R&agr;2 is a 380 amino acid protein, which binds IL-13 with high affinity (kD~50 picomoles/Liter).
Differences in IL-13 and IL-13R have been observed between species. Functional IL-13R is found on B cells in humans, while no functional IL-13R is found on B cells in mice. As such, no IgE response can be elicited from mouse B cells, so the role of IL-13 in stimulating IgE synthesis in mice remains unclear. However, it has recently been shown that IL-4 deficient mice are able to produce IgE, presumably through an IL-13 and IL-4 independent pathway. Given the differences in IL-13 activity between human and mouse, there would be no way to predict the IL-13 activity in other species, including dogs. As such there remains a need for compounds and methods to regulate an immune response in dogs through manipulation of IL-13 and IL-13R activities. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to canine IgG and canine interleuken-13 receptor (IL-13R) proteins as well as fusion proteins containing regions from canine IgG, canine IL-13R proteins or both. Also included are nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins as well as recombinant constructs and cells containing the nucleic acid molecules, antibodies to the isolated proteins of the present invention, therapeutic compositions useful for treating canine IgG (heavy and/or light chain) and/or canine IL-13R mediated responses including, for example, vaccines, inhibitors of the proteins and/or nucleic acid molecules, methods for treating canine IgG (heavy and/or light chain) and/or canine IL-13R-mediated responses, methods for eliciting a canine IgG (heavy and/or light chain) and/or canine IL-13R mediated immune response, and kits containing the compositions of the present invention.
In one aspect the present invention relates to different canine IgG nucleic acid molecules and the corresponding encoded amino acid sequences. In particular, the present invention relates to isolated canine IgG nucleic acid molecules having one of the following nucleic acid sequences:
(a) a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 55% identity SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:7, or SEQ ID NO: 13, wherein said identity can be determined using a DNAsis computer program and default parameters;
(b) a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO: 10, or SEQ ID NO: 16, wherein said identity is determined using the DNAsis computer program and default parameters;
(c) a nucleic acid sequence which encodes a first amino acid sequence which has at least 40% identity to SEQ ID NO:2, or SEQ ID NO: 14, wherein said identity is determined using the DNAsis computer program and default parameters;
(d) a nucleic acid sequence which encodes a second amino acid sequence which has at least 90% identity SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO: 11 or SEQ ID NO: 17 wherein said identity is determined using the DNAsis computer program and default parameters
McCall Catherine A.
Tang Liang
Heska Corporation
Heska Corporation
Spector Lorraine
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