EP1390478A1

EP1390478A1 - Compounds capable of modulating the activity and stimulating the production of a catalytic antibody

Info

Publication number: EP1390478A1
Application number: EP02732880A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alain Friboulet; Bérangère AVALLE-BIHAN; Hélène DEBAT; Daniel Thomas
Original assignee: GRADIENT
Current assignee: Universite de Technologie de Compiegne
Priority date: 2001-05-22
Filing date: 2002-05-22
Publication date: 2004-02-25
Also published as: FR2825154A1; US20040138124A1; AU2002304489B2; CA2448174C; WO2002095015A1; CA2448174A1; FR2825154B1; BR0209934A; MXPA03010694A; TNSN03120A1; US7109291B2; AU2009202300A1; JP2004527579A

Abstract

The invention concerns novel compounds capable of modulating the activity and stimulating the production of catalytic antibodies. More particularly, the invention concerns a compound capable of increasing the activity of an antibody characterised in that it has specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody, and it is not immunogenic. Such compounds are useful in particular for therapeutic treatment or prevention of a pathology related to an enzymatic deficiency, to stimulate <i>in vivo</i> hydrolysis of xenobiotics, drugs, medicines or any other molecule potentially toxic for the organism or for preventing or inhibiting allergic reactions.

Description

COMPOUNDS CAPABLE OF MODULATING ACTIVITY AND STIMULATING THE PRODUCTION OF A CATALYTIC ANTIBODY

The invention relates to novel compounds capable of modulating the activity and stimulating the production of catalytic antibodies. The invention relates in particular to a compound capable of increasing the activity of a catalytic antibody characterized in that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody, and in that it is not immunogenic. Such compounds are useful in particular for the therapeutic treatment or prevention of a pathology linked to an enzymatic deficiency, to stimulate in vivo the hydrolysis of xenobiotics, drugs, medicaments or any other molecule potentially toxic for the organism or again to prevent or prevent allergic reactions.

Antibodies and enzymes have in common the property of specifically recognizing molecules. With the exception of pathological cases, the antibody recognizes an antigen or a molecule which is foreign to the organism producing the antibody. The binding of the antibody to the antigen generally leads to the neutralization of the foreign molecule in the organism. Enzymes are biological catalysts that bind to a molecule so that the activation energy of a reaction involving the molecule is lowered, thereby increasing the speed of the reaction.

In 1946, Linus Pauling proposed the following concept: Antibodies would preferentially link stable states of molecules while enzymes would preferentially link higher energy state transition states rather than the substrate molecule in its state of low energy. According to Pauling's hypothesis (Pauling, L., Nature (1948) 161: 707), the enzyme stabilizes the transition state of the molecules, reducing the activation energy of a reaction and thus increasing the speed of this reaction.

Pursuing this hypothesis, a strategy has been proposed for obtaining new catalytic activities, based on the production of antibodies directed against a hapten which mimics the transition state of a given reaction, also called "Analogue of". Transition State ”or TSA (Transition State Analogue). Thus, an antibody directed against such antigens should acquire catalytic properties similar to those of enzymes.

This strategy has been confirmed many times since 1986. Catalytic antibodies can indeed be induced by the immunization of an animal with a transition state analog (TSA) made immunogenic (Pollack et al., J Am Chem Soc ( 1988) 110: 8713, Jackson et al., PNAS (1988) 85: 4953, Shokat et al., Chem Int Ed Engl (1988) 27: 1172) and are capable of catalyzing different types of chemical reaction. Since the first results demonstrating the possibility of inducing the production of antibodies catalyzing hydrolysis reactions of esters and carbonates, more than 70 different reactions have been able to be catalyzed by antibodies. These reactions concern both the hydrolysis of chemical bonds (esters, amides, additions of Diels-Alder, etc.) as well as isomerization, decarboxylation, redox reactions, etc.

At the same time, antibodies with catalytic activity could be isolated from the serum of patients suffering from different pathologies. The first demonstrations were carried out by purifying the antibodies from human sera. These “natural” catalytic antibodies in particular have DNAse or protease activities. In particular, catalytic antibodies exhibiting protease activity against the intestinal vasoactive peptide (VIP) were thus isolated from the serum of patients suffering from asthma. These same antibodies were obtained by the immunization of mice with the same immunogenic peptide (Paul et al., J Neuroimmunol (1989) 23: 133-142). Other protease activities have been extracted, which cleave thyroglobulin in patients with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or factor VIII in hemophiliacs treated with this coagulation factor (INSERM, Bayer Pharma, 1999, EP 1074842). A catalytic activity of DNA hydrolysis has been shown in the serum of patients suffering from lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis (Shuster AM et al., Science (1992) 256: 665-667). It seems that this DNAse activity is correlated with the symptoms of these pathologies.

Another route has recently been proposed for the production of catalytic antibodies based on the preparation of anti-idiotypic antibodies mimicking the catalytic site of an enzyme. For example, it has been shown that it is possible to induce in vivo the production of anti-idiotypic catalytic antibody with β-lactamase activity by immunization with an antibody directed against the active site of β-lactamase (Avalle B. et al., Faseb J, (1998)

12.-1055-1060).

The applications of catalytic antibodies are multiple. In particular, such catalytic antibodies would be useful for the catalysis of chemical reactions which are not carried out by natural enzymes, in particular for acting in vivo on the metabolism (medical application) or carrying out specific chemical reactions (industrial application).

Given the vast repertoire of specificity of antibodies and also their implications in the processes of acquired immunity, allergies and autoimmunity, we understand the interest of producing in vivo catalytic antibodies, especially for their therapeutic applications .

One of the applications which has been developed relates to the use of the hydrolytic properties of catalytic antibodies to activate non-toxic compounds into cytotoxic compounds (Zeneca Ltd, 1998, US 5807688). By targeting this activity at the level of target cells, molecules whose cytotoxicity is masked by a chemical group could be activated on contact with tumor cells for anti-cancer treatments (ADAPT method, Antibody-directed Abzyme Prodrug Therapy). Another example concerns the ability of certain antibodies to hydrolyze cocaine. The development of an antibody with these properties could allow its use in the treatment of overdoses and cocaine addiction. The patent describes a method of inducing the stimulation of catalytic antibody using the immunization of a mammal with a hapten, analog of transition states (Barber et al., 2000, US 6,017,541). A third example is developed by Advanced Biotech, which produces catalytic antibodies for the treatment of infections with gram-negative bacteria by targeting endotoxin (Genetic Engineering News (1999) vol. 19 no. 20 page 15).

Theoretically, research aimed at producing antibodies capable of hydrolyzing a specific molecule and in particular a polypeptide could lead to the design of new therapeutic treatments, in particular treatments for a specific enzymatic deficit, anti-viral treatments, treatments for xenobiotics potentially toxic to the body or methods of preventing allergies.

However, to be effective in such applications, the catalytic activities of these antibodies must be sufficiently significant with regard to the desired effect.

Methods based on the design of haptens capable of inducing in vivo production of catalytic antibodies (Igen International Inc., 1989, EP 0 413 762), immunization strategies (Boston Biomedical Research Institute, 2000, US 6,140,091) , site modification- directed antibody or screening methods (catELISA, Tawfik et al., PNAS (1993) 90: 373-377) and selection (phage-display) (Smith et al., 1999, US 5,855,885) have made it possible to significantly improve the catalytic properties of certain antibodies and / or their production in vivo.

However, these methods apply on a case-by-case basis and prove insufficient in many cases to obtain an efficacy compatible with medical or industrial use. There is therefore always a need to identify new methods making it possible to improve the catalytic properties of catalytic antibodies or to induce new catalytic activities.

It has recently been shown that the substrates of catalytic antibodies can form in vitro a stereospecific interaction complex different from the antigen-antibody complex and induce a modification of the antibody conformation, said modification increasing the affinity of the catalytic antibody for its substrate (Lindner et al., J Mol Biol (1999)

285: 421-430). In particular, the analysis of anti-idiotypic antibodies has made it possible to show that the catalytic site coexists in the space containing the recognition zone of the immunogen without being confused with it. It has also been shown that it is possible to keep the immune function and lose the catalytic function of an antibody (Kolesnikov et al., PNAS

(2000) 97: 13526-13531), thus suggesting that the functional area of the catalytic antibody performs two clearly differentiated functions (specific immune response or catalysis) and that there exists in this area, a competition to complex molecules potentially different (antigen or substrate).

The invention results from the discovery that it is possible to modulate in vivo the activity of a catalytic antibody using a non-immunogenic compound and having a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody. Such compounds have a direct effect on catalytic activity by inducing conformational change of antibodies already produced. In addition, particularly surprisingly, the inventors have found that, in spite of the non-immunogenic nature of these compounds, they could indirectly increase the production of catalytic antibodies, by shifting the balance of the immune system towards the production of antibodies. with increased catalytic activity, this displacement being induced by the conformational change of the pre-existing antibodies.

Thus, the invention relates to a compound capable of modulating the activity of a catalytic antibody, said compound being characterized in that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody, and in that it is not not immunogenic.

It also relates to a method of modulating the activity of a catalytic antibody comprising bringing said antibody into contact with a non-immunogenic compound and having a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody.

A catalytic antibody is an antibody capable of recognizing in a specific but not exclusive manner, two types of molecules: the antigen or immunogen, that is to say a molecule capable of inducing a direct immune response by the activation of B lymphocytes or T specific according to the nature of the antigen, and, the substrate, which specifically recognizes the catalytic site of the antibody and, as its name indicates, is the substrate for the chemical reaction catalyzed by the catalytic antibody.

By "non-immunogenic compound" is meant a compound incapable of directly activating specific B or T lymphocytes

(clonal selection). Of course, it should be borne in mind that such non-immunogenic compounds are however capable of increasing in vivo the production of catalytic antibodies indirectly when they have a specific affinity for the catalytic site of the antibody, by the mechanism described below:

The catalytic antibodies can be presented in two isoforms: an isoform known as “inactive” or “slightly active” (hereinafter called Ab), and an isoform known as “active” (hereinafter called Ab *). The active isoform (Ab *) has a catalytic activity (hereinafter called kcat *) greater than that of the non-active isoform (hereinafter called kcat). In the presence of a compound (S) according to the invention, the binding of said compound to the catalytic antibody to form the complex (Ab.S) shifts the balance towards the formation of the complex (Ab * .S), a phenomenon which is similar to the allosteric behavior illustrated in FIG. 1. The change in conformation induced by the compound according to the invention thus leads to the in vivo modulation of the catalytic activity of the antibody which goes from a kcat value to a value kcat *, the value kcat * being different from the value k ^ t.

A modulation of the catalytic activity can thus be obtained on catalytic antibodies present in the serum of patients by the injection in the form of a well of the compounds according to the invention, according to methods analogous to those implemented for a vaccine.

Preferably, a compound according to the invention is capable of increasing the activity of a catalytic antibody.

The conformational change from the Ab isoform to the Ab * isoform can also lead in vivo to an indirect stimulation of the production of new antibodies. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a compound according to the invention as defined above is capable of stimulating the production of the catalytic antibody whose activity it increases.

By stimulating production, it should be understood that this is not a de novo production of the antibody but an increase in the production of preexisting antibodies, for example following a first immunization with an antigen.

According to the desired applications of a compound of the invention, it is advantageously chosen from a group comprising: - a substrate of an enzyme or one of its analogs, inhibitor or activator;

- A ligand binding to a receptor and in particular a hormone, a drug, a drug or one of its fragments or analogs;

- an antibiotic or one of its analogs; - a viral, bacterial or parasitic polypeptide;

- a recalcitrant and potentially toxic xenobiotic; or,

- an allergen analog.

By enzyme substrate analog is meant the non-immunogenic substrates of an enzyme and derived molecules, and in particular the stable analogs of non-immunogenic transition states of an enzyme or non-immunogenic inhibitors or activators of that enzyme . The enzyme substrate analogs according to the invention may in particular be fragments of antibodies specifically recognizing the catalytic site of an enzyme.

Such compounds are capable of increasing, in vivo, the catalytic activity and / or the production ^, of the catalytic antibodies for which they exhibit an affinity and can thus compensate for a deficient or reduced enzymatic activity following a pathology or a therapeutic treatment, by example.

The enzymatic activities deficient or reduced following a pathology or a therapeutic treatment can be for example activities of the hydrolase type and in particular peptidase, protease activities, oxidoreductase type activities (for example dehydrogenase, oxidase or oxygenase), isomerase activities, lyase activities and in particular decarboxylase, transferase activities and in particular kinase activities, or else ligase activities.

Examples of pathologies include:

• chronic hemolytic anemia which is the consequence of a deficit in triose phosphage isomerase,

• leukemia which is the consequence of a deficit in keto-acid decarboxylase, • Lesch-Nyhan syndrome which is the consequence of a deficit in hypoxanthine guanine phosphorisbosyl-transferase,

• type II glutaric acid which is the consequence of a deficit in acetyl-CoA dehydrogenase, or

• hyperglyceremia which is the consequence of a glycerol kinase deficiency.

It is important to emphasize at this stage that, surprisingly, a compound according to the invention, inhibitor of an enzyme is capable of increasing the catalytic activity of a catalytic antibody mimicking the activity of this enzyme, via its specific properties with respect to catalytic antibodies, described above, despite its inhibitory properties.

An enzyme or analogous substrate falling within the definition of the compounds according to the invention can therefore be, for example, depending on the nature of the enzyme of which it is the substrate, a peptide, but also a sugar or one of its derivatives , a lipid or one of its derivatives, a nucleotide or one of its derivatives or also a steroid or one of its derivatives.

An example of such an enzyme substrate analogue is a non-immunogenic inhibitor of β-lactamase activity, the injection of which in oral form can induce the production of antibodies hydrolyzing nucleus antibiotics β-lactam. Thus, a compound according to the invention is in particular a peptide having an affinity for the active site of β-lactamase, and more preferably, characterized in that it specifically inhibits the β-lactamase activity.

The invention also relates to a compound capable of increasing in vivo the physiological level of an enzymatic activity, characterized in that it comprises a non-immunogenic substrate of a catalytic antibody having said enzymatic activity or one of its analogs activators or inhibitors and in that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a compound according to the invention is a ligand which binds to a receptor and in particular a hormone, a drug, a drug, or one of their fragments or analogs.

According to the embodiments, the compounds described above are capable of increasing the catalytic activity of catalytic antibodies degrading the drugs, hormones or drugs from which they are derived or from which they are analogous.

Thus, the invention also relates to a compound capable of stimulating in vivo the degradation of medicaments or drugs by specific catalytic antibodies, characterized in that it is non-immunogenic, that it comprises a drug or a medicament or the one of their fragments or analogs and in that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody.

The fragments of a ligand falling within the definition of a compound according to the invention are chosen from the fragments which have retained the properties of attachment to the receptor. When the ligand is a polypeptide, fragments of the ligand are peptides retaining the binding properties to the receptor. A ligand analog is a molecule capable of binding to the same receptor as the ligand. In particular, it is an agonist or an antagonist of the receptor on which the ligand binds. Such an analog can be a natural or artificial molecule isolated using a screening of molecules which bind to a receptor. An example of such a ligand is a fragment of TNFα falling within the definition of the compounds according to the invention and capable of binding to the cellular receptors p55 and p75.

In particular, a preferred compound is characterized in that it comprises a peptide derived from the cytokine TNFα, said compound being non-immunogenic and having a specific affinity for the catalytic site of a catalytic antibody and said peptide containing one of the sequences of the following amino acids:

LNRRA, IASVY or LFA.

Another example of a preferred compound is characterized in that it comprises a peptide derived from thyroglobulin.

Another example of a preferred compound is codeine, a cocaine analog capable of stimulating by repeated injection, the production of cocaine degrading catalytic antibodies.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a compound according to the invention is chosen from antibiotics or their analogs. By antibiotic analogue, it is necessary to understand a molecule with a structure different from the antibiotic molecule of which it is the analog but capable of reproducing a similar “antibiotic” function.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a compound according to the invention is chosen from a viral, bacterial or parasitic peptide.

Such compounds are thus capable of stimulating catalytic production degrading the bacterial or parasitic viral proteins and allow thus to fight against the corresponding viral, bacterial or parasitic infections.

Examples of particularly preferred peptides are non-immunogenic peptides derived from surface epitopes or virulence proteins from pathogenic organisms such as HIV, HSV or HBV viruses, from pathogenic bacteria such as Legionella, Listeria, Staphylococcus, or from parasites such as P. faciparum, Echinococcus, Leishmania or Trypaηosoma.

In particular, an example of such a compound according to the invention is a compound characterized in that it comprises a non-immunogenic peptide derived from an epitope of a Herpes virus.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a compound according to the invention is a recalcitrant and potentially toxic xenobiotic or one of its fragments. The term “xenobiotic recalcitrant” means any molecule foreign to the organism capable of accumulating in the tissues or the interior environment of a man or an animal. Some of these molecules, and in particular pesticides (organophosphorus compounds), dioxin or organochlorines (PCB, DDT ...), are potentially toxic for the organism, in particular in the long term.

The accumulation in the body of certain xenobiotics is in particular carcinogenic or neurotoxic.

The invention therefore relates to a compound capable of stimulating in vivo the hydrolysis of potentially toxic xenobiotics by specific catalytic antibodies, said compound being characterized in that it is non-immunogenic, that it comprises a recalcitrant and potentially toxic xenobiotic, or one of its fragments and in that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody. It also relates to the use of a non-immunogenic recalcitrant xenobiotic or one of its fragments having a specific affinity for the catalytic site of an antibody to stimulate the hydrolysis of said xenobiotic by said catalytic antibodies.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a compound according to the invention is an allergen analog.

An allergen is understood to mean any product capable of triggering an allergic reaction. An allergen analog is a molecule whose structure mimics the allergen but is not immunogenic. Such allergen analogs according to the invention, by increasing the catalytic activity of antibodies capable of degrading, in particular by hydrolysis, the allergens and by indirectly stimulating the production of serum and secretory antibodies, are thus capable of partially desensitizing or totally an allergic subject.

Consequently, the invention also relates to a compound capable of preventing or reducing an allergic reaction linked to an allergen, characterized in that it comprises a non-immunogenic analog of said allergen and in that it has a specific affinity for the site. catalytic of said antibody.

It also relates to the use of a non-immunogenic analog of an allergen having a specific affinity for the catalytic site of an antibody to prevent or reduce an allergic reaction linked to said allergen.

Any pharmaceutical composition comprising as active ingredient any compound described above also forms part of the invention. The term “pharmaceutical composition” means any composition capable of being administered to humans or to animals. The active principle can be, if necessary, associated with another active molecule whose function is to modulate or stimulate the biological activity of the compound according to the invention, or even reduce any side effects thereof.

The composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.

The vehicles used in the preparation of the pharmaceutical compositions are preferably chosen from those generally used in the vaccine preparations. They are of course chosen according to the mode of administration of the composition and its use.

The invention also relates to a use of a compound according to the invention in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prevention of a pathology linked to an enzyme deficiency.

It also relates to the use of a compound according to the invention in the preparation of a composition for stimulating the hydrolysis of xenobiotics, drugs, medicaments or any other molecule potentially toxic to the organism.

It further relates to the use of a compound according to the invention in the preparation of a composition for the prevention or desensitization to allergic reactions.

The catalytic antibodies, in addition to their catalytic properties, recognize by their Fc region, the cellular receptors, and in particular the receptors present on the antigen presenting cells, the cytotoxic cells and the macrophages, and more generally the various cells of the immune system. It is therefore important to emphasize that by stimulating the production of catalytic antibodies by the compounds according to the invention, it is possible to target a given catalytic activity at the level of a cell recognizing the catalytic antibody. In the case of non-specific type recognition, that is to say by the Fc regions of the antibodies, the catalytic activity can be targeted on cells of the cellular type immune system, this then adding to the action on the humoral system (synthesis of antibodies sought by B lymphocytes).

When it is a question of specific recognition of a given epitope, that is to say by the paratopic regions of Fab'2, one of the recognized epitopes not being the enzymatic substrate of the antibody catalytic, the compounds according to the invention then make it possible to target the catalytic activity on a chosen target, said target comprising said epitope. These are antibodies with double specificity both for a specific epitope and for the enzyme substrate. Thus, the compounds according to the invention make it possible to target a catalytic activity to effectors of the immune and / or inflammatory system.

The invention finally relates to a method for selecting a compound according to the invention comprising the selection and isolation of a natural or induced catalytic antibody by repeated injection of an immunogenic molecule, characterized in that it further comprises the following steps: a) synthesis and / or extraction of compounds derived from an immunogenic molecule recognized by the isolated catalytic antibody; b) if necessary, a first screening using a biological and / or biochemical test of the compounds interacting with the catalytic site of said catalytic antibody, c) the selection of non-immunogenic compounds having a specific affinity for the catalytic site of the antibody among the compounds synthesized or extracted in step a) or selected in step b), using a test allowing the measurement of said affinity. Many methods of selecting and isolating a natural or induced catalytic antibody by repeated injection of an immunogenic molecule have been described in the prior art and can be used. Those skilled in the art may in particular refer to scientific publications describing the isolation of natural or induced catalytic antibodies and in particular: Blackburn GM and Garçon A. (2000) in "Biotechnology" Vol. 8b, 2 " ^d edition Wiley VCH pp 404-490, as well as to technologies for the isolation of corinus monoclonal antibodies from those skilled in the art, and in particular the technique of hybridoma cultures developed by Kohler and Milstein (1975) .

In step (a) of the process of the invention, it is a question of obtaining compounds derived from an immunogenic molecule recognized by the catalytic antibody selected and isolated beforehand. The compounds can be synthesized in particular by combinatorial chemistry, by biosynthesis or by bioconversion. The chemical structure of the compounds synthesized in (a) can also be predicted using bioinformatic methods for predicting chemical structure.

In a particular embodiment, the compounds are derived from an immunogenic peptide and are synthesized by mutagenesis of a DNA encoding said immunogenic peptide and by the expression of the mutated DNA in a host cell according to biological methods molecular known to those skilled in the art such as those described by Sambrook et al. (Molecular Cloning: a laboratory manual, 3 ^rd Ed. Cold Spring Harbor, Laboratory press, New York, 2001).

Where appropriate, in particular when the compounds capable of interacting with the catalytic site are poorly understood, the method may include a first screening step (step (b) of the method) using a biological test and / or biochemical of compounds interacting with the catalytic site of said antibody. This step consists, after having generated a large number of compounds derived from the immunogenic compound, to first select the compounds which have retained the property of binding to the catalytic antibody in order to reduce the number of compounds to be screened in step (c). Any test making it possible to identify, among a set of compounds, the compound or compounds interacting specifically with a given catalytic antibody can be used in the method of the invention.

In a particular implementation of the method, the compounds synthesized or extracted in step (b) are peptides and are selected using a biochemical screening of the catELISA test type (Tawfik et al. 1993, supra). ), a screening on a protein chip or a screening by measuring the resonant plasmonic surface.

A protein chip consists of a support on which are fixed at determined positions the different peptides to be screened. The labeling of the catalytic antibody and the contact with the protein chip under conditions allowing protein-protein interactions allow the selection of the peptides interacting specifically with the catalytic antibody.

The techniques for measuring the plasmon resonance surface are known to those skilled in the art and make it possible to deduce therefrom the affinity constants between two molecules. Such techniques can be easily implemented, in particular using the BIAcore device (Silin V. and Plant A (1997) Trends Biotechol. 15: 353-359).

In general, any biochemical method making it possible to test the interaction of a peptide with an antibody, and in particular the methods derived from the Western blot, can be used in the method of the invention to carry out the biochemical screening of the compounds interacting with the antibody. We will preferably choose methods that can be used routinely and allow high throughput screening of molecules.

It is also possible to use the various biological tests developed to detect molecular interactions and in particular the interactions between two peptides or two polypeptides.

In a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, the peptide compounds are selected by the phage display technique or by the double-hybrid technique. These methods are well known to those skilled in the art and are described in Sambrook et al. (2001, supra).

Among all the compounds synthesized and optionally selected by the first screening, the compounds according to the invention are then selected in step (c) of the process, using a test allowing the measurement of the affinity for the catalytic site of the antibody.

For example, a compound according to the invention can be selected by measuring the speed of the reaction catalyzed by the catalytic antibody in the presence of either the test compound or the reference immunogenic compound. When the speed of the reaction catalyzed by the antibody, measured in the presence of the test compound, is significantly higher than that measured in the presence of the reference immunogenic compound, the test compound is selected.

Consequently, any type of test making it possible to measure the affinity constant of the compound-antibody complexes can be used to select the non-immunogenic compounds according to the invention.

Another aspect of the invention relates to new methods of therapeutic treatment. In particular, the invention relates to a method:

- therapeutic treatment or prevention of a pathology linked to an enzyme deficiency,

- stimulation of the hydrolysis of xenobiotics, drugs, medicines or any other molecule potentially toxic to the body, or

- prevention or desensitization to allergic reactions.

In all cases, the methods comprise the administration to an organism of a pharmaceutical composition comprising, as active principle, a compound according to the invention, alone or in combination with another pharmacologically active substance capable of increasing in vivo. activity of a catalytic antibody, in combination with an appropriate pharmaceutical vehicle.

The modes of administration, the composition of the vehicle and the dosage of the compounds administered for the treatment will be chosen according to the therapeutic or preventive effect sought. Depending on the case, the forms of administration can be local or systemic and in particular oral, sublingual, intravenous, nasal, aerosol, intramuscular, subcutaneous or food.

It will be noted that the treatment methods of the invention will in general be similar to vaccine methods, the person skilled in the art may refer in particular to vehicles conventionally used in this field.

The examples which follow make it possible to illustrate certain embodiments of the invention without however being limiting. LEGENDS OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Figure 1 illustrates the induced fit mechanism allowing a non-immunogenic compound to shift the balance of conformational states of a catalytic antibody from inactive or inactive catalytic forms to active isomeric forms . The shift in equilibrium leads in vivo to an increase in the catalytic activity of the catalytic antibody and indirectly to a stimulation of its production.

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1 Compound capable of increasing the catalytic activity of the secreted IgAs directed against epitopes of the Herpes virus to fight against infections with the Herpes virus.

Secreted IgA are the main effectors of the mucosal immune system. They are notably involved in the recognition of bacterial, viral or protozoan antigens. It has been shown in particular that IgA extracted from healthy breast milk can possess catalytic activities of protein kinase, DNase or RNase type (Buneva VN et al. (1998) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 75: 63-76, Nevinsky GA et al. (1998) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 75: 77-91).

Among the secreted IgAs, the production of a catalytic antibody directed against epitopes of the Herpes simplex virus type 1 virus could be stimulated by the cutaneous application of non-immunogenic peptides in the form of patches. The non-immunogenic peptides chosen represent the specific sequences of the known epitopes of IΗSV1. A similar approach can be implemented to stimulate the production of catalytic antibodies hydrolyzing peptides from HSV2, responsible for genital herpes, or from herpes Zoster, responsible for shingles.

EXAMPLE 2 Compound capable of increasing the catalytic activity of an antibody hydrolyzing certain peptide sequences of TNFα for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

TNFα (tumor necrosis factor) is a cytokine which plays a central role in the inflammatory phenomena encountered in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or autoimmune myocardia. It also plays a role as a regulator of other pro-inflammatory cytokines.

The inflammatory action of TNFα is linked to its attachment to two cellular receptors, p55 and p75. This fixation involves TNFα loops formed by residues 29-34, 84-91 and 143-148.

Non-immunogenic peptides having a specific affinity with a catalytic antibody capable of hydrolyzing TNFα are selected from peptides containing the sequences LNRRA (29-33), IASVY (83-87) and LFA (143-145). The repeated injection of these peptides in a patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis should make it possible to stimulate in vivo the production of catalytic antibodies hydrolyzing TNFα at the level of the cellular receptor recognition sequences, thus reducing the inflammatory mechanisms linked to arthritis. rheumatoid.

EXAMPLE 3 Compound capable of increasing the catalytic activity of an antibody hydrolyzing cocaine to treat drug addiction phenomena.

Drug use in a subject causes addiction. The amount of drug circulating in the blood after administration is directly related to the amazing effect and the addiction that follows. Immunization of a subject using immunogenic peptides directly stimulating the production of catalytic antibodies hydrolyzing cocaine makes it possible to reduce, even eliminate, the quantity of circulating cocaine. In order to increase the catalytic activity of these antibodies and to indirectly stimulate their production, low concentrations of codeine, a non-immunogenic compound similar to cocaine, could be injected repeatedly, intravenously.

EXAMPLE 4 Compound capable of increasing the catalytic activity of an antibody with β-lactamase activity.

The development of catalytic antibodies from active enzyme sites using the idiotypic network has been demonstrated (Avalle B. et al., Faseb J (1998) 12: 1055-1060). In particular, from the active site of β-lactamase, a specific antibody (Ab1) was obtained, inhibitor of β-lactamase activity (Kosnikov et al., PNAS (2000) 97: 13526-13531).

This antibody allows the production of a second generation of Ab2 antibodies, anti-idiotypic, and carrying an activity close to that of β-lactamase.

Thus, the lethality linked to the repeated injection of penicillin should be reduced, by stimulating the production of anti-idiotypic antibodies with β-lactamase activity by the administration of non-immunogenic peptides mimicking the paratope of the antibody induced in the presence of active site of β-lactamase.

EXAMPLE 5 Compound capable of increasing the catalytic activity of antibodies hydrolyzing an allergen to reduce or prevent an allergic reaction.

Specific desensitization induces both an increase in serum and secretory blocking antibodies, a decrease in production specific IgE and modification of the response of mast cells, basophils and lymphocytes.

The administration to a sensitive subject of an allergen of a nonimmunogenic molecule derived from the allergen should make it possible to modify the immunological response towards the increase in the production of catalytic antibodies directed against this allergen, an indirect increase in the production of serum and secretory blocking antibodies and. the decrease in the production of specific IgE, taking into account the hydrolysis of the allergen. All of these responses help reduce or prevent the allergic reaction.

The following three examples illustrate this application:

A. Non-immunogenic peptides to prevent or reduce allergies to anti-infective drugs.

Antibiotics are the molecules most often implicated in reactions of allergies to anti-infective drugs (50% of cases). We know in particular that allergenicity is in the vast majority of cases carried by the β-lactam cycle. By being cleaved during metabolism, the β-lactam cycle gives the penicilloyl hapten which is capable of inducing the production of IgE.

It would therefore be possible, using non-immunogenic peptides that inhibit β-lactamase activity, injected in oral form, to induce the production of non-IgE antibodies capable of hydrolyzing antibiotics with a β-lactam nucleus, thereby preventing the production of IgE antibodies. B. Non-immunogenic peptides stimulating the production of catalytic antibodies hydrolyzing serotonin to prevent or reduce food allergies.

For several years, we have witnessed an alarming increase in food allergies. This phenomenon appeared concomitantly with a modification of our eating habits: we are witnessing a significant increase in the quantity of certain histamine-releasing mediators in various fresh foods: histamine, serotonin, tyramine, etc. These products can circulate in the blood, all the more easily as the intestinal wall is immature (case of the young child) and induce allergy phenomena by cell mediation. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) for example is derived from tryptophan and degraded to 5-hydroxyindole acetic.

It would therefore be possible to select non-immunogenic peptides derived from serotonin and having a specific affinity for a catalytic antibody hydrolyzing serotonin. The oral injection of such peptides stimulating the production of catalytic antibodies degrading the excess of serotonin should make it possible to reduce the allergic phenomena linked to food.

C. Non-immunogenic peptides stimulating the production of catalytic antibodies hydrolyzing peanut proteins.

A peanut allergy is affecting an increasing number of people. The severity of the shocks to which it gives rise as well as its frequency are increasing. Among the many allergens detected if not characterized, a 17 kD protein, Ara h II, has been identified as a major and characterized allergen. Sequence comparisons made it possible to identify sequence homologies with proteins of different foods from the legume family that could cause cross-sensitization.

The oral absorption of such non-immunogenic peptides stimulating the production of catalytic antibodies degrading the proteins of the legumes responsible for these allergies should make it possible to reduce these allergic phenomena.

Claims

1. Compound capable of modulating the activity of a catalytic antibody, said compound being characterized in that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody, and in that it is not immunogenic.

2. Compound according to claim 1 characterized in that it is capable of stimulating the production of said catalytic antibody.

3. Compound according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that it is chosen from a group comprising: - a substrate of an enzyme or one of its analogs, inhibitor or activator; a ligand binding to a receptor and in particular a hormone, a drug, a drug or one of its fragments or analogs; - an antibiotic or one of its analogs; a viral, bacterial or parasitic peptide; a recalcitrant and potentially toxic xenobiotic or a fragment thereof; or, an allergen analog.

4. Compound according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a non-immunogenic peptide derived from an epitope of the Herpes virus.

5. Compound according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that it comprises a peptide derived from the cytokine TNFα, said peptide containing one of the following amino acid sequences:

LNRRA, IASVY or LFA.

6. Compound according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that it comprises a peptide derived from thyroglobulin.

7. Compound according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that it is a peptide having an affinity for the active site of β-lactamase.

8. A compound according to claim 7 characterized in that it specifically inhibits the β-lactamase activity.

9. Compound capable of increasing the physiological level of an enzymatic activity in vivo, characterized in that it comprises a non-immunogenic substrate of a catalytic antibody having said enzymatic activity or one of its activating or inhibiting analogs and in that that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody.

10. Compound capable of stimulating in vivo the hydrolysis of potentially toxic xenobiotics by specific catalytic antibodies, characterized in that it is non-immunogenic, that it comprises a recalcitrant and potentially toxic xenobiotic or one of its fragments and that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody.

11. Compound capable of stimulating in vivo the degradation of medicaments or drugs by specific catalytic antibodies, characterized in that it is non-immunogenic, that it comprises a medicament or a drug or one of their fragments or analogs and in that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody.

12. Compound for preventing or reducing an allergic reaction linked to an allergen, characterized in that it comprises a non-immunogenic analog of said allergen and in that it has a specific affinity for the catalytic site of said antibody.

13. Use of a compound according to one of claims 1 to 3 in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prevention of a pathology linked to an enzyme deficiency.

14. Use of a compound according to one of claims 1 to 3 for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for stimulating the hydrolysis of xenobiotics, drugs, drugs or any other molecule potentially toxic to the body .

15. Use of a compound according to one of claims 1 to 3 for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or desensitization to allergic reactions.

16. Method for selecting a compound according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising the selection and isolation of a natural or induced catalytic antibody by the repeated injection of an immunogenic molecule, characterized in that it further comprises the following steps: a) synthesis and / or extraction of compounds derived from an immunogenic molecule recognized by the isolated catalytic antibody; b) where appropriate, a first screening using a biological and / or biochemical test of the compounds interacting with the catalytic site of said catalytic antibody, c) the selection of non-immunogenic compounds having a specific affinity for the catalytic site of the antibody from the compounds synthesized or extracted in step a) or selected in step b), using a test allowing the measurement of said affinity.

17. The method of claim 16, characterized in that the compounds derived from an immunogenic molecule are synthesized by combinatorial chemistry, by biosynthesis or by bioconversion.

18. The method of claim 16, characterized in that the compounds are derived from an immunogenic peptide and are synthesized by mutagenesis of a DNA coding for said immunogenic peptide and by the expression of the mutated DNA in a host cell.

19. Method according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the compounds synthesized or extracted from an immunogenic molecule are peptides and are selected using a first screening of catELISA test types, screening on a chip with proteins or screening by measurement of the plasmonic resonance surface (BIAcore).

20. Method according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the compounds synthesized or extracted from an immunogenic molecule are peptides and are selected using a first screen of the phage display or double-hybrid type.

21. Method according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that a non-immunogenic compound is selected in step (c) by measuring the speed of the reaction catalyzed by the catalytic antibody in the presence of either the compound to be tested, either of the immunogenic compound from which the compound to be tested is derived and selection of compound in the presence of which the speed of the reaction is significantly higher than that measured in the presence of the immunogenic compound from which it is derived.

22. Pharmaceutical composition comprising, as active principle, a compound according to one of claims 1 to 12 in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.

23. Pharmaceutical composition according to claim 22, characterized in that it further comprises another active molecule whose function is to modulate or stimulate the biological activity of said compound, or to reduce any side effects thereof.