AU705595B2 - Interleukin-1 type 3 receptors - Google Patents

Description

WO 96/07739 PCTIUS95/12037 Description INTERLEUKIN-1 TYPE 3 RECEPTORS Technical Field The present invention relates generally to cell surface receptors, and more specifically, to Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors.

Background Of The Invention Interleukin-1 is a cytokine which is known to be a key mediator of immunological and pathological responses to stress, infection and antigenic challenge (Oppenheim et al., 1mmunol. Today 7:45-46, 1986; Dinarello, FASEB J 2:108-115, 1988; and Mizel, FASEB J. 3:2379-2388, 1989). In addition, IL-1 is known to have a variety of effects on the brain and central nervous system. For example, IL-1 has been postulated to be involved in the induction of fever (Kluger, Physiol. Rev. 71:93-127, 1991), increased duration of slow wave sleep (Opp et al., Am. J. Physiol. 260:R52-R58, 1991), decreased appetite (McCarthy et al., Am. J. Cin. Nutr. 42:1179-1182, 1985), activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (Woloski et al., Science 230:1035-1037, 1985), and inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (River and Vale, Endocrinology 124:2105-2109, 1989).

In light of the above-noted effects of IL-1 (as well as many others), substantial effort has been undertaken in order to identify receptors for IL-1. Briefly, at least two types of receptors are known to be expressed on the surface of certain immune cells in both human and murine derived lines. Type I receptors bind both IL-loa and IL-13, and can be found on T cells, fibroblasts, keratinocytes, endothelial cells, synovial lining cells, chondrocytes and hepatocytes Patent Nos. 4,968,607, 5,081,228, and 5,180,812; Chizzonite et al., PNAS 86:8029-8033, 1989; Dinarello et al., Blood 77:1627-1652, 1991). Type II receptors can be found on various B cell lines, including the Raji human B-cell lymphoma line (Bomsztyk et al., PNAS 86:8034-8038, 1989; Horuk et al., J. Biol. Chem. 262:16275-16278, 1987; Horuk and McCubrey, Biochem.

J. 260:657-663, 1989).

The present invention provides new, previously unidentified Interleukin receptors, designated Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors In addition, the present invention provides compositions and methods which utilize such receptors, as well as other, related advantages.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/1203 7 2 Summary ofthe Invention Briefly stated, the present invention provides compositions and methods which comprise Interleukin-I Type 3 receptors. Within one aspect of the present invention isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided which encode Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors. Within one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecules comprise the sequence of nucleotides in Sequence I.D. No. 1, from nucleotide number 129 to nucleotide number 1814. Within another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecules encode a protein having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 562. Within other embodiments, isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided in Sequence I.D. No. 3, from nucleotide number 89 to nucleotide number 1771. Within another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecules encode a protein having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 561. Nucleic acid molecules which encode IL-I Type 3 receptors of the present invention may be isolated from virtually any warm-blooded animal, including for example, humans, macaques, horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, rats and mice.

Within related aspects of the present invention, isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided which encode soluble Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors. Within one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecules comprise the sequence of nucleotides in Sequence I.D. No. 1, from nucleotide number 129 to nucleotide number 1136. Within other embodiments, the isolated nucleic acid molecules encode a protein having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 336. Within another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecules comprise the sequence ofnucleotides in Sequence I.D. No. 3, from nucleotide number 89 to nucleotide number 1102. Within yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecules encode a protein having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 338. As above, nucleic acid molecules which encode soluble IL-1 Type 3 receptors of the present invention may be isolated from virtually any warm-blooded animal, including for example, humans, macaques, horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, rats and mice.

Within other aspects of the present invention, expression vectors are provided which are capable of expressing the above-described nucleic acid molecules.

Within one embodiment, such vectors comprise a promoter operably linked to one of the above-described nucleic acid molecules. Within other embodiments, recombinant viral vectors are provided which are capable of directing the expression of one of the above described nucleic acid molecules. Representative examples of such viral vectors include retroviral vectors, adenoviral vectors, and herpes simplex virus vectors. Also provided WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 3 by the present invention are host cells containing one of the above-described recombinant vectors.

Within other aspects of the present invention, isolated Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors are provided. Within one embodiment, such receptors have the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 562.

Within another embodiment, the receptors have the sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 561. Within yet further aspects of the invention, isolated soluble Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors are provided. Within one embodiment, the isolated soluble Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors have the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 336.

Within another embodiment, the soluble receptors have the sequence of Sequence

I.D.

No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 338.

Within other aspects of the invention, isolated antibodies capable of specifically binding to an Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor are provided. Within one embodiment, the antibody may be selected from the group consisting of polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, and antibody fragments. Within other embodiments, antibodies are provided which are capable of blocking the binding of IL-1 to an Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. Within preferred embodiments, the antibody is selected from the group consisting of murine and human antibodies. In addition to antibodies, the present invention also provides hybridomas which produces an antibody as described above.

Within yet another aspect of the present invention, nucleic acid molecules are provided which are capable of specifically hybridizing to a nucleic acid molecule encoding any of the Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors described above. Such molecules may be between at least nucleotides long, wherein is any integer between 14 and 2044, and furthermore, may be selected suitable for use as probes or primers described below. Particularly preferred probes of the present invention are at least 18 nucleotides in length.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become evident upon reference to the following detailed description and attached drawings. In addition, various references are set forth below which describe in more detail certain procedures or compositions plasmids, etc.), and are therefore incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 schematically illustrates a rat IL-I type 3 receptor.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 4 Figure 2 is a table which lists the homology of a human IL-1 type 3 receptor with its rat homologue, and other interleukin receptors.

Figure 3 is a graph which shows stimulation of a reporter product via a human IL-1 type 3 receptor.

Figure 4 is a graph which shows the expression pattern of the IL-1 Type 3 receptor based upon RNA protection assays.

Figures 5A and B are two graphs wh ich show inhibition of thymocyte proliferation by soluble IL-1 receptors.z Detailed Description of the Invention Definitions Prior to setting forth the invention, it may be helpful to an understanding thereof to set forth definitions of certain terms to be used hereinafter.

"Interleukin-1 Type 3 Receptors" refers to receptor proteins which bind Interleukin-1 (a or and, when expressed on a cell surface, transduce the signal provided by Interleukin-1 to the cell, thereby mediating a biological effect within the cell. In their native configuration, IL-I Type 3 receptors exist as membrane bound proteins, consisting of an extracellular domain, transmembrane domain, and intracellular domain (see Figure IL-1-3R may be distinguished from other Interleukin-1 receptors based upon criteria such as affinity of substrate binding, tissue distribution, and sequence homology. For example, IL-1-3R of the present invention should be greater than homologous, preferably greater than 75% to 80% homologous, more preferably greater than 85% to 90% homologous, and most preferably greater than 92%, 95%, or 97% homologous to the IL-1-3R disclosed herein Sequence I.D. No. As utilized within the context of the present invention, IL1-3R should be understood to include not only the proteins which are disclosed herein, but substantially similar derivatives and analogs as discussed below.

"Soluble Interleukin-I Type 3 Receptor" ("sILl-3R") refers to a protein which has an amino acid sequence corresponding to the extracellular region of an Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. The extracellular region of IL-1-3R may be readily determined by a hydrophobicity analysis utilizing a computer program such as PROTEAN (DNASTAR, Madison, WI), or by an alignment analysis with other known type 1 and type 2 Interleukin-1 receptors.

"Nucleic acid molecule" refers to a nucleic acid polymer or nucleic acid sequence, which exists in the form of a separate fragment or as a component of a larger nucleic acid construct. The nucleic acid molecule must have been derived from nucleic acids isolated at least once in substantially pure form, substantially free of

M

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 contaminating endogenous materials), and in a quantity or concentration enabling identification and recovery. Such sequences are preferably provided in the form of an open reading frame uninterrupted by internal nontranslated sequences, or introns. As utilized herein, nucleic acid molecules should be understood to include deoxyribonucleic acid molecules (including genomic and cDNA molecules), ribonucleic acid molecules, hybrid or chimeric nucleic acid molecules

DNA-RNA

hybrids), and where appropriate, nucleic acid molecule analogs and derivatives peptide nucleic acids Nucleic acid molecules of the present invention may also comprise sequences of non-translated nucleic acids where such additional sequences do not interfere with manipulation or expression of the open reading frame sequences which are 5' or 3' from the open reading frame).

"Recombinant expression vector" refers to a replicable nucleic acid construct used either to amplify or to express nucleic acid sequences which encode IL- Type 3, or sIL-1 Type 3 receptors. This construct comprises an assembly of a genetic element or elements having a regulatory role in gene expression, for example, promoters, and the structural or coding sequence of interest. The recombinant expression vector may also comprise appropriate transcription and translation initiation and termination sequences.

As noted above, the present invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptors. One representative IL-1 Type 3 receptor which may be obtained utilizing the methods described herein (see, e.g., Example 1) is schematically illustrated in Figure 1. Briefly, this IL-1 Type 3 receptor (see Sequence I.D. Nos. 1 and 2) is composed of an Extracellular N-terminal Domain (amino acids 1 336), a Transmembrane Domain (amino acids 337 357), and a C-terminal Intracellular Domain (358 562).

Although the above IL-1 Type 3 receptor has been provided for purposes of illustration (see also Sequence I.D. Nos. 3 and the present invention should not be so limited. In particular, "IL-1-3R" and "sIL-1-3R" as utilized herein should be understood to include a wide variety of IL-1 Type 3 receptors which are encoded by nucleic acid molecules that have substantial similarity to the sequences disclosed in Sequences I.D. Nos. 1 and 3. As utilized within the context of the present invention, nucleic acid molecules which encode IL-1 Type 3 receptors are deemed to be substantially similar to those disclosed herein if: the nucleic acid sequence is derived from the coding region of a native IL-1 Type 3 receptor gene (including, for example, allelic variations of the sequences disclosed herein); the nucleic acid sequence is capable of hybridization to nucleic acid sequences of the present invention under I WO 96/07739 PCTIUS95/12037 6 conditions of either moderate 50% formamide, 5 x SSPE, 5 x Denhardt's, 0.1% SDS, 100 ug/ml Salmon Sperm DNA, and a temperature of 42 0 C) or high stringency (see Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, NY, 1989); or nucleic acid sequences are degenerate as a result of the genetic code to the nucleic acid sequences defined in or Furthermore, as noted above, although DNA molecules are primarily referred to herein, as should be evident to one of skill in the art given the disclosure provided herein, a wide variety of related nucleic acid molecules may also be utilized in various embodiments described herein, including for example, RNA, nucleic acid analogues, as well as chimeric nucleic acid molecules which may be composed of more than one type of nucleic acid.

In addition, as noted above, within the context of the present invention "IL-1 Type 3 receptors" and "soluble IL-1 Type 3 receptors" should be understood to include derivatives and analogs of the IL-1 Type 3 receptors described above. Such derivatives include allelic variants and genetically engineered variants that contain conservative amino acid substitutions and/or minor additions, substitutions or deletions of amino acids, the net effect of which does not substantially change the biological activity signal transduction) or function of the IL-1 Type 3 receptor. Such derivatives are generally greater than about 50% homologous, preferably greater than 75% to 80% homologous, more preferably greater than 85% to 90% homologous, and most preferably greater than 92%, 95% or 97% homologous. Homology may be determined, for example, by comparing sequence information using the GAP computer program, version 6.0, available from the University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group (UWGCG).

The primary amino acid structure of IL-1 Type 3 receptors may also be modified by derivatizing amino acid side chains, and/or the amino or carboxy termus with various functional groups, in order to allow for the formation of various conjugates protein-IL-1-3R conjugates). Alternatively, conjugates of IL-1-3R (and sIL-1-3R) may be constructed by recombinantly producing fusion proteins. Such fusion proteins may comprise, for example, IL-1-3R-protein Z wherein protein Z is another cytokine receptor IL-2R, IL-3R, IL-4R, IL-5R, 1L-6R, IL-7R, IL-8R, IL-9R, IL-10R,

IL-

11R, IL-12R, IL-13R, IL-14R, IL-15R or TNF (a or 0) receptor; see W091/03553); a binding portion of an antibody; a toxin (as discussed below); or a protein or peptide which facilitates purification or identification of IL-1-3R poly-His). For example, a fusion protein such as human IL-1-3R (His), or sIL--3R (His), may be constructed in order to allow purification of the protein via the poly-His residue, for example, on a NTA nickel-chelating column. The amino acid sequence of a IL-1 Type 3 receptor may WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/1203 7 7 also be linked to the peptide Asp-Tyr-Lys-Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp-Lys

(DYKDDDDK)

(Sequence I.D. No. 5) (Hopp et al., Bio/Technology 6:1204, 1988) in order to facilitate purification of expressed recombinant protein.

The present invention also includes IL-1-3R (and sIL-1-3R) proteins which may be produced either with or without associated native-pattern glycosylation.

For example, expression of IL-1-3R DNAs in bacteria such as E. coli provides nonglycosylated molecules. In contrast, IL-1-3R expressed in yeast or mammalian expression systems (as discussed below) may vary in both glycosylation pattern and molecular weight from native IL-1-3R, depending on the amino acid sequence and expression system which is utilized. In addition, functional mutants of mammalian IL-1- 3R having inactivated glycosylation sites may also be produced in a homogeneous, reduced-carbohydrate form, utilizing oligonucleotide synthesis, site-directed mutagenesis, or random mutagenesis techniques. Briefly, N-glycosylation sites in eukaryotic proteins are generally characterized by the amino acid triplet Asn-Al-Z where

A

1 is any amino acid except Pro, and Z is Ser or Thr. In this triplet, asparagine provides a side chain amino group for covalent attachment of carbohydrate. Such sites may be eliminated by deleting Asn or Z, substituting another amino acid for Asn or for residue Z, or inserting a non-Z amino acid between Al and Z, or an amino acid other than Asn between Asn and A 1 Proteins which are substantially similar to IL-1-3R proteins may also be constructed by, for example, substituting or deleting various amino acid residues which are not required for biological activity. For example, cysteine residues may be deleted or replaced with other amino acids to prevent formation of incorrect intramolecular disulfide bridges upon renaturation. Similarly, adjacent dibasic amino acid residues may be modified for expression in yeast systems in which KEX2 protease activity is present.

Not all mutations in the nucleotide sequence which encodes IL-1-3R will be expressed in the final product. For example, nucleotide substitutions may be made in order to avoid secondary structure loops in the transcribed mRNA, or to provide codons that are more readily translated by the selected host, and thereby enhance expression within a selected host.

Generally, substitutions at the amino acid level should be made conservatively, the most preferred substitute amino acids are those which have characteristics resembling those of the residue to be replaced. When a substitution, deletion, or insertion strategy is adopted, the potential effect of the deletion or insertion on biological activity should be considered utilizing, for example, the signalling assay disclosed within the Examples.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 8 Mutations which are made to the sequence of the nucleic acid molecules of the present invention should generally preserve the reading frame phase of the coding sequences. Furthermore, the mutations should preferably not create complementary regions that could hybridize to produce secondary mRNA structures, such as loops or hairpins, which would adversely affect translation of the receptor mRNA. Although a mutation site may be predetermined, it is not necessary that the nature of the mutation per se be predetermined. For example, in order to select for optimum characteristics of mutants at a given site, random mutagenesis may be conducted at the target codon, and the expressed IL-1-3R mutants screened for the biological activity. Representative methods for random mutagenesis include those described by Ladner et al. in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,096,815; 5,198,346; and 5,223,409.

As noted above, mutations may be introduced at particular loci by synthesizing oligonucleotides containing a mutant sequence, flanked by restriction sites enabling ligation to fragments of the native sequence. Following ligation, the resulting reconstructed sequence encodes an analog having the desired amino acid insertion, substitution, or deletion.

Alternatively, site-directed mutagenesis procedures may be employed to provide an altered gene having particular codons altered according to the substitution, deletion, or insertion required. Exemplary methods of making the alterations set forth above are disclosed by Walder et al. (Gene 42:133, 1986); Bauer et al. (Gene 37:73, 1985); Craik, Bio Techniques, January 1985, 12-19); Smith et al. (Genetic Engineering: Principles and Methods, Plenum Press, 1981); Sambrook et al. (Molecular cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989); and U.S.

Patent Nos. 4,518,584 and 4,737,462, which are incorporated by reference herein.

IL-1 Type 3 receptors, as well as substantially similar derivatives or analogs may be used as therapeutic reagents, immunogens, reagents in receptor-based immunoassays, or as binding agents for affinity purification procedures. Moreover, IL-1 Type 3 receptors of the present invention may be utilized to screen compounds for IL-1 Type 3 receptor agonist or antagonistic activity. IL-1 Type 3 receptor proteins may also be covalently bound through reactive side groups to various insoluble substrates, such as cyanogen bromine-activated, bisoxirane-activated, carbonyldiimidazole-activated, or tosyl-activated, agarose structures, or by adsorbing to polyolefin surfaces (with or without glutaraldehyde cross-linking). Once bound to a substrate, IL-1-3R may be used to selectively bind (for purposes of assay or purification) anti-IL-1-3R antibodies or IL- 1.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 9 ISOLATION OF IL-1 TYPE 3 RECEPTOR cDNA CLONES As noted above, the present invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode IL-1 Type 3 receptors. Briefly, nucleic acid molecules which encode IL-1 Type 3 receptors of the present invention may be readily isolated from a variety of warm-blooded animals, including for example, humans, macaques, horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, rats and mice. Particularly preferred tissues from which nucleic acid molecules which encode IL-1 Type 3 receptors may be isolated include brain, kidney and lung. Nucleic acid molecules which encode IL-1 Type 3 receptors of the present invention may be readily isolated from conventionally prepared cDNA libraries (see, Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, NY, 1989) or from commercially obtained libraries Stratagene, LaJolla, Calif.) utilizing the disclosure provided herein.

Particularly preferred methods for obtaining isolated DNA molecules which encode IL-I Type 3 receptors of the present invention are described in more detail below in Example 1 (see also Sequence I.D. Nos. 1 and 3).

As noted above, within particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided which encode human IL-1 Type 3 receptors. Briefly, such nucleic acid molecules may be readily obtained by probing a human cDNA library either with a specific sequence as described below in Example 1, or with a rat sequence Sequence I.D. Nos. 2 or 4) under conditions of high stringency 50% formamide, 5 x SSC, 5x Denharts, 0.1% SDS, 100 ug/ml salmon sperm DNA, at 42 0 C for 12 hours). This may be followed by extensive washing with 2x SSC containing 0.2% SDS at 50 0 C. Suitable cDNA libraries may be obtained from commercial sources Stratagene, LaJolla, Calif; or Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif, or prepared utilizing standard techniques (see, Sambrook et al., supra).

PRODUCTION OF RECOMBINANT IL-1 TYPE 3 RECEPTORS As noted above, the present invention also provides recombinant expression vectors which include synthetic or cDNA-derived DNA fragments encoding IL-1 Type 3 receptors or substantially similar proteins, which are operably linked to suitable transcriptional or translation regulatory elements derived from mammalian, microbial, viral or insect genes. Such regulatory elements include a transcriptional promoter, an optional operator sequence to control transcription, a sequence encoding suitable mRNA ribosomal binding sites, and, within preferred embodiments, sequences which control the termination of transcription and translation. The ability to replicate in a host, usually conferred by an origin of replication, and a selection gene to facilitate recognition of transformants may additionally be incorporated. DNA regions are WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 operably linked when they are functionally related to each other. For example, DNA for a signal peptide (secretory leader) is operably linked to DNA for a polypeptide if it is expressed as a precursor which participates in the secretion of the polypeptide; a promoter is operably linked to a coding sequence if it controls the transcription of the sequence; or a ribosome binding site is operably linked to a coding sequence if it is positioned so as to permit translation. Generally, operably linked means contiguous and, in the case of secretory leaders, contiguous and in reading frame.

Expression vectors may also contain DNA sequences necessary to direct the secretion of a polypeptide of interest. Such DNA sequences may include at least one secretory signal sequence. Representative secretory signals include the alpha factor signal sequence (pre-pro sequence; Kurjan and Herskowitz, Cell 30:933-943, 1982; Kurjan et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,546,082; Brake, EP 116,201), the PH05 signal sequence (Beck et al., WO 86/00637), the BARI secretory signal sequence (MacKay et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,613,572; MacKay, WO 87/002670), the SUC2 signal sequence (Carlson et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 3:439-447, 1983), the a-l-antitrypsin signal sequence (Kurachi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:6826-6830, 1981), the 13-2 plasmin inhibitor signal sequence (Tone et al., J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 102:1033-1042, 1987), the tissue plasminogen activator signal sequence (Pennica et al., Nature 301:214-221, 1983), the E. coli PhoA signal sequence (Yuan et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:13528-13552, 1990) or any of the bacterial signal sequences reviewed, for example, by Oliver (Ann.

Rev. Microbiol. 39:615-649, 1985). Alternatively, a secretory signal sequence may be synthesized according to the rules established, for example, by von Heinje (Eur. J Biochem. 133:17-21, 1983; J Mol. Biol. 184:99-105, 1985; Nuc. Acids Res. 14:4683- 4690, 1986).

For expression, a nucleic acid molecule encoding a IL-1 Type 3 receptor is inserted into a suitable expression vector, which in turn is used to transform or transfect appropriate host cells for expression. Host cells for use in practicing the present invention include mammalian, avian, plant, insect, bacterial and fungal cells.

Preferred eukaryotic cells include cultured mammalian cell lines rodent or human cell lines) and fungal cells, including species of yeast Saccharomyces spp., particularly S. cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces spp., or Kluyveromyces spp.) or filamentous fungi Aspergillus spp., Neurospora spp.). Strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are particularly preferred. Methods for producing recombinant proteins in a variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic host cells are generally known in the art (see "Gene Expression Technology," Methods in Enzymology, Vol.

185, Goeddel Academic Press, San Diego, Calif, 1990; see also, "Guide to Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology," Methods in Enzymology, Guthrie and Fink (eds.) WO 96/077 3 9 PCT/US95/12 0 3 7 11 Academic Press, San Diego, Calif., 1991). In general, a host cell will be selected on the basis of its ability to produce the protein of interest at a high level or its ability to carry out at least some of the processing steps necessary for the biological activity of the protein. In this way, the number of cloned DNA sequences which must be transfected into the host cell may be minimized and overall yield of biologically active protein may be maximized.

Suitable yeast vectors for use in the present invention include YRp7 (Struhl et al., Proc. Nal. Acad. Sci. USA 76:1035-1039, 1978), YEpl3 (Broach et al., Gene 8:121-133, 1979), POT vectors (Kawasaki et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,931,373, which is incorporated by reference herein), pJDB249 and pJDB219 (Beggs, Nature 275:104-108, 1978) and derivatives thereof Such vectors will generally include a selectable marker, which may be one of any number of genes that exhibit a dominant phenotype for which a phenotypic assay exists to enable transformants to be selected.

Preferred selectable markers are those that complement host cell auxotrophy, provide antibiotic resistance or enable a cell to utilize specific carbon sources, and include LEU2 (Broach et al., ibid), URA3 (Botstein et al., Gene 8:17, 1979), HIS3 (Struhl et al., ibid) or POT] (Kawasaki et al., ibid). Another suitable selectable marker is the CAT gene, which confers chloramphenicol resistance on yeast cells.

Preferred promoters for use in yeast include promoters from yeast glycolytic genes (Hitzeman et al., Biol. Chem. 255:12073-12080, 1980; Alber and Kawasaki, J. Mol. Appl. Genet. 1:419-434, 1982; Kawasaki, U.S. Patent No.

4,599,311) or alcohol dehydrogenase genes (Young et al., in Genetic Engineering of Microorganisms for Chemicals, Hollaender et al. p. 355, Plenum, New York, 1982; Ammerer, Meth. Enzymol. 101:192-201, 1983). In this regard, particularly preferred promoters are the TPI1 promoter (Kawasaki, U.S. Patent No. 4,599,311, 1986) and the ADH2-4c promoter (Russell et al., Nature 304:652-654, 1983; Irani and Kilgore, U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 07/784,653, which is incorporated herein by reference). The expression units may also include a transcriptional terminator, such as the TPI1 terminator (Alber and Kawasaki, ibid.).

In addition to yeast, proteins of the present invention can be expressed in filamentous fungi, for example, strains of the fungi Aspergillus (McKnight et al., U.S.

Patent No. 4,935,349, which is incorporated herein by reference). Examples of useful promoters include those derived from Aspergillus nidulans glycolytic genes, such as the ADH3 promoter (McKnight et al., EMBO J. 4:2093-2099, 1985) and the tpiA promoter.

An example of a suitable terminator is the ADH3 terminator (McKnight et al., ibid., 1985). The expression units utilizing such components are cloned into vectors that are capable of insertion into the chromosomal DNA ofAspergillus.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 12 Techniques for transforming fungi are well known in the literature, and have been described, for instance, by Beggs (ibid.), Hinnen et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad Sci.

USA 75:1929-1933, 1978), Yelton et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 81:1740-1747, 1984), and Russell (Nature 301:167-169, 1983). The genotype of the host cell will generally contain a genetic defect that is complemented by the selectable marker present on the expression vector. Choice of a particular host and selectable marker is well within the level of ordinary skill in the art. To optimize production of the heterologous proteins in yeast, for example, it is preferred that the host strain carries a mutation, such as the yeast pep4 mutation (Jones, Genetics 85:23-33, 1977), which results in reduced proteolytic activity.

In addition to fungal cells, cultured mammalian cells may be used as host cells within the present invention. Preferred cultured mammalian cells for use in the present invention include the COS-1 (ATCC No. CRL 1650), COS-7 (ATCC No. CRL 1651), BHK (ATCC No. CRL 1632), and 293 (ATCC No. CRL 1573; Graham et al., Gen. Virol. 36:59-72, 1977) cell lines. A preferred BHK cell line is the BHK 570 cell line (deposited with the American Type Culture Collection under accession number CRL 10314). In addition, a number of other mammalian cell lines may be used within the present invention, including Rat Hep I (ATCC No. CRL 1600), Rat Hep II (ATCC No.

CRL 1548), TCMK (ATCC No. CCL 139), Human lung (ATCC No. CCL 75.1), Human hepatoma (ATCC No. HTB-52), Hep G2 (ATCC No. HB 8065), Mouse liver (ATCC No. CCL 29.1), NCTC 1469 (ATCC No. CCL SP2/0-Agl4 (ATCC No.

1581), HIT-TIS (ATCC No. CRL 1777), Ltk- (ATCC) No. CCL 1.3) and RINm 2 B (Orskov and Nielson, FEBS 229(1):175- 17 8 1988).

Mammalian expression vectors for use in carrying out the present invention should include a promoter capable of directing the transcription of a cloned gene or cDNA. Preferred promoters include viral promoters and cellular promoters.

Viral promoters include the immediate early cytomegalovirus promoter (Boshart et al., Cell 41:521-530, 1985) and the SV40 promoter (Subramani et al., Mol. Cell. Biol.

1:854-864, 1981). Cellular promoters include the mouse metallothionein-1 promoter (Palmiter et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,579,821), a mouse Vj promoter (Bergman et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:7041-7045, 1983; Grant et al., Nuc. Acids Res. 15:5496, 1987) and a mouse VH promoter (Loh et al., Cell 33:85-93, 1983). A particularly preferred promoter is the major late promoter from Adenovirus 2 (Kaufman and Sharp, Mo. Cell. Biol. 2:1304-13199, 1982). Such expression vectors may also contain a set of RNA splice sites located downstream from the promoter and upstream from the DNA sequence encoding the peptide or protein of interest. Preferred RNA splice sites may be obtained from SV40, adenovirus and/or immunoglobulin genes. Alternatively, within WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 13 certain embodiments RNA splice sites may be located downstream from the DNA sequence encoding the peptide or protein of interest. Also contained in the expression vectors is a polyadenylation signal located downstream of the coding sequence of interest. Suitable polyadenylation signals include the early or late polyadenylation signals from SV40 (Kaufman and Sharp, ibid), the polyadenylation signal from the Adenovirus 5 EIB region and the human growth hormone gene terminator (DeNoto et al., Nuc. Acids Res. 9:3719-3730, 1981). The expression vectors may include a noncoding viral leader sequence, such as the Adenovirus 2 tripartite leader, located between the promoter and the RNA splice sites. Preferred vectors may also include enhancer sequences, such as the SV40 enhancer and the mouse 1 enhancer (Gillies, Cell 33:717-728, 1983). Expression vectors may also include sequences encoding the adenovirus VA RNAs. Suitable vectors can be obtained from commercial sources Invitrogen, San Diego, CA; Stratagene, La Jolla, CA).

Cloned DNA sequences may be introduced into cultured mammalian cells by, for example, calcium phosphate-mediated transfection (Wigler et al., Cell 14:725, 1978; Corsaro and Pearson, Somatic Cell Genetics 7:603, 1981; Graham and Van der Eb, Virology 52:456, 1973), electroporation (Neumann et al., EMBO J. 1:841-845, 1982), or DEAE-dextran mediated transfection (Ausubel et al. Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., NY, 1987), which are incorporated herein by reference. To identify cells that have stably integrated the cloned DNA, a selectable marker is generally introduced into the cells along with the gene or cDNA of interest. Preferred selectable markers for use in cultured mammalian cells include genes that confer resistance to drugs, such as neomycin, hygromycin, and methotrexate. The selectable marker may be an amplifiable selectable marker. Preferred amplifiable selectable markers are the DHFR gene and the neomycin resistance gene. Selectable markers are reviewed by Thilly (Mammalian Cell Technology, Butterworth Publishers, Stoneham, MA, which is incorporated herein by reference). The choice of selectable markers is well within the level of ordinary skill in the art.

Selectable markers may be introduced into the cell on a separate vector at the same time as the IL-1 Type 3 receptor sequence, or they may be introduced on the same vector. If on the same vector, the selectable marker and the IL-1 Type 3 receptor sequence may be under the control of different promoters or the same promoter, the latter arrangement producing a dicistronic message. Constructs of this type are known in the art (for example, Levinson and Simonsen, U.S. Patent No. 4,713,339). It may also be advantageous to add additional DNA, known as "carrier DNA" to the mixture which is introduced into the cells.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/1203 7 14 Transfected mammalian cells are allowed to grow for a period of time, typically 1-2 days, to begin expressing the DNA sequence(s) of interest. Drug selection is then applied to select for growth of cells that are expressing the selectable marker in a stable fashion. For cells that have been transfected with an amplifiable selectable marker the drug concentration may be increased in a stepwise manner to select for increased copy number of the cloned sequences, thereby increasing expression levels. Cells expressing the introduced sequences are selected and screened for production of the protein of interest in the desired form or at the desired level. Cells which satisfy these criteria may then be cloned and scaled up for production.

Preferred prokaryotic host cells for use in carrying out the present invention are strains of the bacteria Escherichia coli, although Bacillus and other genera are also useful. Techniques for transforming these hosts and expressing foreign

DNA

sequences cloned therein are well known in the art (see, Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1982; or Sambrook et al., supra). Vectors used for expressing cloned DNA sequences in bacterial hosts will generally contain a selectable marker, such as a gene for antibiotic resistance, and a promoter that functions in the host cell. Appropriate promoters include the trp (Nichols and Yanofsky, Meth. Enzymol. 101:155-164, 1983), lac (Casadaban et al., J. Bacteriol.

143:971-980, 1980), and phage k (Queen, J. Mol. Appl. Genet. 2:1-10, 1983) promoter systems. Plasmids useful for transforming bacteria include pBR322 (Bolivar et al., Gene 2:95-113, 1977), the pUC plasmids (Messing, Meth. Enzymol. 101:20-78, 1983; Vieira and Messing, Gene 19:259-268, 1982), pCQV2 (Queen, ibid.), pMAL-2 (New England Biolabs, Beverly, MA) and derivatives thereof. Plasmids may contain both viral and bacterial elements.

Given the teachings provided herein, promoters, terminators and methods for introducing expression vectors encoding IL-1 Type 3 receptors of the present invention into plant, avian and insect cells would be evident to those of skill in the art.

The use of baculoviruses, for example, as vectors for expressing heterologous

DNA

sequences in insect cells has been reviewed by Atkinson et al. (Pestic. Sci. 28:215- 224,1990). In addition, the use of Agrobacterium rhizogenes as vectors for expressing genes in plant cells has been reviewed by Sinkar et al. Biosci. (Bangalore) 11:47-58, 1987).

Host cells containing DNA molecules of the present invention are then cultured to express a DNA molecule encoding a IL-1 Type 3 receptor. The cells are cultured according to standard methods in a culture medium containing nutrients required for growth of the chosen host cells. A variety of suitable media are known in the art and generally include a carbon source, a nitrogen source, essential amino acids, WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 vitamins and minerals, as well as other components, growth factors or serum, that may be required by the particular host cells. The growth medium will generally select for cells containing the DNA molecules by, for example, drug selection or deficiency in an essential nutrient which is complemented by the selectable marker on the DNA construct or co-transfected with the DNA construct.

Suitable growth conditions for yeast cells, for example, include culturing in a chemically defined medium, comprising a nitrogen source, which may be a nonamino acid nitrogen source or a yeast extract, inorganic salts, vitamins and essential amino acid supplements at a temperature between 4'C and 37'C, with 30'C being particularly preferred. The pH of the medium is preferably maintained at a pH greater than 2 and less than 8, more preferably pH 5-6. Methods for maintaining a stable pH include buffering and constant pH control. Preferred agents for pH control include sodium hydroxide. Preferred buffering agents include succinic acid and Bis-Tris (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO). Due to the tendency of yeast host cells to hyperglycosylate heterologous proteins, it may be preferable to express the IL-i Type 3 receptors of the present invention in yeast cells having a defect in a gene required for asparagine-linked glycosylation. Such cells are preferably grown in a medium containing an osmotic stabilizer. A preferred osmotic stabilizer is sorbitol supplemented into the medium at a concentration between 0.1 M and 1.5 M, preferably at 0.5 M or 1.0 M.

Cultured mammalian cells are generally cultured in commercially available serumcontaining or serum-free media. Selection of a medium and growth conditions appropriate for the particular cell line used is within the level of ordinary skill in the art.

IL-1 Type 3 receptors may also be expressed in non-human transgenic animals, particularly transgenic warm-blooded animals. Methods for producing transgenic animals, including mice, rats, rabbits, sheep and pigs, are known in the art and are disclosed, for example, by Hammer et al. (Nature 315:680-683, 1985), Palmiter et al. (Science 222:809-814, 1983), Brinster et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:4438- 4442, 1985), Palmiter and Brinster (Cell 41:343-345, 1985) and U.S. Patent No.

4,736,866, which are incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, an expression unit, including a DNA sequence to be expressed together with appropriately positioned expression control sequences, is introduced into pronuclei of fertilized eggs.

Introduction of DNA is commonly done by microinjection. Integration of the injected DNA is detected by blot analysis of DNA from tissue samples, typically samples of tail tissue. It is generally preferred that the introduced DNA be incorporated into the germ line of the animal so that it is passed on to the animal's progeny.

Within particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, "knockout" animals may be developed from embryonic stem cells through the use of homologous WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 16 recombination (Capecchi, Science 244:1288-1292, 1989) or antisense oligonucleotide (Stein and Chen, Science 261(5124):1004-1012, 1993; Milligan et al., Semin. Conc.

Biol. 3(6):391-398, 1992).

Within a preferred embodiment of the invention, a transgenic animal, such as a mouse, is developed by targeting a mutation to disrupt a IL-1 Type 3 receptor sequence (see Mansour et al., "Disruption of the proto-oncogene int-2 in mouse embryo-derived stem cells: A general strategy for targeting mutations to non-selectable genes," Nature 336:348-352, 1988). Such animals may readily be utilized as a model to study the role of the IL-1 Type 3 receptor in metabolism.

SOLUBLE IL-1 TYPE 3 RECEPTORS AND RECEPTOR PEPTIDES As noted above, the present invention also provides soluble IL-1 Type 3 receptors and receptor peptides. Within the context of the present invention, IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptides should be understood to include portions of a IL-1 Type 3 receptor or derivatives thereof discussed above, which do not contain transmembrane domains, and which are at least 8, and more preferably 10 or greater amino acids in length.

Briefly, the structure of the IL-1 Type 3 receptor as well as putative transmembrane domains may be predicted from the primary translation products using the hydrophopicity plot function of, for example, PROTEAN (DNA STAR, Madison,

WI),

or according to the methods described by Kyte and Doolittle Mol. Biol. 157:105- 132, 1982). While not wishing to be bound by a graphical representation, based upon this hydrophopicity analysis, IL-1 Type 3 receptors are believed to have the general structure shown in Figure 1. In particular, these receptors are believed to comprise an extracellular amino-terminal domain, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain.

Within one aspect of the invention, isolated IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptides are provided comprising the extracellular amino-terminal domain of a IL-1 Type 3 receptor. Within a preferred embodiment, an isolated IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptide is provided comprising the sequence of amino acids shown in Sequence

I.D.

No.2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 336. Within other embodiments, isolated IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptides are provided comprising the sequence of amino acids shown in Sequence I.D. No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 338.

IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptides may be prepared by, among other methods, culturing suitable host/vector systems to produce the recombinant translation products of the present invention. Supernatants from such cell lines may then be treated by a variety of purification procedures in order to isolate the IL-1 Type 3 receptor WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/1203 7 17 peptide. For example, the supernatant may be first concentrated using commercially available protein concentration filters, such as an Amicon or Millipore Pellicon ultrafiltration unit. Following concentration, the concentrate may be applied to a suitable purification matrix such as, for example, IL-1 or an anti-IL-1 Type 3 receptor antibody bound to a suitable support. Alternatively, anion or cation exchange resins may be employed in order to purify the receptor or peptide. Finally, one or more reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) steps may be employed to further purify the IL- Type 3 receptor peptide.

Alternatively, IL-I Type 3 receptor peptides may also be prepared utilizing standard polypeptide synthesis protocols, and purified utilizing the abovedescribed procedures.

A IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptide is deemed to be "isolated" or purified within the context of the present invention, if only a single band is detected subsequent to SDS-polyacrylamide gel analysis followed by staining with Coomassie Brilliant Blue.

ANTIBODIES To IL-1 TYPE 3 RECEPTORS Within one aspect of the present invention, IL-1 Type 3 receptors, including derivatives thereof, as well as portions or fragments of these proteins such as the IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptides discussed above, may be utilized to prepare antibodies which specifically bind to IL-1 Type 3 receptors. Within the context of the present invention the term "antibodies" includes polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, fragments thereof such as F(ab') 2 and Fab fragments, as well as recombinantly produced binding partners. These binding partners incorporate the variable regions from a gene which encodes a specifically binding monoclonal antibody. Antibodies are defined to be specifically binding if they bind to the IL-I Type 3 receptor with a KA of greater than or equal to 107 M 1 and preferably greater than or equal to 10 8

M-

1 and bind to IL-1 Type I or Type II receptors with an affinity of less than KA 107 M- 1 and preferably less than 5 M-1 or 10 3

M-

1 The affinity of a monoclonal antibody or binding partner may be readily determined by one of ordinary skill in the art (see Scatchard, Ann. NY Acad Sci. 51:660-672, 1949).

Polyclonal antibodies may be readily generated by one of ordinary skill in the art from a variety of warm-blooded animals such as horses, cows, goats, sheep, dogs, chickens, rabbits, mice, or rats. Briefly, the IL- Type 3 receptor is utilized to immunize the animal through intraperitoneal, intramuscular, intraocular, or subcutaneous injections. The immunogenicity of a IL-1 Type 3 receptor or IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptide may be increased through the use of an adjuvant such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant. Following several booster immunizations, small samples of serum WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 18 are collected and tested for reactivity to the IL-1 Type 3 receptor. A variety of assays may be utilized in order to detect antibodies which specifically bind to a IL-1 Type 3 receptor. Exemplary assays are described in detail in Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Harlow and Lane Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1988. Representative examples of such assays include: Countercurrent Immuno-Electrophoresis

(CIEP),

Radioimmunoassays, Radioimmunoprecipitations, Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assays (ELISA), Dot Blot assays, Inhibition or Competition assays, and sandwich assays (see U.S. Patent Nos. 4,376,110 and 4,486,530; see also Antibodies:

A

Laboratory Manual, supra). Particularly preferred polyclonal antisera will give a signal that is at least three times greater than background. Once the titer of the animal has reached a plateau in terms of its reactivity to the IL-1 Type 3 receptor, larger quantities of polyclonal antisera may be readily obtained either by weekly bleedings, or by exsanguinating the animal.

Monoclonal antibodies may also be readily generated using well-known techniques (see U.S. Patent Nos. RE 32,011, 4,902,614, 4,543,439, and 4,411,993; see also Monoclonal Antibodies, Hybridomas: A New Dimension in Biological Analyses, Plenum Press, Kennett, McKearn, and Bechtol 1980, and Antibodies:

A

Laboratory Manual, Harlow and Lane Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1988). Briefly, within one embodiment a subject animal such as a rat or mouse is injected with a form of IL-1 Type 3 receptor suitable for generating an immune response against the IL-1 Type 3 receptor. Representative examples of suitable forms include, among others, cells which express the IL-1 Type 3 receptor, or peptides which are based upon the IL-1 Type 3 receptor sequence. Additionally, many techniques are known in the art for increasing the resultant immune response, for example, by coupling the receptor or receptor peptides to another protein such as ovalbumin or keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), or through the use of adjuvants such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant. The initial immunization may be through intraperitoneal, intramuscular, intraocular, or subcutaneous routes.

Between one and three weeks after the initial immunization the animal may be reimmunized with another booster immunization. The animal may then be test bled and the serum tested for binding to the IL-1 Type 3 receptor using assays as described above. Additional immunizations may also be accomplished until the animal has plateaued in its reactivity to the IL-1 Type 3 receptor. The animal may then be given a final boost of IL-1 Type 3 receptor or IL-1 Type 3 receptor peptide, and three to four days later sacrificed. At this time, the spleen and lymph nodes may be harvested and disrupted into a single cell suspension by passing the organs through a mesh screen or by rupturing the spleen or lymph node membranes which encapsidate the cells.

WO 96/07739 PCTIUS95/12037 19 Within one embodiment the red cells are subsequently lysed by the addition of a hypotonic solution, followed by immediate return to isotonicity.

Within another embodiment, suitable cells for preparing monoclonal antibodies are obtained through the use of in vitro immunization techniques. Briefly, an animal is sacrificed, and the spleen and lymph node cells are removed as described above. A single cell suspension is prepared, and the cells are placed into a culture containing a form of the IL-1 Type 3 receptor that is suitable for generating an immune response as described above. Subsequently, the lymphocytes are harvested and fused as described below.

Cells which are obtained through the use of in vitro immunization or from an immunized animal as described above may be immortalized by transfection with a virus such as the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (see Glasky and Reading, Hybridoma 8(4):377-389, 1989). Alternatively, within a preferred embodiment, the harvested spleen and/or lymph node cell suspensions are fused with a suitable myeloma cell in order to create a "hybridoma" which secretes monoclonal antibodies. Suitable myeloma lines are preferably defective in the construction or expression of antibodies, and are additionally syngeneic with the cells from the immunized animal. Many such myeloma cell lines are well known in the art and may be obtained from sources such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), Rockville, Maryland (see Catalogue of Cell Lines Hybridomas, 6th ed., ATCC, 1988). Representative myeloma lines include: for humans, UC 729-6 (ATCC No. CRL 8061), MC/CAR-Z2 (ATCC No. CRL 8147), and SKO-007 (ATCC No. CRL 8033); for mice, SP2/0-Agl4 (ATCC No. CRL 1581), and P3X63Ag8 (ATCC No. TIB and for rats, Y3-Agl.2.3 (ATCC No. CRL 1631), and (ATCC No. CRL 1662). Particularly preferred fusion lines include NS-1 (ATCC No. TIB 18) and P3X63 Ag 8.653 (ATCC No. CRL 1580), which may be utilized for fusions with either mouse, rat, or human cell lines. Fusion between the myeloma cell line and the cells from the immunized animal may be accomplished by a variety of methods, including the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) (see Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Harlow and Lane Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1988) or electrofusion (see Zimmerman and Vienken, J. Membrane Biol. 67:165-182, 1982).

Following the fusion, the cells are placed into culture plates containing a suitable medium, such as RPMI 1640 or DMEM (Dulbecco's Modified Eagles Medium) (JRH Biosciences, Lenexa, KS). The medium may also contain additional ingredients, such as Fetal Bovine Serum from Hyclone, Logan, Utah, or JRH Biosciences), thymocytes which were harvested from a baby animal of the same species as was used for immunization, or agar to solidify the medium. Additionally, the medium should contain a reagent which selectively allows for the growth of fused spleen and WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 myeloma cells. Particularly preferred is the use of HAT (hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine) (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO). After about seven days, the resulting fused cells or hybridomas may be screened in order to determine the presence of antibodies which recognize the IL-1 Type 3 receptor. Following several clonal dilutions and reassays, a hybridoma producing antibodies which bind to IL-1 Type 3 receptor may be isolated.

Other techniques may also be utilized to construct monoclonal antibodies (see Huse et al., "Generation of a Large Combinational Library of the Immunoglobulin Repertoire in Phage Lambda," Science 246:1275-1281, December 1989; see also Sastry et al., "Cloning of the Immunological Repertoire in Escherichia coli for Generation of Monoclonal Catalytic Antibodies: Construction of a Heavy Chain Variable Region- Specific cDNA Library," Proc. Nail. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5728-5732, August 1989; see also Alting-Mees et al., "Monoclonal Antibody Expression Libraries: A Rapid Alternative to Hybridomas," Strategies in Molecular Biology 3:1-9, January 1990; these references describe a commercial system available from Stratacyte, La Jolla, California, which enables the production of antibodies through recombinant techniques). Briefly, mRNA is isolated from a B cell population and utilized to create heavy and light chain immunoglobulin cDNA expression libraries in the kIMMUNOZAP(H) and kIMMUNOZAP(L) vectors. These vectors may be screened individually or coexpressed to form Fab fragments or antibodies (see Huse et al., supra; see also Sastry et al., supra). Positive plaques may subsequently be converted to a non-lytic plasmid which allows high level expression of monoclonal antibody fragments from E. coli.

Similarly, binding partners may also be constructed utilizing recombinant DNA techniques to incorporate the variable regions of a gene which encodes a specifically binding antibody. The construction of these proteins may be readily accomplished by one of ordinary skill in the art (see Larrick et al., "Polymerase Chain Reaction Using Mixed Primers: Cloning of Human Monoclonal Antibody Variable Region Genes From Single Hybridoma Cells," Biotechnology 7:934-938, September 1989; Riechmann et al., "Reshaping Human Antibodies for Therapy," Nature 332:323- 327, 1988; Roberts et al., "Generation of an Antibody with Enhanced Affinity and Specificity for its Antigen by Protein Engineering," Nature 328:731-734, 1987; Verhoeyen et al., "Reshaping Human Antibodies: Grafting an Antilysozyme Activity," Science 239:1534-1536, 1988; Chaudhary et al., "A Recombinant Immunotoxin Consisting of Two Antibody Variable Domains Fused to Pseudomonas Exotoxin," Nature 339:394-397, 1989; see also, U.S. Patent No. 5,132,405 entitled "Biosynthetic Antibody Binding Sites"), given the disclosure provided herein. Briefly, within one embodiment, DNA molecules encoding IL-I Type 3 receptor-specific antigen binding WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/120 3 7 21 domains are amplified from hybridomas which produce a specifically binding monoclonal antibody, and inserted directly into the genome of a cell which produces human antibodies (see Verhoeyen et al., supra; see also Reichmann et al., supra). This technique allows the antigen-binding site of a specifically binding mouse or rat monoclonal antibody to be transferred into a human antibody. Such antibodies are preferable for therapeutic use in humans because they are not as antigenic as rat or mouse antibodies.

Alternatively, the antigen-binding sites (variable region) may be either linked to, or inserted into, another completely different protein (see Chaudhary et al., supra), resulting in a new protein with antigen-binding sites of the antibody as well as the functional activity of the completely different protein. As one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, the antigen-binding sites or IL-I Type 3 receptor binding domain of the antibody may be found in the variable region of the antibody. Furthermore,

DNA

sequences which encode smaller portions of the antibody or variable regions which specifically bind to mammalian IL-I Type 3 receptor may also be utilized within the context of the present invention. These portions may be readily tested for binding specificity to the IL-1 Type 3 receptor utilizing assays described below.

Within a preferred embodiment, genes which encode the variable region from a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody of interest are amplified using oligonucleotide primers for the variable region. These primers may be synthesized by one of ordinary skill in the art, or may be purchased from commercially available sources. Stratacyte (La Jolla, CA) sells primers for mouse and human variable regions including, among others, primers for VH,, VHb, VH, VHd, CHI, VL and CL regions.

These primers may be utilized to amplify heavy or light chain variable regions, which may then be inserted into vectors such as IMMUNOZAP*(H) or IMMUNOZAP*(L) (Stratacyte), respectively. These vectors may then be introduced into E. coli for expression. Utilizing these techniques, large amounts of a single-chain protein containing a fusion of the VH and V L domains may be produced (see Bird et al., Science 242:423-426, 1988).

Other "antibodies" which may also be prepared utilizing the disclosure provided herein, and thus which are also deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention include humanized antibodies U.S. Patent No. 4,816,567 and WO 94/10332), micobodies WO 94/09817) and transgenic antibodies GB 2 272 440).

Once suitable antibodies have been obtained, they may be isolated or purified by many techniques well known to those of ordinary skill in the art (see Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, supra). Suitable techniques include peptide or WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 22 protein affinity columns, HPLC or RP-HPLC, purification on protein A or protein G columns, or any combination of these techniques. Within the context of the present invention, the term "isolated" as used to define antibodies or binding partners means "substantially free of other blood components." Antibodies of the present invention have many uses. For example, antibodies may be utilized in flow cytometry to sort IL-1 Type 3 receptor-bearing cells, or to histochemically stain IL-I Type 3 receptor-bearing tissues. Briefly, in order to detect IL-I Type 3 receptors on cells, the cells (or tissue) are incubated with a labeled antibody which specifically binds to IL- Type 3 receptors, followed by detection of the presence of bound antibody. These steps may also be accomplished with additional steps such as washings to remove unbound antibody. Representative examples of suitable labels, as well as methods for conjugating or coupling antibodies to such labels are described in more detail below.

In addition, purified antibodies may also be utilized therapeutically to block the binding of IL-1 or other IL-I Type 3 receptor substrates to the IL-1 Type 3 receptor in vitro or in vivo. As noted above, a variety of assays may be utilized to detect antibodies which block or inhibit the binding of IL-I to the IL-I Type 3 receptor, including inter alia, inhibition and competition assays noted above. Within one embodiment, monoclonal antibodies (prepared as described above) are assayed for binding to the IL-I Type 3 receptor in the absence of IL-1, as well as in the presence of varying concentrations of IL-1. Blocking antibodies are identified as those which, for example, bind to IL-i Type 3 receptors and, in the presence of IL-1, block or inhibit the binding of IL-I to the IL-1 Type 3 receptor.

Antibodies of the present invention may also be coupled or conjugated to a variety of other compounds (or labels) for either diagnostic or therapeutic use. Such compounds include, for example, toxic molecules, molecules which are nontoxic but which become toxic upon exposure to a second compound, and radionuclides.

Representative examples of such molecules are described in more detail below.

Antibodies which are to be utilized therapeutically are preferably provided in a therapeutic composition comprising the antibody or binding partner and a physiologically acceptable carrier or diluent. Suitable carriers or diluents include, among others, neutral buffered saline or saline, and may also include additional excipients or stabilizers such as buffers, sugars such as glucose, sucrose, or dextrose, chelating agents such as EDTA, and various preservatives.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 23

LABELS

The nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and IL-1 Type 3 receptors (including sIL-1 3R) of the present invention may be labeled or conjugated (either through covalent or non-covalent means) to a variety of labels or other molecules, including for example, fluorescent markers, enzyme markers, toxic molecules, molecules which are nontoxic but which become toxic upon exposure to a second compound, and radionuclides.

Representative examples of fluorescent labels suitable for use within the present invention include, for example, Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC), Rhodamine, Texas Red, Luciferase and Phycoerythrin Particularly preferred for use in flow cytometry is FITC which may be conjugated to purified antibody according to the method of Keltkamp in "Conjugation of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate to Antibodies.

I. Experiments on the Conditions of Conjugation," Immunology 18:865-873, 1970. (See also Keltkamp, "Conjugation of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate to Antibodies. II. A Reproducible Method," Immunology 18:875-881, 1970; and Goding, "Conjugation of Antibodies with Fluorochromes: Modification to the Standard Methods," J Immunol.

Methods 13:215-226, 1970.) For histochemical staining, HRP, which is preferred, may be conjugated to the purified antibody according to the method ofNakane and Kawaoi ("Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody: A New Method of Conjugation," J. Histochem.

Cytochem. 22:1084-1091, 1974; see also, Tijssen and Kurstak, "Highly Efficient and Simple Methods for Preparation of Peroxidase and Active Peroxidase Antibody Conjugates for Enzyme Immunoassays," Anal. Biochem. 136:451-457, 1984).

Representative examples of enzyme markers or labels include alkaline phosphatase, horse radish peroxidase, and 1-galactosidase. Representative examples of toxic molecules include ricin, abrin, diphtheria toxin, cholera toxin, gelonin, pokeweed antiviral protein, tritin, Shigella toxin, and Pseudomonas exotoxin A. Representative examples of molecules which are nontoxic, but which become toxic upon exposure to a second compound include thymidine kinases such as HSVTK and VZVTK.

Representative examples of radionuclides include Cu-64, Ga-67, Ga-68, Zr-89, Ru-97, Tc-99m, Rh-105, Pd-109, In-ill, 1-123, 1-125, 1-131, Re-186, Re-188, Au-198, Au- 199, Pb-203, At-211, Pb-212 and Bi-212.

As will be evident to one of skill in the art given the disclosure provided herein, the above described nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and IL-1 Type 3 receptors may also be labeled with other molecules such as colloidal gold, as well either member of a high affinity binding pair avidin-biotin).

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 24 DIAGNOSTIC USE OF IL- TYPE 3 RECEPTOR SEQUENCES Within another aspect of the present invention, probes and primers are provided for detecting IL-I Type 3 receptors. Within one embodiment of the invention, probes are provided which are capable of hybridizing to IL-1 Type 3 receptor DNA or RNA. For purposes of the present invention, probes are "capable of hybridizing" to IL- 1 Type 3 receptor DNA if they hybridize to Sequence I.D. Nos. 1 or 3 under conditions of moderate or high stringency (see Sambrook et al., supra); but not to IL-I Type I or Type II receptor nucleic acid sequences. Preferably, the probe may be utilized to hybridize to suitable nucleotide sequences in the presence of 50% formamide, 5x SSPE, 5x Denhardt's, 0.1% SDS and 100 ug/ml Salmon Sperm DNA at 42 0 C, followed by a first wash with 2x SSC at 42 0 C, and a second wash with 0.2x SSC at 55 to 60 0

C.

Probes of the present invention may be composed of either deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) ribonucleic acids (RNA), nucleic acid analogues, or any combination of these, and may be as few as about 12 nucleotides in length, usually about 14 to 18 nucleotides in length, and possibly as large as the entire sequence of the IL-1 Type 3 receptor. Selection of probe size is somewhat dependent upon the use of the probe. For example, in order to determine the presence of various polymorphic forms of the IL-1 Type 3 receptor within an individual, a probe comprising virtually the entire length of the IL-1 Type 3 receptor coding sequence is preferred. IL-1 Type 3 receptor probes may be utilized to identify polymorphisms linked to the IL-1 Type 3 receptor gene (see, for example, Weber, Genomics 7:524-530, 1990; and Weber and May, Amer.

J. Hum. Gen. 44:388-396, 1989). Such polymorphisms may be associated with inherited diseases such as diabetes.

Probes may be constructed and labeled using techniques which are well known in the art. Shorter probes of, for example, 12 or 14 bases may be generated synthetically. Longer probes of about 75 bases to less than 1.5 kb are preferably generated by, for example, PCR amplification in the presence of labeled precursors such as 32 P-dCTP, digoxigenin-dUTP, or biotin-dATP. Probes of more than 1.5 kb are generally most easily amplified by transfecting a cell with a plasmid containing the relevant probe, growing the transfected cell into large quantities, and purifying the relevant sequence from the transfected cells (see Sambrook et al., supra).

Probes may be labeled by a variety of markers, including, for example, radioactive markers, fluorescent markers, enzymatic markers, and chromogenic markers.

The use of 32 P is particularly preferred for marking or labeling a particular probe.

Probes of the present invention may also be utilized to detect the presence of a IL-1 Type 3 receptor mRNA or DNA within a sample. However, if IL-1 Type 3 receptors are present in only a limited number, or if it is desired to detect a 1 WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 selected mutant sequence which is present in only a limited number, or if it is desired to clone a IL-1 Type 3 receptor from a selected warm-blooded animal, then it may be beneficial to amplify the relevant sequence such that it may be more readily detected or obtained.

A variety of methods may be utilized in order to amplify a selected sequence, including, for example, RNA amplification (see Lizardi et al., Bio/Technology 6:1197-1202, 1988; Kramer et al., Nature 339:401-402, 1989; Lomeli et al., Clinical Chem. 35(9):1826-1831, 1989; U.S. Patent No. 4,786,600), and DNA amplification utilizing Polymerase Chain Reaction (see U.S. Patent Nos. 4,683,195, 4,683,202, and 4,800,159) (see also, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,876,187, and 5,011,769, which describe an alternative detection/amplification system comprising the use of scissile linkages).

Within a particularly preferred embodiment, PCR amplification is utilized to detect or obtain a IL-1 Type 3 receptor DNA. Briefly, as described in greater detail below, a DNA sample is denatured at 95 0 C in order to generate single stranded DNA.

Specific primers, as discussed below, are then annealed at 37 0 C to 70 0 C, depending on the proportion of AT/GC in the primers. The primers are extended at 72 0 C with Taq polymerase in order to generate the opposite strand to the template. These steps constitute one cycle, which may be repeated in order to amplify the selected sequence.

Primers for the amplification of a selected sequence should be selected from sequences which are highly specific and form stable duplexes with the target sequence. The primers should also be non-complementary, especially at the 3' end, should not form dimers with themselves or other primers, and should not form secondary structures or duplexes with other regions of DNA. In general, primers of about 18 to 20 nucleotides are preferred, and may be easily synthesized using techniques well known in the art.

PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS AND THERAPEUTIC

USES

As noted above, the present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions, as well as methods for using the same (for either prophylactic or therapeutic use). Briefly, the pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may comprise an IL-1 3R, sJL-1 3R, antibody which is capable of specifically binding IL- 1 3R, IL-1 3R antagonists or agonists, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent, or excipient. Such compositions may comprise buffers such as neutral buffered saline, phosphate buffered saline and the like, carbohydrates such as glucose, mannose, sucrose or dextrose, proteins, polypeptides or amino acids, antioxidants, chelating agents such as EDTA or glutathione, and preservatives.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 26 Compositions of the present invention may be formulated for the manner of administration indicated, including for example, for oral, nasal, venous, vaginal or rectal administration. Within other embodiments, the compositions may be administered as part of a sustained release implant intra-articularly). Within yet other embodiments, the compositions may be formulized as a lyophilizate, utilizing appropriate excipients which provide stability as a lyophilizate, and subsequent to rehydration.

Pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may be utilized in order to treat a wide variety of diseases including, for example, immune-associated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, myasthemia gravis, scleritis, scleroderma, septic shock, allograft rejection, and graft versus host (GVH) disease. In particular, pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may be administered in a manner appropriate to the disease to be treated (or prevented). Although appropriate dosages may be determined by clinical trials, the quantity and frequency of administration will be determined by such factors as the condition of the patient, and the type and severity of the patient's disease.

Within other aspects of the present invention, viral vectors are provided which may be utilized to treat diseases wherein either the IL-1 Type 3 receptor (or a mutant IL-1 Type 3 receptor) is over-expressed, or where no IL-I Type 3 receptor is expressed. Briefly, within one embodiment of the invention, viral vectors are provided which direct the production of antisense IL-1 Type 3 receptor RNA, in order to prohibit the over-expression of IL-1 Type 3 receptors, or the expression of mutant IL-1 Type 3 receptors. Within another embodiment, viral vectors are provided which direct the expression of IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA. Viral vectors suitable for use in the present invention include, among others, recombinant vaccinia vectors Patent Nos.

4,603,112 and 4,769,330), recombinant pox virus vectors (PCT Publication No. WO 89/01973), and preferably, recombinant retroviral vectors ("Recombinant Retroviruses with Amphotropic and Ecoptropic Host Ranges," PCT Publication No. WO 90/02806; "Retroviral Packaging Cell Lines and Processes of Using Same," PCT Publication No.

WO 89/07150; and "Antisense RNA for Treatment of Retroviral Disease States," PCT Publication No. WO/03451), and herpesvirus vectors (Kit, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol.

215:219-236, 1989; U.S. Patent No. 5,288,641).

Within various embodiments of the invention, the above-described compositions may be administered in vivo, or ex vivo. Representative routes for in vivo administration include intradermally intracranially intraperitoneally intrathecally intravenously subcutaneously or intramuscularly WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 27 Within other embodiments of the invention, the vectors which contain or express nucleic acid molecules of the present invention, or even the nucleic acid molecules themselves, may be administered by a variety of alternative techniques, including for example direct DNA injection (Acsadi et al., Nature 352:815-818, 1991); microprojectile bombardment (Williams et al., PNAS 88:2726-2730, 1991); liposomes (Pickering et al., Circ. 89(1):13-21, 1994; and Wang et al., PNAS 84:7851-7855, 1987); lipofection (Feigner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:7413-7417, 1989); DNA ligand (Wu et al., J of Biol. Chem. 264:16985-16987, 1989); administration of DNA linked to killed adenovirus (Michael et al., J. Biol. Chem. 268(10):6866-6869, 1993; and Curiel et al., Hum. Gene Ther. 3(2):147-154, 1992), retrotransposons, cytofectinmediated introduction (DMRIE-DOPE, Vical, Calif) and transferrin-DNA complexes (Zenke).

The following examples are offered by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 28

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1 ISOLATION OF INTERLEUKIN- TYPE 3 RECEPTOR cDNA A. Isolation of Interleukin-1 Type 3 Receptor cDNA From a Rat Lung cDNA Library Male Sprague-Dawley rats (Madison, WI) weighing between 175-250 gm are decapitated, and the lungs excised. Total RNA is then isolated from the lung utilizing a Promega RNAgents Total RNA Kit (catalog #Z5110, Promega, Wisc.) according to the manufacturers instructions, followed by the isolation of poly A+ RNA utilizing a Promega PolyATract kit (catalog Z5420). A cDNA phage library is then prepared utilizing a Giga-Pack Gold library construction kit according to the manufacturers' instructions (catalog #237611, Stratagene, LaJolla, Calif.), which is in turn plated and screened essentially as described by Sambrook et al., (Molecular Cloning) with oligonucleotide (5'-CTTCAACTGC ACATACCCTC

CAGTAACAAA

CGGGGCAGTG AATCTGACAT-3') (Sequence I.D. No. This oligonucleotide is complementary to nucleotides 211-260 of the rat IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA sequence shown in Sequence I.D. No. 3.

The phage library is rescreened until a single pure phage isolate is obtained. The phage is then grown on bacterial host XL1-Blue (Stratagene, LaJolla, Calif), and plasmid DNA is excised with ExAssist helper phage (Stratagene) in SOLR cells. The SOLR cells are then plated, and plasmid DNA is isolated and sequenced utilizing the Sanger dideoxy protocol.

A rat IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA sequence that may be obtained utilizing this procedure is set forth in Sequence I.D. No. 3.

B. Isolation of Interleukin-1 Type 3 Receptor cDNA From a Commerically Available Rat cDNA Library IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA can also be isolated from commercially available rat cDNA libraries. For example, two million plaques from a rat phage library (Clontech, catalog #RL1048a) may be plated according to the manufacturer's instructions, and screened with oligonucleotide Sequence I.D. No. 6 essentially as described above.

A rat IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA sequence that may be obtained utilizing this procedure is set forth in Sequence I.D. No.3.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 29 C. Isolation ofIL-1 Type 3 Receptor cDNA From a Human cDNA Library IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA can also be isolated from commercially available human cDNA libraries. Briefly, approximately two million plaques from a human phage library (Clontech, catalog #HL1158a) are plated according to the manufacturers instructions, and screened with oligonucleotide CATCTGGGGA AGTCAGTGTA ACATGGTATA AAAATTCTAG (Sequence I.D. No. 7) essentially as described above. This oligonucleotide is complementary to nucleotides 260-310 of the human IL-I Type 3 receptor cDNA sequence shown in Sequence I.D. No. 1.

The phage library is rescreened and isolated as described above. The human sequence that is obtained utilizing this procedure is approximately 89.1% identical at the nucleotide level and 89.2% identical at the amino acid level to that of the common region of the above-described rat IL-1 Type 3 receptors.

EXAMPLE 2 EXPRESSION OF IL-1 TYPE 3 RECEPTOR

CDNA

A. Expression of Rat Interleukin- Type 3 Reeptor In order to express IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA, a mammalian cell expression vector (pCDM7amp) is first constructed. Briefly, pCDM7amp is a DNA plasmid which contains 1)an ampicillin resistance gene that provides for selection in prokaryotic cells, 2) a bacterial origin of replication which allows propagation and amplification in host bacterial cells, 3) a CMV (cytomegalovirus) promoter which sponsors transcription in mammalian cells, 4) a multiple cloning site (MCS), which is a series of adjacent restriction sites in the DNA sequence that are useful for the insertion of appropriate DNA fragments, and 5) a SV 40 T-antigen splice and polyadenylation site.

pCDM7-Amp is constructed from pCDM8 (Seed, Nature 329:840-842, 1987; Seed and Aruffo, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:3365-3369, 1987; Thomsen et al., Cell 63:485-493, 1990; Bernot and Auffray, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci 88:2550-2554, 1991; Han et al., Nature 349:697-700, 1991) by deletion of the adeno origin of replication, M13 origin of replication and sup F selection marker. An ampicillin resistance marker is then added in order to facilitate selection of the plasmid.

A full-length rat IL- Type 3 receptor clone in pBluescriptSK- is isolated from the phage clone described above, and cut with EcoRV and HindIII, releasing two SWO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 inserts. The inserts are then isolated and ligated to pCDM7-Amp which had been similarly cut. The resulting product is used to transform E. coli DH5ac, and colonies are examined by restriction digests for correct orientation of the two inserts proper formation of the IL-1 Type 3R coding sequence.) COS-7 (ATCC No. CRL 1651) cells are then transfected with pCDM7- Amp containing IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA (10 ug DNA/10 cm plate of cells) utilizing 400 gg/ml of DEAE-Dextran and 100 gM chloroquine. The cells are transfected for 4 hours, then shocked with 10% DMSO for 2 minutes. The cells are then washed, and grown in DMEM containing 10% Fetal Bovine Serum for 2 days in a 2 4-well plate.

B. Expression of Human Interleukin-1 Type 3 Receptor A full-length human IL-1 Type 3 receptor clone in pBluescriptSK- is isolated from the phage clone described above, and cut with NotI and Xhol, releasing the insert. The insert is then isolated and ligated to pCDM7-Amp which had been similarly cut. The resulting product is used to transform E. coli DH5a, from which larger quantities of plasmid DNA may be isolated.

COS-7 (ATCC No. CRL 1651) cells are then transfected with pCDM7- Amp containing IL-1 Type 3 receptor cDNA (10 ug DNA/10 cm plate of cells) utilizing 400 jg/ml of DEAE-Dextran and 100 M chloroquine. The cells are transfected for 4 hours, then shocked with 10% DMSO for 2 minutes. The cells are then washed, and grown in DMEM containing 10% Fetal Bovine Serum for 2 days in a 24-well plate.

EXAMPLE 3 CONSTRUCTION AND EXPRESSION OF SOLUBLE HUMAN INTERLEUKIN-I TYPE 3 RECEPTOR A. Plasmid Construction 1. Vector Preparation An expression vector containing the N-terminal portion of the human IL- 1 type 3 receptor, also referred to as the "soluble" form of the receptor, is constructed essentially as described below. Briefly, pCDM7amp DNA (as described above) is subjected to restriction endonuclease digestion with two enzymes, NotI and Xhol, each of which have one recognition site in this vector, both located in the MCS. The product is a linearized DNA fragment with the CMV promoter/enhancer immediately upstream of the cut site, and the polyadenylation signal downstream of the cut site.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 31 After digestion, the cleaved vector is isolated by agarose gel electrophoresis and purified using the Gene Clean procedure (Bio 101, San Diego, CA).

The vector is now ready to combine with a DNA fragment encoding the soluble human IL-1 type 3 receptors.

2. Insert Preparation Into this prepared vector is ligated a DNA fragment containing the coding region of the first 336 amino acids of the human IL-1 type 3 receptor set forth in Sequence ID No. 1 (from nucleotide number 129 to nucleotide number 1136).

Briefly, two oligonucleotides are first synthesized for use as primers in PCR. These oligonucleotides can be synthesized on a DNA synthesizer. The first primer consists of the sequence 5'-CCTACTCGAG ATGTGGTCCT TGCTGCTC-3' (Sequence ID No: The first four nucleotides of this sequence serve as a spacer, and increase the efficiency of endonuclease cleavage in a subsequent reaction to be described. Nucleotides 5 through 10 encode a XhoI endonuclease cleavage site, and nucleotides 11 through 28 are identical to the N-terminal coding region of the human IL-type 3 receptor (nucleotides 129 to 146 in Sequence ID No: The second primer consists of the sequence GCCTATCGAA AATCCGGAGC TGG-3' (Sequence Id No: The first four nucleotides of this sequence serve as a spacer, and increase efficiency of endonuclease cleavage in a subsequent reaction to be described. Nucleotides 5 through 12 encode a NotI endonuclease cleavage site. Nucleotides 13 through 15 encode a translation stop codon, and nucleotides 16 though 33 are complementary to the coding region of the human IL-1 type 3 receptor immediately preceding the transmembrane region (nucleotides 1133 through 1116 in Sequence ID No. 1).

The fragment encoding soluble human IL-1 type 3 receptor is then generated by PCR. Briefly, 100ng of each primer are combined in a 0.5ml test tube, along with Ing of the entire human IL-1 type 3 receptor DNA sequence contained in a cloning vector, such as Bluescript (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA). Ten microliters of PCR buffer, 5ul of 25mM MgCI, lul of 25mM aTP, and lul of Taq polymerase/Vent polymerase (16:1 ratio) are also added to the reaction. The complete sample is then overlayed with 100ul of mineral oil to prevent evaporation, and the sample is placed in a thermocycler. Reaction conditions are: 94 0 C for 15 seconds, 55°C for 60 seconds, and 72 0 C for 60 seconds. These conditions are repeated for 25 cycles.

Product from the reaction is analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis to verify the size of the fragment (1009 bp) and also to determine the approximate amount of DNA generated. The DNA is then isolated by phenol/chloroform extraction and WO 96/07739 1 2 0 3 7 32 purified over a G-50 mini-spin column (Boehringer Mannheim, Indianapolis,

IN).

Approximately lOug of the purified DNA fragment is digested with 20 units each of XhoI and NotI restriction endonucleases in a standard reaction to generate cohesive ends on the fragment which are compatible with the pCDM7 vector prepared as detailed above. The digested fragment is then agarose gel purified to remove impurities and contaminating DNA species.

3. Ligation One hundred nanograms of vector DNA is combined with 100ng of insert DNA in a 1.5ml mini-tube with lul of 10X ligation buffer, lul of DNA ligase (Boehringer Mannheim), and water to a total volume of 10ul. This sample is incubated at 23 C for 2 hours.

4. Transformation One hundred microliters of competent E. coli bacteria cells are combined with the ligation product and incubated on ice for 30 minutes. The sample is then incubated at 42 0 C for 45 seconds. One milliliter of bacterial medium (Circle Grow, Bio 101, San Diego, CA) is then added, and the sample is shaken at 37 0 C for 60 minutes.

The sample is then plated on a bacterial growth plate containing bacterial medium and ampicillin at 100ug/ml (Fisher Scientific), and incubated for 16 hours at 37 0

C.

Construct verification Ten colonies from the ampicillin plate are selected and grown in 1 ml of bacterial medium for 24 hours. One hundred microliters of each culture is stored by adding an equal volume of 50% glycerol solution and frozen at -70 0 C in mini-tubes.

Plasmid DNA is then extracted from the remaining cultures by the mini-prep procedure essentially as described by Maniatis et al. (supra), and the recovered DNAs are analyzed by restriction digest with XhoI and Nol/ restriction endonucleases. The products of restriction digest are visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. Correct plasmids will yield two bands: a vector band of approximately 3 kilobases, and an insert fragment of 1009 bases.

The frozen stock of a colony containing the correct plasmid is used to inoculate one liter of bacterial growth medium containing ampicillin (100ug/ml). The culture is shaken at 37 0 C for 24 hours, and plasmid DNA is isolated by a maxi-prep procedure (Promega). The portion on this plasmid coding for soluble human IL-1 type 3 receptor is analyzed by DNA sequencing (US Biochemical) in order to verify that the sequence is correct.

WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 33 B. Transfection Procedure and Expression COS-7 (ATCC No. CRL 1651) or L-tk- cells (ATCC No. CCL 1.3 are seeded at lx106 or 3x106 cells on 10 cm tissue culture dishes and incubated over night.

Cells are then transfected by a standard DEAE dextran method. Briefly, 10pg of IL-1 type 3 receptor expression plasmid DNA are diluted in 3 ml of Dulbecco's modified Minimum Essential Medium (D-MEM) supplemented with glutamine, pyruvate, HEPES, 100 microgram/ml DEAE dextran (0.5 Md., Sigma, St. Louis) and 0.1 mM chloroquine (Sigma). Cells are incubated in this transfection mixture for 4 hours at 37°C. After one washing step with D-MEM cells are incubated for 48 hours in D-MEM supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum. At this stage cells are ready for further analysis of the expressed IL-1 type 3 receptor.

EXAMPLE 4 SIGNALING OF IL-1 VIA THE IL- TYPE 3 RECEPTOR IN A FUNCTIONAL

ASSAY

IL-1 type 1 receptor cDNA and type 3 receptor cDNA are separately transfected into Jurkat cells (ATCC no. TIB 152) together with a reporter plasmid consisting of the HIV promoter region (HIV-LTR) linked to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. Stimulation of the transfected cells with human IL-1 alpha leads through a signaling cascade involving the transcription factor NF-kappaB to the production of CAT, which in turn can be measured by commercially available assays (Promega, Madison, WI) (see also Leunget al., J Biol. Chem.

269:1579-1582, 1994).

Results are shown in Figure 3. Briefly, approximately equal stimulation of CAT activity for both receptors can be seen over mock transfected control cells. This indicates that human IL-1 alpha can signal through the IL-1 type 3 receptor.

EXAMPLE EXPRESSION, LOCALIZATION, AND ACTIVITY OF THE IL-1 TYPE 3 RECEPTOR A. Expression Pattern of the IL- Type 3 Receptor In order to determine in which rat tissues and parts of the rat brain the IL-1 Type 3 receptor is expressed, RNA protection assays are performed. Briefly, total WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 34 RNA is isolated from each tissue or part of the brain and annealed at 65 0 C to 32p labeled RNA generated from a plasmid containing a 600 bp fragment which covers the entire transmembrane region and portions of the extracellular and intracellular domains of the Type 3 receptor cDNA. Samples are then digested with RNase and fractionated on a denaturing polyacrylamice gel. The gel is then dried and the radioactivity quantitated using a Phospholmager (Figure 4).

As can be seen in Figure 4, the highest level of expression is in the lung, followed by the epididymus and testis. When various areas of the brain are examined, the cerebral cortex contains the highest level of the Type 3 receptor, although other areas of the brain were also positive.

B. Localization of the L-I Type 3 Receptor b In Situ Hybridization Utilizing in situ hybridization histochemistry, the IL-1 type 3 receptor may be found in the thymus and the spleen. In the thymus the signal is most prominent in the cortical region and not in the medulla. Within the rat brain the IL-1 type 3 receptor expression is detectable in the hippocampus and the fourth ventricle. This is in contrast to the localization of the IL-1 type I receptor which is restricted to the dentate gyrus granule cells.

Briefly, dissected tissue is frozen in isopentane cooled to -42 0 C and subsequently stored at -80 0 C prior to sectioning on a cryostat. Slide-mounted tissue sections are then stored at -80 0 C. Sections are removed from storage and placed directly into 4% buffered paraformaldehyde at room temperature. After 60 minutes, slides are rinsed in isotonic phosphate buffered saline (10min.) and treated with proteinaseK (1 pg/ml in 100 mM Tris/HCI, pH 8.0) for 10 minutes at 37C.

Subsequently, sections are successively washed in water (1 min.), 0.1 M triethanolamine (pH 8.0, plus 0.25% acetic anhydride) for 10 minutes and 2X SSC (0.3 mM NaCI, 0.03 mM sodium citrate, pH 7.2) for 5 minutes. Sections are then dehydrated through graded alcohols and air dried. Post-fixed sections are hybridized with 1.0 x 106 dpm 3 5 S]UTP-labeled riboprobes in hybridization buffer containing 75% formamide, dextran sulphate, 3X SSC, 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer pH IX Denhardt's solution, 0.1 mg/ml yeast tRNA and 10 mM dithiothreitol in a total volume of 30 pl.

The diluted probe is applied to sections on a glass coverslip and hybridized overnight at in a humid environment. Post-hybridization, sections are washed in 2X SSC for 5 minutes and then treated with RNase A (200 pg/ml in 10 mM Tris/HC1, pH containing 0.5 M NaCI) for 60 minutes at 37 0 C. Subsequently, sections are washed in 2X SSC for 5 minutes, IX SSC for 5 minutes, 0.1X SSC for 60 minutes at 70 0 C, WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 SSC at room temperature for 5 minutes and then dehydrated in graded alcohols and air dried. For signal detection, sections are placed on Kodak Bio Max X-ray film and exposed for the required length of time or dipped in photographic emulsion (Amsersham LM-1) for high resolution analysis. Autoradiograms are analyzed using automated image analysis (DAGE camera/Mac II) while dipped sections were examined using a Zeiss Axioscope.

C. Inhibition of Thyvmocvte Proliferation bv the IL-1 Type 3 Receptor Ability of the IL-1 type 3 receptor to inhibit mouse thymocyte proliferation may also be examined. Briefly, the proliferative response of T lymphocyte lectins such as phytohemagglutin (PHA) is very low, but is markedly enhanced by IL-1.

Thus, soluble type human and rat type 3 receptors may be utilized to competitively inhibit proliferation of mouse thymocytes stimulated by IL-1. Soluble human Type 1 receptor produced in baculovirus may be used as a positive control.

Briefly, soluble IL-1 type 1 or type 3 receptors are added to wells of a 96 well plate and serially diluted IL-1 is also added. Thymi are removed from young mice and a single cell suspension prepared in tissue culture media. Cells are washed 3 times and resuspended at a concentration of 107 cells/ml. Cells are plated at 100 microliters in a 96 well flat bottom microtiter plate. PHA is added to stimulate the cells. Plates are then incubated for 48 hours in a 37°C, 5% CO 2 humidified incubator, and 3

H]

thymidine is added to the cells for the last 4 to 6 hours. Cells are then harvested and the [3H] thymidine incorporation determined by liquid scintillation counting.

As shown in Figure 5, both human IL-1 type 3 and rat IL-1 type 3 receptors effectively inhibit thymocyte proliferation in a manner similar to that observed for soluble human type 1 receptor. This result strongly indicates that the type 3 receptor inhibits thymocyte proliferation by binding to the exogenously added IL-1.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

Q:\OPER\TDO'3680595.o82 23/3/99 Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

a.

a a a a a a.

a a.

a *aa.

a. a a a a a a.

a a a a a.

a. a a a a.

a a a a. a a a a a.

a WO 96 0 7739 PCT/US95/12037 36 SEQUENCE LISTING GENERAL INFORMATION: APPLICANTS: Lovenberg, Timothy W.

Oltersdorf, Tilman Liaw, Chen W.

Clevenger, William DeSouza, Errol B.

(ii) TITLE OF INVENTION: INTERLEUKIN-1 TYPE 3 RECEPTORS (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 9 (iv) CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS: ADDRESSEE: Seed and Berry STREET: 6300 Columbia Center, 701 Fifth Avenue CITY: Seattle STATE: Washington COUNTRY: US ZIP: 98104 COMPUTER READABLE FORM: MEDIUM TYPE: Floppy disk COMPUTER: IBM PC compatible OPERATING SYSTEM: PC-DOS/MS-DOS SOFTWARE: PatentIn Release Version #1.25 (vi) CURRENT APPLICATION

DATA:

APPLICATION

NUMBER:

FILING DATE:

CLASSIFICATION:

(viii) ATTORNEY/AGENT

INFORMATION:

NAME: McMasters, David D.

REGISTRATION NUMBER: 33,963 WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 37 REFERENCE/DOCKET NUMBER: 690068.402PC (ix) TELECOMMUNICATION

INFORMATION:

TELEPHONE: (206) 622-4900 TELEFAX: (206) 682-6031 TELEX: 3723836 INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1: SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 1965 base pairs TYPE: nucleic acid STRANDEDNESS: single TOPOLOGY: linear (ix) FEATURE: NAME/KEY: CDS LOCATION: 129..1814 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:1: CGCCCGCCCA CGGCGGCGGG GAAATACCTA GGCATGGAAG TGGCATGACA GGGCTCGTGT CCCTGTCATA TTTTCCACTC TCCACGAGGT CCTGCGCGCT TCAATCCTGC AGGCAGCCCG 120 GTTTGGGG ATG TGG TCC TTG CTG CTC TGC GGG TTG TCC ATC GCC CTT CCA 170 Met Trp Ser Leu Leu Leu Cys Gly Leu Ser Ile Ala Leu Pro 1 5 CTG TCT GTC ACA GCA GAT GGA TGC AAG GAC ATT TTT ATG AAA AAT GAG 218 Leu Ser Val Thr Ala Asp Gly Cys Lys Asp Ile Phe Met Lys Asn Glu 20 25 ATA CTT TCA GCA AGC CAG CCT TTT GCT TTT AAT TGT ACA TTC CCT CCC 266 WO 96/07739 WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 38 Ile Leu Ser Ala Ser Gin Pro Phe Ala Phe Asn Cys Thr Phe Pro Pro ATA ACA TCT GGG Ile Thr Ser Gly GAA GTC Glu Val AGT GTA Ser Val

ACA

Thr 55 TGG TAT AAA AAT Trp Tyr Lys Asn TCT AGC AAA Ser Ser Lys GAC GAG ACT Asp Glu Thr 314 ATC CCA GTG Ile Pro Val TCC AAA ATC Ser Lys Ile ATA CAG Ile Gin 70 TCT AGA ATT CAC Ser Arg Ile His

CAG

Gin 362 TGG ATT Trp Ile TTG TTT CTC CCC ATG GAA Leu Phe Leu Pro Met Glu 85 TGG GGG GAC TCA GGA GTC TAC CAA Trp Gly Asp Ser Gly Val Tyr Gin 410

TGT

Cys GTT ATA AAG GGT AGA Val Ile Lys Gly Arg 100 GAC AGC TGT Asp Ser Cys CAT AGA ATA CAT His Arg Ile His 105 GTA AAC CTA Val Asn Leu 110 458 ACT GTT TTT GAA Thr Val Phe Glu AAA CAT Lys His 115 TGG TGT Trp Cys GAC ACT TCC Asp Thr Ser 120 ATA GGT GGT TTA CCA Ile Gly Gly Leu Pro 125 506 AAT TTA TCA Asn Leu Ser AGT CTC ACA Ser Leu Thr 145

GAT

Asp 130 GAG TAC AAG Glu Tyr Lys CAA ATA Gin Ile 135 TTA CAT Leu His AAG AGT Lys Ser CTT GGA AAA Leu Gly Lys 140 GAT GAT Asp Asp 554 602 TGT CAT CTG CAC TTC CCG Cys His Leu His Phe Pro 150 TGT GTT Cys Val 155 TTG GGT CCA Leu Gly Pro ATA AAG Ile Lys 160 TGG TAT AAG GAC TGT Trp Tyr Lys Asp Cys 165 AAC GAG ATT AAA GGG GAG CGG Asn Glu Ile Lys Gly Glu Arg 170 TTC ACT Phe Thr 650 698 GTT TTG GAA ACC AGG CTT TTG GTG AGC AAT GTC TCG GCA GAG GAC AGA Val Leu Glu Thr Arg Leu Leu Val Ser Asn Val Ser Ala Glu Asp Arg WO 96/07739 PCTfUS95/12037 175 185 GGG AAC TAC GCG TGT Gly Asn Tyr Ala Cys 195 GAG GTT TTA AAT GGC Glu Val Leu Asn Gly 210 GGA GGA AGT GTC CCT Gly Gly Ser Val Pro 225 CAA GCC ATA CTG ACA CAC Gin Ala Ile Leu Thr His 200 TCA GGG AAG CAG TAC Ser Gly Lys Gin Tyr 205 ATC ACT GTG AGC Ile Thr Val Ser 215 AAA ATC ATT TAT Lys Ile Ile Tyr 230 ATT ACA GAA AGA GCT GGA TAT Ile Thr Glu Arg Ala Gly Tyr 220 CCA AAA AAT CAT TCA ATT GAA Pro Lys Asn His Ser Ile Glu 235 746 794 842 GTA CAG CTT GGT ACC Val Gin Leu Gly Thr 240 ACT CTG Thr Leu 245 ATT GTG GAC TGC AAT GTA ACA GAC ACC Ile Val Asp Cys Asn Val Thr Asp Thr 250 890 AAG GAT AAT Lys Asp Asn 255 ACA AAT CTA Thr Asn Leu 260 CGA TGC TGG AGA GTC Arg Cys Trp Arg Val 265 AAT AAC Asn Asn ACT TTG GTG Thr Leu Val 270 938 GAT GAT TAC TAT GAT Asp Asp Tyr Tyr Asp 275 CAT GTC TCT TTT CGG His Val Ser Phe Arg 290 GAA TCC AAA CGA ATC Glu Ser Lys Arg Ile 280 GAA CAT AAT TTG TAC Glu His Asn Leu Tyr 295 AGA GAA GGG GTG GAA ACC Arg Glu Gly Val Glu Thr 285 ACA GTA AAC ATC ACC TTC Thr Val Asn Ile Thr Phe 300 986 1034 TTG GAA Leu Glu GTG AAA Val Lys 305 ATG GAA GAT TAT Met Glu Asp Tyr 310 GGC CTT CCT TTC ATG TGC CAC GCT Gly Leu Pro Phe Met Cys His Ala 315 1082

GGA

Gly GTG TCC ACA GCA Val Ser Thr Ala 320 TAC ATT Tyr Ile ATA TTA CAG CTC Ile Leu Gin Leu CCA GCT Pro Ala CCG GAT TTT Pro Asp Phe 1130 325 330 SWO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 CGA GCT TAC Arg Ala Tyr 335 TTG ATA GGA GGG Leu Ile Gly Gly 340 CTT ATC GCC TTG GTG GCT GTG GCT GTG 1178 Leu Ile Ala Leu 345 Val Ala Val Ala TCT GTT GTG TAC ATA TAC Ser Val Val Tyr Ile Tyr 355 AAC ATT TTT AAG ATC GAC ATT GTT Asn Ile Phe Lys Ile Asp Ile Val 360 CTT TGG Leu Trp 365 1226 TAT CGA AGT GCC Tyr Arg Ser Ala 370 TAT GAC GCC TAT Tyr Asp Ala Tyr 385 TTC CAT TCT ACA GAG ACC ATA GTA GAT GGG AAG CTG Phe His Ser Thr Glu Thr Ile Val Asp Gly Lys Leu 375 380 GTC TTA TAC CCC AAG CCC CAC AAG GAA AGC CAG AGG Val Leu Tyr Pro Lys Pro His Lys Glu Ser Gin Arg 390 395 1274 1322 CAT GCC His Ala 400 GTG GAT GCC CTG GTG Val Asp Ala Leu Val 405 TTG AAT ATC CTG CCC GAG GTG TTG GAG Leu Asn Ile Leu Pro Glu Val Leu Glu 410 1370 1418

AGA

Arg 415 CAA TGT GGA TAT AAG TTG TTT ATA Gin Cys Gly Tyr Lys Leu Phe Ile 420 TTC GGC Phe Gly 425 AGA GAT GAA TTC CCT Arg Asp Glu Phe Pro 430 GGA CAA GCC GTG GCC Gly Gin Ala Val Ala 435 AGG CTG ATT GTC ATT Arg Leu Ile Val Ile 450 AAT GTC ATC GAT GAA Asn Val Ile Asp Glu 440 GTG GTC CCC GAA TCG Val Val Pro Glu Ser 455 AAC GTT AAG CTG TGC AGG Asn Val Lys Leu Cys Arg 445 CTG GGC TTT GGC CTG TTG Leu Gly Phe Gly Leu Leu 460 1466 1514

AAG

Lys AAC CTG Asn Leu 465 TCA GAA GAA CAA ATC Ser Glu Glu Gin Ile 470 GCG GTC TAC AGT GCC CTG ATC CAG Ala Val Tyr Ser Ala Leu Ile Gin 475 1562 WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 GAC GGG ATG AAG GTT ATT CTC ATT GAG CTG Asp Gly 480 Met Lys Val Ile Leu 485 Ile Glu Leu GAG AAA Glu Lys 490 ATC GAG GAC TAC Ile Glu Asp Tyr 1610 ACA GTC ATG Thr Val Met 495 CCA GAG TCA Pro Glu Ser 500 ATT CAG TAC ATC AAA Ile Gin Tyr Ile Lys 505 CAG AAG CAT GGT GCC Gin Lys His Gly Ala 510 1658 ATC CGG TGG CAT GGG GAC Ile Arg Trp His Gly Asp 515 TTC ACG GAG CAG Phe Thr Glu Gin 520 TCA CAG TGT ATG AAG ACC Ser Gin Cys Met Lys Thr 525 1706 1754 AAG TTT TGG AAG Lys Phe Trp Lys 530 ACA GTG AGA TAC CAC Thr Val Arg Tyr His 535 ATG CCG CCC AGA AGG TGT Met Pro Pro Arg Arg Cys 540

CGG

Arg CCG TTT CTC Pro Phe Leu 545 CGG TCC ACG TGC CGC AGC ACA CAC CTC TGT ACC GCA CCG Arg Ser Thr Cys Arg Ser Thr His Leu Cys Thr Ala Pro 550 555 CAG GCC Gin Ala 560 CAG AAC Gin Asn TAGGCTCAAG AAGAAAGAAG TGTACTCTCA CGACTGGCTA 1802 1854 1914 1965 AGACTTGCTG GACTGACACC TATGGCTGGA AGATGACTTG TTTTGCTCCA TGTCTCCTCA TTCCTACACC TATTTTCTGC TGCAGGATGA GGCTAGGGTT AGCATTCTAG

A

INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2: SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 562 amino acids TYPE: amino acid TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein WO 96/07739 PCTUS9/12037 (xi) SEQUENCE Met Trp Ser Leu Leu DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID Leu Cys Gly Leu Ser NO:2: Ile Ala Leu Pro Leu Ser Thr Ala Asp Gly Cys Lys Asp Ile Phe Met Lys Asn Glu Ile Leu Ser Ala Ser Ser Gly Glu Gin Pro Phe Ala Phe 40 Trp Asn Cys Thr Phe Pro Ser Pro Ile Thr Lys Ile Pro Val Ser Val Val Ser Thr 55 Ser Tyr Lys Asn Ser Asp Lys Ile Ile Leu Gin 70 Glu Arg Ile His Gin 75 Gly Glu Thr Trp Ile Phe Leu Pro Met Asp Trp Gly Asp Val Tyr Gin Cys Val Ile Lys Gly Phe Glu Lys 115 Ser Asp Glu 130 Arg 100 His Ser Cys His Arg 105 Ser His Val Asn Trp Cys Asp Thr 120 Leu Ile Gly Gly Leu 125 Asp Leu Thr Val 110 Pro Asn Leu Asp Ser Leu Tyr Lys Gin His Leu Gly Lys 140 Leu Thr 145 Trp Cys His Leu His Phe 150 Asn Pro Lys Ser Cys Gly Pro Ile Lys 160 Leu Tyr Lys Asp Cys 165 Glu Ile Lys Gly 170 Glu Arg Phe Thr Glu Thr Arg Leu Leu Val Ser Asn Val Ser Ala Glu Asp Arg Gly Asn WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 185 Tyr Ala Cys 195 Gin Ala Ilie Leu Th r 200 His Sen Gly Lys Gin 205 Tyr Glu Val Leu Asn 210 Giy Ilie Thr Val Ser 215 Ilie Thr Giu Arg Ala 220 Gly Tyr Giy Giy Sen 225 Val Pro Lys Ilie Ilie 230 Tyr Pro Lys Asn His Ser Ilie Glu Val 235 Gi n 240 Leu Gly Thr Thr Leu 245 Ilie Val Asp Cys Asn 250 Val Thr Asp Thr Lys Asp 255 Asn Thr Asn Tyr Tyr Asp 275 Leu 260 Arg Cys Trp Arg Val 265 Asn Asn Thr Leu Val Asp Asp 270 Thr His Val Glu Sen Lys Arg Ilie 280 Ang Glu Gly Val Gi u 285 Sen Phe 290 Arg Giu His Asn Leu 295 Tyr Thr Val Asn Thr Phe Leu Giu Val1 305 Lys Met Giu Asp Ty r 310 Giy Leu Pro Phe Met 315 Cys His Ala Gly Ser Thr Aia Tyr Ilie 325 Ilie Leu Gin Leu Pro Ala Pro Asp 330 Val Ala Val Ala Tyr Leu Ilie Val Tyr Ilie 355 Giy 340 Gly Leu Ilie Ala Leu 345 Phe Arg Ala Val Sen Val 350 Trp Tyr Arg Tyr Asn Ilie Phe Lys 360 Ile Asp Ile Val Leu 365 Sen Ala Phe His Sen Thr Giu Thr Ilie 370 375 Val Asp Gly Lys Leu Tyr Asp 380 WO 96/07739 PCTIUS95/12037 44 Ala Tyr Val Leu Tyr Pro Lys Pro His Lys Giu Sen Gin Arg His Ala 385 395 Gi u 400 Val Asp Ala Leu Val1 405 Leu Leu Asn Ile Leu Pro 410 Ang Val Leu Glu Ang Gi n 415 Cys Gly Tyr Ala Val Ala 435 Ilie Val Ilie Lys 420 As n Phe Ilie Phe Gi y 425 As n Asp Glu Phe Pro Gly Gin 430 Ang Ang Leu Val Ilie Asp Giu 440 Sen Val Lys Leu Cys 445 Leu Val Val Pro 450 Leu Sen Gi u 455 Al a Leu Gly Phe Gi y 460 Leu Leu Lys Asn Giu Giu Gin 465 Met Ilie 470 Ile Val Tyr Sen Ala 475 Ile Ilie Gin Asp Gly 480 Lys Val Ilie Leu 485 Ile Gl u Leu GI u Lys 490 Gi n Glu Asp Tyr Thn Val 495 Met Pro Glu Tnp His Gly 515 Tnp Lys Thn 530 Sen 500 Asp Gin Tyr Ilie Lys 505 Sen Lys His Gly Ala Ilie Ang 510 Thn Lys Phe Phe Thn Glu Gin 520 Met Gin Cys Met Lys 525 Cys Val Ang Tyr Pro Pro Ang Ang 540 Ang Pro Phe Leu Ang Sen Thn Cys Ang Sen Thn His Leu 545 550 Gin Asn Cys 555 Thn Ala Pro Gin Al a 560 WO 96/07739 PCTfUS9512037 INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3: SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 2044 base pairs TYPE: nucleic acid STRANDEDNESS: single TOPOLOGY: linear (ix) FEATURE: NAME/KEY: CDS LOCATION: 89..1771 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3: CCGGCTGGCC TAGGATCAGG CAAGAAAAGG CTGAACGCCT TTCTAAGGAC GGACTCTTTC TGTACAGCTC CACTTGGGGA AGCCCGAA ATG GGG ATG CCA CCC TTG CTC TTC Met Gly Met Pro Pro Leu Leu Phe 112 TGT TGG GTG TCT TTC GTG CTT CCA Cys Trp ACT GAT Thr Asp CTT TTT Leu Phe Val Ser Phe Val GTC TAT ATG CAC Val Tyr Met His 30 Leu Pro 15 CAT GAG His Glu GTG GCA GCA Val Ala Ala ATG ATT TCA Met Ile Ser 35 GTA ACA AAC Val Thr Asn 50 GAG GGC Glu Gly GGT AAC TGT Gly Asn Cys CAG CCT TTC Gin Pro Phe GTG AAT CTG Val Asn Leu 160 208 CCC TTC AAC Pro Phe Asn TGC ACA Cys Thr TAC CCT CCA Tyr Pro Pro GGG GCA Gly Ala ACA TGG CAT AGA ACA Thr Trp His Arg Thr CCC AGT AAG AGC Pro Ser Lys Ser CCA ATC TCC ATC AAC AGA CAC Pro Ile Ser Ile Asn Arg His 304 WO 96/07739 PCTIUS95/12037 GTT AGA ATT Val Arg Ile CAC CAG His Gin TTG GAG GAC TCA GGC Leu Glu Asp Ser Gly GAC CAG Asp Gin ATC TAT lie Tyr 95 ATA AAC Ile Asn 110 TCC TGG Ser Trp 80 CAA TGT G1n Cys CTA ACC Leu Thr ATT TTG Ile Leu GTT ATA Val Ile GTT TTT Val Phe 115 TTT CTT CCG Phe Leu Pro TTG GCA Leu Ala AAG GAT Lys Asp 100 AGA AAA Arg Lys GCC CAC AGC Ala His Ser CAC TGG TGC His Trp Cys 120 352 400 448

TGT

Cys 105 TAC CGA Tyr Arg ATA GCT Ile Ala GAC TCT TCC Asp Ser Ser

AAC

Asn

GAA

Glu 125 GAG AGT TCC ATA AAT Glu Ser Ser Ile Asn 130 TCC TCA GAT GAG TAC CAG Ser Ser Asp Glu Tyr Gin 135 CAA TGG TTA CCC ATA Gin Trp Leu Pro Ile 140 GGA AAA TCG Gly Lys Ser GGC AGT CTG ACG TGC CAT CTC TAC Gly Ser Leu Thr Cys His Leu Tyr 145 150 TCA ATA AAG TGG TAT AAG GGT TGT Ser Ile Lys Trp Tyr Lys Gly Cys 165 496 544 592 TTC CCA GAG Phe Pro Glu 155 AGC TGT GTT TTG GAT Ser Cys Val Leu Asp 160 GAA GAG ATT AAA GTG Glu Glu Ile Lys Val 170 AGC AAG Ser Lys 175 AAG TTT TGC CCT ACA GGA ACA AAG CTT Lys Phe Cys Pro Thr Gly Thr Lys Leu 180 640

CTT

Leu 185 GTT AAC AAC Val Asn Asn ATC GAC Ile Asp 190 GTG GAG GAT AGT GGG Val Glu Asp Ser Gly 195 AGC TAT GCA TGC TCA Ser Tyr Ala Cys Ser 200 688 GCC AGA CTG ACA CAC Ala Arg Leu Thr His 205 TTG GGG AGA ATC TTC ACG GTT AGA AAC Leu Gly Arg Ile Phe Thr Val Arg Asn 210 TAC ATT Tyr Ile 215 m WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/120 3 7 GCT GTG AAT ACC Ala Val Asn Thr 220 AAG GAA GTT GGG TCT GGA Lys Glu Val Gly Ser Gly 225 GGA AGG ATC CCT AAC ATC Gly Arg Ile Pro Asn Ile 230 784 ACG TAT CCA Thr Tyr Pro 235 AAA AAC Lys Asn AAC TCC ATT Asn Ser lle 240

GAA

Glu GTT CAA CTT GGC Val Gin Leu Gly 245 TCC ACC CTC Ser Thr Leu ATT GTG GAC Ile Val Asp 250 TGC AAT Cys Asn ATA ACA Ile Thr 255 GAC ACG AAG GAG AAT Asp Thr Lys Glu Asn 260 ACG AAC CTC AGA Thr Asn Leu Arg 880

TGC

Cys 265 TGG CGA Trp Arg GTT AAC AAC ACC CTG GTG GAC Val Asn Asn Thr Leu Val Asp 270

GAT

Asp 275 TAC TAC AAC GAC Tyr Tyr Asn Asp

TTC

Phe 280 928 AAA CGC ATC CAG GAA Lys Arg Ile Gin Glu 285 GGA ATC GAA ACC AAT Gly Ile Glu Thr Asn 290 CTG TCT CTG AGG AAT CAC Leu Ser Leu Arg Asn His 295 ATT CTG TAC ACA Ile Leu Tyr Thr 300 GTG AAC ATA ACA TTC Val Asn Ile Thr Phe 305 TTA GAA GTG AAA Leu Glu Val Lys ATG GAG GAC Met Glu Asp 310 1024

TAC

Tyr GGC CAT Gly His 315 CCT TTC ACA Pro Phe Thr TGC CAC GCT Cys His Ala 320 GCG GTG TCC GCA GCC TAC ATC Ala Val Ser Ala Ala Tyr Ile 325 1072 ATT CTG Ile Leu 330 CTC ATG Leu Met 345 AAA CGC CCA GCT CCA Lys Arg Pro Ala Pro 335 GAC TTC CGG GCT TAC CTC ATA GGA GGT Asp Phe Arg Ala Tyr Leu Ile Gly Gly 340 1120 GCT TTC CTA CTT Ala Phe Leu Leu 350 CTG GCC GTG TCC ATT Leu Ala Val Ser lle 355 CTG TAC ATC TAC AAC Leu Tyr Ile Tyr Asn 360 1168 ACC TTT AAG GTC GAC ATC GTG CTT TGG TAT AGG AGT ACC TTC CAC ACT 1216 WO 96/07739 WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 48 Thr Phe Lys Val Asp Ile Val Leu Trp Tyr Arg Ser Thr Phe His Thr 365 370 375 GCC CAG GCT CCA GAT GAC Ala Gin Ala Pro Asp Asp 380 GAG AAG CTG Glu Lys Leu 385 TAT GAT GCC TAT GTC TTA TAC Tyr Asp Ala Tyr Val Leu Tyr 390 CAT GAT GTG GAC ACA CTG GTG His Asp Val Asp Thr Leu Val 405 1264 1312 CCC AAG TAC Pro Lys Tyr 395 CCA AGA GAA AGC CAG GGC Pro Arg Glu Ser Gin Gly 400 TTG AAG Leu Lys 410 ATC TTG CCC GAG GTG Ile Leu Pro Glu Val 415 CTG GAG AAA CAG TGT GGA TAT AAG TTA Leu Glu Lys Gin Cys Gly Tyr Lys Leu 420 1360

TTC

Phe 425 ATA TTT GGC AGG GAT Ile Phe Gly Arg Asp 430 GAA TTC CCT GGA Glu Phe Pro Gly CTG TGT AGG AGG Leu Cys Arg Arg 450 ATT GAT Ile Asp GAA AAC ATT AAG Glu Asn Ile Lys 445 CAA GCT GTG GCC AGC GTC Gin Ala Val Ala Ser Val 435 440 CTG ATG GTC CTC GTG GCA Leu Met Val Leu Val Ala 455 AAC TTG ACT GAA GAA CAA Asn Leu Thr Glu Glu Gin 470 CCA GAG ACA TCC Pro Glu Thr Ser 460 ATC GCT GTC TAC Ile Ala Val Tyr 475 ATT GAA CTG GAG Ile Glu Leu Glu 490 AGC TTC AGC TTT CTG AAG Ser Phe Ser Phe Leu Lys 465 1408 1456 1504 1552 1600 AAT GCC CTC Asn Ala Leu AGA GTC AAG Arg Val Lys 495 GTC CAG GAC GGC ATG AAG GTC ATT CTG Val Gin Asp Gly Met Lys Val Ile Leu 480 485 GAC TAC AGC ACC ATG CCC GAG TCC ATT Asp Tyr Ser Thr Met Pro Glu Ser Ile 500 CAG TAC ATC CGA CAGAG G CAC GGG GCC ATC CAG TGG GAT GGG GAC TTC Gin Tyr Ile Arg Gin Lys His Gly Ala Ile Gin Trp Asp Gly Asp Phe 1648 WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 505 ACA GAG Thr Glu 510 TGC GCC Cys Ala CAG GCA CAG Gin Ala Gin 525 515 TTC TGG AAG AAA Phe Trp Lys Lys AAG ACG AAA Lys Thr Lys 530 (5 t: 520 GTG AGA Val Arg AG CTG In Leu 1696 1744 TAT CAT ATG CCA Tyr His Met Pro 540 CTA GGA CAC ACA Leu Gly His Thr 555 GGGGCTCATA ACTCC ATCATCTACC

CCCGT

CATATTTTGA TTTTT CGTACTACTC CTGTT CTATCATGTT GGG

CCC

Pro AGG AGG TAC CCG Arg Arg Tyr Pro 545 GCA TCT CCC CCC GTC C Ala Ser Pro Pro Val G 550 TAGTGCAGTG

CCACCGCCAC

CCC

Pro

C(

Ar

TTAAG

AGCTT

TGTTT

TGCTT

GC ATA CCA rg Ile Pro 560

AGCGGTTAGT

GCTCTTTTGT

GTTTTGTTTG

CATGGTTCCT

GGC

Gly 1791 GTGTGGTGGC TCGCACTACA

ACCTCTCTGG

GCTTGTGAGC GACCTCGTCC

TTAGCCACGT

TTTGTTGTAT GCTTTTAGTC

ATAGCTGATT

GAATCCCAGA GACTCCCTGA

GCATGGGTGG

1851 1911 1971 2031 2044 INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4: SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 561 amino acids TYPE: amino acid TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:4: Met Gly Met Pro Pro Leu Leu Phe Cys Trp Val Ser Phe Val Leu Pro WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 Leu Phe Val Met Ile Ser Val Thr Asn Ala Glu Ala Gly Asn Cys Thr Asp Val Tyr Met His His Glu Pro Gly Gin Pro Phe 40 Leu Phe Asn Cys Thr Thr Tyr Pro Pro Pro Ser Lys Gly Ala Val Ser Pro Asn 55 Arg Thr Trp His Arg His Ile Ser Ile Trp Asn 70 Pro His Val Arg Ile 75 Asp Gln Asp G1n Ser Ile Leu Phe Leu Asp Leu Ala Leu Glu 90 Tyr Ser Gly IleTyr G1n Cys Val Ile Lys 100 Arg Ala His Ser Cys 105 Asp Arg Ile Ala Thr Val Phe 115 Ile Asn Ser Lys His Trp Cys 120 Gin Ser Ser Asn Ile Asn Leu 110 Glu Ser Ser Gly Lys Ser Ser Asp Glu 130 Gly Ser Tyr 135 Leu Gin Trp Leu Pro 140 Ser Leu Thr Cys 145 Ser His 150 Lys Tyr Phe Pro Cys Val Leu Asp 160 Ile Lys Trp Tyr 165 Gly Gly Cys Glu Lys Val Ser Lys Lys 175 Val Glu Phe Cys Pro Thr Lys Leu Leu 185 Asn Asn Ile Asp 190 Asp Ser Gly 195 Ser Tyr Ala Cys Ser 200 Ala Arg Leu Thr His 205 Leu Gly Arg WO 96/07739 WO 9607739PCTIUS95/12037 Ile Phe 210 Thr Val Ang Asn Ile Ala Val Asn Th r 220 Lys Glu Val Gly Sen 225 Gly Giy Arg Ilie Pro 230 Asn Ilie Thr Tyr Pro 235 Lys Asn Asn Sen Ilie 240 Glu Val Gin Leu Gi y 245 Sen Thr Leu Ilie Asp Cys Asn Ilie Thr Asp 255 Thr Lys Giu Vai Asp Asp 275 Thr Asn Leu Arg Cys 265 Trp Ang Vai Asn Asn Thr Leu 270 Giy Ilie Giu Tyr Tyr Asn Asp Phe 280 Lys Ang Ilie Gin Giu 285 Thr Asn 290 Leu Ser Leu Ang His Ilie Leu Tyr Th r 300 Vai Asn Ilie Thr Leu Giu Vai Lys Met 310 Giu Asp Tyr Giy Hi s 315 Pro Phe Thr Cys Ala Aia Val Sen Aia 325 Ala Tyr Ilie Ilie Lys Arg Pro Ala Pro Asp 335 Phe Ang Ala Val Sen Ilie 355 Leu Ilie Giy Giy Leu 345 Met Aia Phe Leu Leu Leu Ala 350 Ilie Vai Leu Leu Tyr Ilie Tyr As n 360 Thr Phe Lys Vai Asp 365 Trp Tyr 370 Ang Sen Thn Phe Thn Ala Gin Ala Pro 380 Asp Asp Giu Lys Leu 385 Tyr Asp Ala Tyr Val 390 Leu Tyr Pro Lys Ty r 395 Pro Arg Giu Sen WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 52 Gly His Asp Val Asp Thr Leu Val Leu Lys Ile Leu Pro Glu Val Leu 405 Gly 410 Glu Lys Gin Pro Gly Gin 435 Arg Arg Leu 450 Cys 420 Ala Tyr Lys Leu Phe 425 Ile Phe Gly Arg Asp 430 Lys 415 Glu Phe Leu Cys Val Ala Ser Asp Glu Asn Ile 445 Ser Met Val Leu Val 455 Glu Pro Glu Thr Ser 460 Tyr Phe Ser Phe Leu 465 Gin Lys Asn Leu Thr Glu 470 Val Gin Ile Ala Val 475 Leu Asn Ala Leu Val 480 Asp Gly Met Lys 485 Pro Ile Leu Ile Glu Arg Val Lys Asp 495 Tyr Ser Thr Ala Ile Gin 515 Thr Lys Phe 530 Met 500 Trp Glu Ser IleGin 505 Thr Ile Arg Gln Asp Gly Asp Phe 520 Arg Glu Gin Ala Gin 525 Pro Lys His Gly 510 Cys Ala Lys Arg Arg Tyr Trp Lys Lys Val 535 Tyr His Met Pro 540 Pro Ala Ser Pro Pro Val Gin Leu Leu Gly His Thr Pro Arg Ile Pro 545 550 555 560 Gly INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 8 amino acids WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 53 TYPE: amino acid TOPOLOGY: linear (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID Asp Tyr Lys Asp Asp Asp Asp Lys 1 INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:6: SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 50 base pairs TYPE: nucleic acid STRANDEDNESS: single TOPOLOGY: linear (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6: CTTCAACTGC ACATACCCTC CAGTAACAAA CGGGGCAGTG AATCTGACAT INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7: SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 51 base pairs TYPE: nucleic acid STRANDEDNESS: single TOPOLOGY: linear (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7: CCTCCCATAA CATCTGGGGA AGTCAGTGTA ACATGGTATA AAAATTCTAG C 51 WO 96/07739 PCT/US95/12037 54 INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:8: SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 28 base pairs TYPE: nucleic acid STRANDEDNESS: single TOPOLOGY: linear (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:8: CCTACTCGAG ATGTGGTCCT TGCTGCTC 28 INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:9: SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: LENGTH: 33 base pairs TYPE: nucleic acid STRANDEDNESS: single TOPOLOGY: linear (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:9: ATGCGCGGCC GCCTATCGAA AATCCGGAGC TGG

Q

Claims (14)

1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor or a variant thereof, wherein said Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor is encoded by: a nucleic acid sequence derived from the coding region of Sequence I.D. No. 1 or 3; a nucleic acid sequence which is capable of hybridization under conditions of moderate stringency to a nucleic acid sequence complementary to or nucleic acid sequences which are degenerate as a result of the genetic code to the nucleic acid sequences defined in or

2. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, comprising the sequence ofnucleotides in Sequence I.D. No. 1, from nucleotide number 129 to nucleotide number 1814.

3. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 wherein said molecule encodes a protein having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 562. a

4. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, comprising the sequence ofnucleotides in Sequence I.D. No. 3, from nucleotide number 89 to nucleotide number 1771.

5. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 wherein said molecule encodes a protein having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 561.

6. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 wherein said molecule encodes a human Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor.

7. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 wherein said molecule f E 4 ncodes a rat Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. Q:\OPER\TDO\36805-95.082 23/3/99 -56-

8. An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding soluble Interleukin- Type 3 receptor or a variant thereof, wherein said Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor is encoded by: a nucleic acid sequence derived from the N-terminal extracellular domain coding region of Sequence I.D. No. 1 or 3; a nucleic acid sequence which is capable of hybridization under conditions of moderate stringency to a nucleic acid sequence complementary to or nucleic acid sequences which are degenerate as a result of the genetic code to the nucleic acid sequences defined in or

9. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 8, comprising the sequence of nucleotides in Sequence I.D. No. 1, from nucleotide number 129 to nucleotide number 1136.

10. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 8 wherein said molecule encodes a protein having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 336.

11. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 8, comprising the a sequence of nucleotides in Sequence I.D. No. 3, from nucleotide number 89 to nucleotide number

1102. i

12. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 8 wherein said molecule encodes a protein having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 338.

13. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 8 wherein said molecule encodes a soluble human Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor.

14. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 8 wherein said molecule encodes a soluble rat Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. PN 0, >NT Q:\OPERXTDO\36805-95.082 -23/3199 -57- A recombinant expression vector, comprising a promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid molecule according to any one of claims 1-14. 16. A recombinant viral vector which directs the expression of a nucleic acid molecule according to any one of claims 1-14 wherein said vector is selected from the group consisting of retroviral vectors, adenoviral vectors, and herpes simplex virus vectors. 17. A host cell containing a recombinant vector according to any one of claims or 16. 18. An isolated Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor encoded by a nucleic acid molecule *.S*Saccording to claim 1. *.oo S. 19. The isolated Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor according to claim 18 having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 562. 20. The isolated Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor according to claim 18 having the 0 amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 561. 21. The isolated Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor according to claim 18 wherein said receptor is a human Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. 22. The isolated Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor according to claim 18 wherein said receptor is a rat Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. 23. An isolated soluble Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor encoded by a nucleic acid molecule according to claim 8. C K ^U Q:\OPER\TDo\36805-95.082 23/3/99 -58- 24. The isolated soluble Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor according to claim 23 having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 2, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 336. The isolated soluble Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor according to claim 23 having the amino acid sequence of Sequence I.D. No. 4, from amino acid number 1 to amino acid number 338. 26. The isolated soluble Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor according to claim 23 wherein said receptor is a human Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. 27. The isolated soluble Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor according to claim 23 wherein said receptor is a rat Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. 28. An isolated antibody capable of specifically binding with a KA of greater than S* or equal to 10'M- 1 to an Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor and which binds to Interleukin-1 Type 1 or 2 receptors with an affinity of less than KA10 7 M 1 29. The antibody according to claim 28 wherein said antibody is selected from the group consisting of polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, and antibody fragments. Se 30. The antibody according to claim 28 wherein said antibody is capable of blocking the binding of IL-1 to an Interleukin-1 Type 3 receptor. 31. The antibody according to claim 28 wherein said antibody is selected from the group consisting of murineannd human antibodies. 32. A hybridoma which produces an antibody according to any one of claims 28- A ^^31. /U Q:\OPER\TDO\36805-95.082 23/3/99 59 33. A nucleic acid Probe of at least 18 nucleotides in length which is capable of specifically hybridizing under conditions of moderate stringency to a nucleic acid sequence according to claim 1, but not to an Interleukin- 1 Type 1 or Type 2 receptor nucleic acid sequence. DATED this 23rd day of March Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. by their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE 1999 S a St S *S S S *5* S. t b S a a 5*5* a S. a a S. S a a. S. a S S a a a. SS e5 S