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
2000-06-20
2002-08-13
Eyler, Yvonne (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...
C435S069500, C435S069100, C435S320100, C435S325000, C536S023500, C530S350000, C530S351000, C530S324000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06432678
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to newly identified polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides, to their use in identifying compounds that may be agonists and/or antagonists that are potentially useful in therapy, and to production of such polypeptides and polynucleotides.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The drug discovery process is currently undergoing a fundamental revolution as it embraces ‘functional genomics,’ that is, high throughput genome- or gene-based biology. This approach is rapidly superseding earlier approaches based on ‘positional cloning.’ A phenotype, that is a biological function or genetic disease, would be identified and this would then be tracked back to the responsible gene, based on its genetic map position.
Functional genomics relies heavily on the various tools of bioinformatics to identify gene sequences of potential interest from the many molecular biology databases now available. There is a continuing need to identify and characterize further genes and their related polypeptides/proteins, as targets for drug discovery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to Macaca cynomolgus IL18, in particular Macaca cynomolgus IL18 polypeptides and Macaca cynomolgus IL18 polynucleotides, recombinant materials and methods for their production. In another aspect, the invention relates to methods for identifying agonists and antagonists/inhibitors of the Macaca cynomolgus IL18 gene. This invention further relates to the generation of in vitro and in vivo comparison data relating to the polynucleotides and polypeptides in order to predict oral absorption and pharmacokinetics in man of compounds that either agonize or antagonize the biological activity of such polynucleotides or polypeptides. Such a comparison of data will enable the selection of drugs with optimal pharmacokinetics in man, i.e., good oral bioavailability, blood-brain barrier penetration, plasma half life, and minimum drug interaction.
The present invention further relates to methods for creating transgenic animals, which overexpress or underexpress or have regulatable expression of a IL18 gene and “knock-out” animals, preferably mice, in which an animal no longer expresses a IL18 gene. Furthermore, this invention relates to transgenic and knock-out animals obtained by using these methods. Such animal models are expected to provide valuable insight into the potential pharmacological and toxicological effects in humans of compounds that are discovered by the aforementioned screening methods as well as other methods. An understanding of how a Macaca cynomolgus IL18 gene functions in these animal models is expected to provide an insight into treating and preventing human diseases including, but not limited to: cancer and auto-immune diseases, hereinafter referred to as “the Diseases”, amongst others.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, the present invention relates to Macaca cynomolgus IL18 polypeptides. Such polypeptides include isolated polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence having at least a 95% identity, most preferably at least a 97-99% identity, to that of SEQ ID NO:2 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:2. Such polypeptides include those comprising the amino acid of SEQ ID NO:2.
(a) an isolated polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the sequence contained in SEQ ID NO:1;
(b) an isolated polypeptide comprising a polypeptide sequence having at least a 95%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;
(c) an isolated polypeptide comprising the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;(d) an isolated polypeptide having at least a 95%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;
(e) the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and
(f) variants and fragments thereof; and portions of such polypeptides in (a) to (e) that generally contain at least 30 amino acids, more preferably at least 50 amino acids, thereof.
Polypeptides of the present invention are believed to be members of the cytokine family of polypeptides. They are, therefore, of interest, because IL18 is a known immunomodulator, including the induction of IFN-&ggr; production by T cells and splenocytes, enhancing NK cell activity, promoting T cell proliferation, and enhancing cell mediated immunity. Furthermore, the polypeptides of the present invention can be used to establish assays to predict oral absorption and pharmacokinetics in man and thus enhance compound and formulation design, among others. These properties, either alone or in the aggregate, are hereinafter referred to as “Macaca cynomolgus IL18 activity” or “Macaca cynomolgus IL18 polypeptide activity” or “biological activity of IL18.” Preferably, a polypeptide of the present invention exhibits at least one biological activity of Macaca cynomolgus IL18.
Polypeptides of the present invention also include variants of the aforementioned polypeptides, including alleles and splice variants. Such polypeptides vary from the reference polypeptide by insertions, deletions, and substitutions that may be conservative or non-conservative. Particularly preferred variants are those in which several, for instance from 50 to 30, from 30 to 20, from 20 to 10, from 10 to 5, from 5 to 3, from 3 to 2, from 2 to 1 or 1 amino acids are inserted, substituted, or deleted, in any combination. Particularly preferred primers will have between 20 and 25 nucleotides.
Preferred fragments of polypeptides of the present invention include an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 100 contiguous amino acids from the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, or an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 100 contiguous amino acids truncated or deleted from the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
Also preferred are biologically active fragments which are those fragments that mediate activities of IL18, including those with a similar activity or an improved activity, or with a decreased undesirable activity. Also included are those fragments that are antigenic or immunogenic in an animal, especially in a human. Particularly preferred are fragments comprising receptors or domains of enzymes that confer a function essential for viability of Macaca cynomolgus or the ability to initiate, or maintain cause the Diseases in an individual, particularly a human.
Fragments of the polypeptides of the invention may be employed for producing the corresponding full-length polypeptide by peptide synthesis; therefore, these variants may be employed as intermediates for producing the full-length polypeptides of the invention.
The polypeptides of the present invention may be in the form of a “mature” protein or may be a part of a larger protein such as a fusion protein. It is often advantageous to include an additional amino acid sequence that contains secretory or leader sequences, pro-sequences, sequences that aid in purification, for instance, multiple histidine residues, or an additional sequence for stability during recombinant production.
The present invention also includes variants of the aforementioned polypeptides, that is polypeptides that vary from the referents by conservative amino acid substitutions, whereby a residue is substituted by another with like characteristics. Typical substitutions are among Ala, Val, Leu and Ile; among Ser and Thr; among the acidic residues Asp and Glu; among Asn and Gln; and among the basic residues Lys and Arg; or aromatic residues Phe and Tyr. Particularly preferred are variants in which several, 5-10, 1-5, 1-3, 1-2 or 1 amino acids are substituted, deleted, or added in any combination.
Polypeptides of the present invention can be prepared in any suitable manner. Such polypeptides include isolated naturally occurring polypeptides, recombinantly produced polypeptides, synthetically produced polypeptides, or polypeptides produced by a combination of these methods. Means for preparing such polypeptides are well understood in the art.
In a further aspect, the present invention relat
Taylor Alexander H.
Trinh Han N.
Han William T.
King William T.
Prasad Sarada C
Ratner & Prestia
SmithKline Beecham Corporation
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