JP2008523838A - Novel CC-chemokine antagonist - Google Patents

Abstract

  A novel CC-chemokine binding protein was isolated from the saliva of Chrysanthemum tick. The compounds prepared according to the invention can be used as anti-inflammatory compounds in the treatment or prevention of CC-chemokine related diseases.

Description

  The present invention relates to novel antagonists of CC-chemokines and their use, particularly as anti-inflammatory compounds, and use in the treatment or prevention of CC-chemokine related diseases.

Chemokines are small pro-inflammatory secreted proteins that mediate the directional migration of leukocytes from the blood to the site of injury. Depending on the position of the conserved cysteine that characterizes this protein family, the chemokine family is structurally classified as C, CC, CXC, and CX ₃ C chemokines and binds to a series of membrane receptors (Baggiolini M et al. 1997; Fernandez EJ and Lolis E, 2002). These membrane receptors are all heptahelical G-protein coupled receptors, and target cells that may present specific combinations of receptors depending on their state and / or type, It allows chemokines to exert their biological activity. The physiological effects of chemokines arise from complex and integrated systems consisting of multiple simultaneous interactions. The ligand specificities of these receptors often overlap each other, so one receptor may bind to different chemokines. Similarly, one chemokine may bind to different receptors.

  Studies on the relationship between structure and activity show that chemokines have two main sites that interact with their receptors. It is a sterically strong loop following the mobile amino terminal region and the second cysteine. Chemokines are thought to dock to the receptor through this loop region, and this contact is thought to easily result in binding of the amino-terminal region, leading to receptor activation.

  Chemokines are usually produced at the site of injury and cause leukocyte migration and activation and play a fundamental role in the processes of inflammation, immunity, homeostasis, hematopoiesis, and angiogenesis. Thus, these molecules are considered good target candidates when intervening in diseases associated with such processes. Inhibiting chemokines or their receptors can reduce leukocyte maturation, mobilization, and activation, as well as other pathological processes associated with angiogenesis or arteriosclerosis (Baggiolini M, 2001; Loetscher P and Clark-Lewis I, 2001; Godessart N and Kunkel SL, 2001).

  In addition to inhibitory mutated chemokines, antibodies, and peptide and small molecule inhibitors that block these receptors, attempts to find effective chemokine antagonists are powerful when contacted with human or mammalian hosts. It extends to a group of viruses and other organisms that exert significant immunomodulatory activity.

  Viral mimicry of cytokines, chemokines, and their receptors represents an immunomodulatory strategy for therapeutic drug development (Alcami A, 2003; Lindow M et al., 2003). Recently, immunomodulators (eg, mosquitoes, sand flies, ticks, etc.) expressed by blood-sucking arthropods have been reported (Gillespie, RD et al., 2000).

  In particular, tick salivary glands produce a complex mixture of bioactive molecules, particularly having anti-inflammatory, anti-hemostatic and anti-immune activities. Among these are biologically active proteins that inhibit histamine, bind to immunoglobulins, or inhibit alternative complement cascades and other proteases.

  Despite the large body of literature, only a few articles list cDNA sequences identified by random sequencing and differential screens of libraries generated from various tick tissues and / or species. However, the majority of these sequences have not been biochemically or functionally characterized, and many annotations have been identified, for example, for induction of enzyme activity and antibody responses in tick salivary glands. Thus, it is made based only on sequence similarity with known proteins involved in basic cell functions. In particular, there is nothing to suggest that tick proteins act as CC-chemokine binding proteins and function as CC-chemokine antagonists.

  Surprisingly, a novel protein named ChBP-59, found in the saliva of Rhipicephalus sanguineus, was found to bind CC-chemokine and suppress its activity. It was. ChBP-59 was cloned from a mung beetle tick cDNA library and expressed in mammalian cells. This protein, as well as derivatives, fragments or mimetics thereof, can be used therapeutically, for example as an antagonist of CC-chemokines in mammalian organisms, or as a target for vaccination and suppression of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Can be used as a target.

  That is, the first gist of the present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 or a fragment or analog thereof. Preferred polypeptides of the invention bind to CC-chemokines and suppress their biological activity. A specific example of such a polypeptide is ChBP-59 or a fragment thereof.

  A second aspect of the present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide as defined above. Such nucleic acids also include oligonucleotides isolated from these and vectors containing the molecules, particularly expression vectors.

  A third aspect of the present invention resides in an antibody that selectively binds to a polypeptide as defined above.

  The fourth aspect of the present invention relates to host cells and non-human transgenic animals that express a polypeptide as defined above, and methods for producing such cells and non-human transgenic animals.

  The fifth aspect of the present invention is a method for preparing the above defined polypeptide mainly using recombinant techniques.

  The sixth aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical (eg vaccine or immunogenic) composition comprising a polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule as defined above and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or vehicle.

  The seventh aspect of the invention relates to the use of a polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule as defined above in the preparation of a medicament, in particular a medicament for modulating an immune or inflammatory response in a mammal, and a corresponding method of treatment.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

  The present invention provides novel compositions and methods for modulating chemokine activity. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel protein that has CC-chemokine binding properties and can be used to suppress chemokine action. The examples show that this protein derived from tick saliva can be expressed and purified as a recombinant form, effectively binds to CC-chemokines and their effects, eg, cell specificity induced by CC-chemokines. It shows that the chemotactic reaction etc. are suppressed.

  Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention resides in a ChBP-59 polypeptide, ie, any polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 or a fragment or analog thereof. Preferred polypeptides of the present invention bind to CC-chemokines and suppress the activity of the chemokines.

The specific polypeptide of the present invention is selected from the following group.
a) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 5);
b) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 6);
c) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 17);
d) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 18);
e) a nucleic acid molecule that is capable of hybridizing under moderately stringent conditions with a nucleic acid sequence encoding the protein of a), b), c), or d), and that binds to a CC-chemokine A protein encoded by the encoding nucleic acid molecule;
f) a protein that is at least about 70% identical in amino acid sequence to the protein of a), b), c), or d) and that binds to a CC-chemokine;
g) a protein fragment comprising the fragment of a), b), c), d), e), or f) that binds to CC-chemokine and suppresses the activity of the CC-chemokine And h) a fragment of the protein of a), b), c), d), e), or f), comprising a fragment having immunomodulating activity or a fragment of a protein having immunomodulating activity protein.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the protein is selected from the following group:
a) a protein having the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 5);
b) a protein having the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 6);
c) a protein having the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 17);
d) a protein having the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 18);
e) a protein comprising a fragment of the protein of a), b), c), or d), which binds to CC-chemokine and suppresses the activity of the CC-chemokine; and f) a) B), c) or d) a protein fragment comprising a fragment having immunomodulatory activity when administered to a mammal.

  In another aspect, the invention is an active variant of a protein as defined above, wherein one or more amino acid residues are added, deleted or substituted and binds to CXC-chemokine And a mutant that suppresses the activity of the chemokine.

  The polypeptides of the present invention may include one or more post-translational modifications (eg, glycosylation, phosphorylation, modification with endo- / exopeptidase to remove signal peptides, etc.) and heterologous sequences (eg, detection and / or It may be a mature form obtained through in-frame addition of a sequence encoding a tag or domain that improves purification. For example, ChBP-59 was expressed in both mammalian and insect cell lines as a recombinant histidine fusion protein in the complete (SEQ ID NO: 17) and mature (SEQ ID NO: 18) forms.

  The polypeptides of the invention or their corresponding nucleic acids may be in an isolated state (eg, different from their natural state), such as recombinant or synthetic polypeptides and nucleic acids.

  The examples show that ChBP-59 polypeptides bind to CC-chemokines and can be used to inhibit (eg, reduce) their activity. This feature determination was performed using a group of biochemical analysis methods such as radioactive CC-chemokine, or functional analysis methods such as cell-based analysis methods and in vivo animal disease models. As illustrated in the Examples, ChBP-59 polypeptides are particularly against CC-chemokines such as CCL5 / RANTES, CCL3 / MIP-1α (alpha: alpha), CCL2 / MCP-1, or the like. Binds to CC-chemokines that bind to CCR1 or CCR5 receptors. The ChBP-59 protein has various activities such as TARC / CCL17, CCL18 / PARC, CCL4 / MIP-1β (beta: beta), MDC / CCL22, MCP-3 / CCL7, MCP-2 / CCL7, eotaxin (Eotaxin ) / CCL11 and other CC-chemokines that recognize other CC-chemokines. Because of this broad spectrum of activity, the ChBP-59 polypeptides of the present invention have broad therapeutic utility, as discussed below.

  In the context of the present invention, a fragment of a polypeptide refers to any fragment comprising at least 5, 7, 7, 8, 9, or 10 consecutive amino acid residues of the polypeptide sequence. Certain fragments of the invention comprise 15, 20, 25, or more amino acid residues of the ChBP-59 protein, as disclosed elsewhere. Preferred fragments are those that retain the ability to bind chemokines, at least one biological activity of the full-length protein, such as immunogenic activity and immunomodulatory activity.

  In this context, in the context of the present invention, “immunomodulatory activity” refers to any activity that is detected in vitro or in vivo and has a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on the immune response. Examples of such activities include immunization activity, immunosuppression activity, anti-inflammatory activity, pro-apoptotic / anti-apoptotic activity, anti-tumor activity and the like.

  This fragment can also be identified as exhibiting immunization activity when administered to mammals. These fragments should have appropriate antigenic and immunogenic properties (eg against ticks and tick-borne pathogenic organisms) so as to elicit an immune response when needed. The literature discloses many examples of how such functional sequences can be identified as vaccine antigen candidates and eventually administered with an adjuvant and / or cross-linked to a carrier (Mulenga A et al. al. 2000; WO01 / 80881; WO03 / 030931; WO01 / 87270). The specific antigen or group of antigens identified in ChBP-59 can be used for the prevention or reduction of animal infection or disease by ectoparasites. This increases the animal's immunity to the ectoparasite when the animal is naturally exposed to the ectoparasite (WO 95/22603). Finally, this fragment can also be used to produce antibodies specific for the entire protein in screening or diagnostic applications.

  The properties of ChBP-59 as defined above, and the properties exemplified here using recombinant variants of this sequence, are maintained and even enhanced in active variants. This type of molecule includes natural or synthetic analogs of the sequence with the addition, deletion, or substitution of one or more amino acid residues that have the same biological activity as the features of the present invention. When measured by the means disclosed in the following examples, those shown at the same or higher level can be mentioned.

  In particular, the term “activity” means that in such alternative compounds, CC-chemokine binding and immunomodulatory properties by ChBP-59 are maintained or enhanced.

  Generation of active mutant molecules can be accomplished by site-directed mutagenesis techniques, DNA sequence encoding level recombination techniques (eg, DNA shuffling, phage display / selection), or computer-aided design experiments, or any other suitable It can be done by technology. These techniques yield a finite set of substantially corresponding mutated or truncated peptides or polypeptides. Those skilled in the art can obtain and test these alternative molecules in a routine manner based on the teachings provided by the prior art and the following examples.

  According to the present invention, modifications in these active variants are preferably those commonly known as “conservative” substitutions or “safe” substitutions, and are also non-basic. Those relating to residues are preferred. Conservative amino acid substitutions are those that substitute amino acids that are sufficiently similar in chemical properties so that the structure and biological function of the molecule are preserved. Of course, amino acid insertions and deletions that do not change the function may occur in the sequence defined above. In particular, the insertion or deletion is such that the number of amino acids involved is about several, for example, less than 10, preferably less than 3, and does not remove or transfer amino acids essential for the functional conformation of the protein or peptide. preferable.

  Numerous models have been described in the literature that allow the selection of conservative amino acid substitutions based on statistical and physicochemical studies on the sequence and / or structure of natural proteins (Rogov SI and Nekrasov AN, 2001). . Protein design experiments show that using a specific subset of amino acids can produce a foldable active protein, helping to classify amino acid “synonymous” substitutions. This is easier to accommodate within the protein structure and can be used to detect functional and structural homologues and paralogues of ChBP-59 (Murphy LR et al., 2000). Substitutable synonymous amino acid groups and more preferred synonymous groups are as defined in Table I.

  However, with respect to the ChBP-59 sequence, certain residues may be particularly important. For example, ChBP-59 is not particularly highly homologous to any of the known proteins, but 32, 49, 53, 66, 85, 90, within the mature protein, particularly on the full length ChBP-59 shown in SEQ ID NO: 5. There are a pair number of cysteine residues at positions corresponding to 95 and 104. Further, ChBP-59 has three sites capable of glycosylation at positions corresponding to asparagine 39, 54, and 62 on full-length ChBP-59 shown in SEQ ID NO: 5. Since these residues may be important for normal folding and / or activity, it is preferred that they be conserved at corresponding positions in alternative polypeptides. Alternatively, a deleted or substituted cysteine or glycosylation site may be reconstructed at another position within the protein.

  An active variant of ChBP-59 can also be obtained by a sequence mutation that reduces the immunogenicity of the CC-chemokine binding protein upon administration to mammals. Designed and introduced for this purpose or for other functional optimizations that allow safe and effective administration of a therapeutic protein (especially if it is a non-human, non-mammalian or non-natural protein) Numerous examples have been described in the literature for possible sequence variations (Schellekens H, 2002). Examples of technical approaches to realize these molecules include directed evolution (Vasserot AP et al., 2003), rational design (Marshall SA et al., 2003), bioinformatics (Gendel SM, 2002), CD4 + T Identification and neutralization of cellular epitopes (WO03 / 104263; WO03 / 006047; WO02 / 98454; WO98 / 52976; WO01 / 40281), fusions with other protein sequences (WO02 / 79415; WO94 / 11028), or other compounds (WO96 / 40792) and the like.

  An active ChBP-59 derived sequence may be a natural analogue or ortholog of ChBP-59, especially isolated from other tick species. Other tick species, specifically those belonging to the tick family, more specifically the subfamily Rhipicephalinae to which the mite mite belongs, in addition to other subfamilies such as the subfamily Tick (Ixodinae) ( For example, Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes ricinus), Amblyomminae (for example, Amblyomma variegatum and Amblyomma americanum), etc. Is mentioned. Alternatively, orthologs may be those identified in mammals such as humans and mice.

  Limited information is available on the genomes and transcriptomes of blood-sucking arthropods, many of which relate to ribosomal and mitochondrial sequences, and study phylogenetic relationships based on their conservation (Murrell A et al., 2001). Although tick genome data is only available in a partial and preliminary format (Ullmann AJ et al., 2002), further analysis of the tick gene encoding the CC-chemokine binding protein can be obtained from genomes extracted from ticks. It can be performed using DNA. This extraction can be achieved by applying specific methods and conditions (Hill CA and Gutierrez, JA 2003), specifically, as already illustrated (Wang H et al., 1999), in salivary gland proteins. This can be done by using methods and conditions for detecting polymorphisms. The genomes and protein sequences of these organisms are important for their physiological and biological understanding, and thus understand the role of the proteins of the present invention in the relationship of hosts, parasites, and parasite-borne pathogens. It provides useful information (Valenzuela JG, 2002b).

  In the present invention, the determination of the biochemical and physiological properties of CC-chemokine binding activity, described for proteins homologous to ChBP-59, is a recent technique improved for the study of mites and tick-borne pathogens, such as Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (Madden RD et al., 2004) and RNA interference (Aljamali MN et al., 2003) can be applied. Furthermore, mapping of CC-chemokine recognition sites and CC-chemokine antagonism on these proteins (Seet BT et al., 2001; Beck CG et al., 2001; Burns JM et al., 2002; Webb LM et al., 2004), or there is room for further research towards the identification of related post-translational modifications (Alarcon-Chaidez FJ et al., 2003).

  Another aspect of the invention is a fusion protein comprising a ChBP-59 polypeptide operably linked to a heterologous domain as defined above. Examples of the heterologous domain include one or more amino acid sequences selected from the following. Extracellular domain of membrane-bound protein, immunoglobulin constant region (Fc region), multimerization domain, translocation signal, and tag sequence (eg, tags that facilitate purification by affinity: HA tag, histidine tag, GST, FLAAG Peptide, or MBP).

  The expression “operably linked” with respect to a fusion protein means that the ChBP-59 polypeptide and another amino acid sequence are linked by a peptide bond, either directly or through a spacer residue (eg, a linker). It points to that. That is, the fusion protein can be produced by recombination by directly expressing a nucleic acid molecule encoding the same in a host cell, as will be described later. If necessary, another amino acid sequence contained in the fusion protein can also be removed at the end of the production / purification process or in vivo using, for example, an appropriate endo / exopeptidase, as described below. Is possible. The site at which the heterologous moiety is operatively linked may be either the N-terminal site or the C-terminal site of the ChBP-59 polypeptide.

  Various discussions have been made in the literature regarding the design of heterologous moieties and / or linkers and methods and strategies for the construction, purification, detection, maturation, and use of fusion proteins (Nilsson J et al., 1997; "Applications of chimeric genes and hybrid proteins" Methods Enzymol. Vol. 326-328, Academic Press, 2000). Usually, these heterologous sequences are intended to confer other properties without significantly impairing the therapeutic activity (eg, CC-chemokine binding) of the original protein. Examples of these other properties include ease of purification procedures, increased half-life in body fluids, alternative binding moieties, maturation by internal protein digestion, stability during recombinant production, and extracellular localization. . This last feature is particularly important when defining a specific group of fusion or chimeric proteins included in the above definition. This is because these polypeptides can be easily isolated and purified, and the polypeptides can be localized in a space where CC-chemokines are normally active.

  Selecting one or more of these sequences and binding to a ChBP-59 polypeptide is practical when the protein is subjected to a specific use and / or purification protocol as a recombinant protein. For example, testing of ChBP-59 activity in the Examples was performed using a fusion protein containing a histidine tag sequence that facilitates both detection and purification of ChBP-59. These sequences can be selected from the following three basic heterologous sequences.

  The first group of such sequences includes sequences that aid in protein secretion and purification by recombinant DNA technology, such as signal peptides and translocation signals (Rapoport TA et al., 1996), or tag sequences that aid purification by affinity ( HA tag, histidine tag, GST, FLAG, or MBP).

  The second group of heterologous sequences is a group represented by sequences capable of improving protein stability and biological activity.

  Typical examples of strategies to extend the half-life of a protein are fusion with human serum albumin or with peptides or other modified sequences that allow binding to circulating human serum albumin (eg by myristoylation) (Chuang VT et al., 2002; Graslund T et al., 1997; WO 01/77137). Alternatively, this alternative sequence may aid in targeting for specific localization, eg localization in the brain (WO 03/32913).

  Another approach to improve the stability of recombinant proteins upon administration to a subject is to fuse this domain by allowing the formation of dimers, trimers, etc., isolated from other proteins. It produces protein multimers. Examples of protein sequences that allow multimerization of the polypeptides of the invention include hCG (WO 97/30161), collagen X (WO 04/33486), C4BP (WO 04/20639), Erb protein (WO 98/02540), Or the domain isolated from proteins, such as a coiled-coil peptide (WO01 / 00814), is mentioned.

  A well-known example of such a fusion protein is the constant / Fc region of a human immunoglobulin protein that allows for the dimerization normally found in human immunoglobulins. Various strategies for generating fusion proteins comprising therapeutic proteins and immunoglobulin fragments have been disclosed in the literature (WO91 / 08298; WO96 / 08570; WO93 / 22332; WO04 / 085478; WO01 / 03737, WO02 / 66514). As an example, when cloning a nucleic acid sequence encoding mature ChBP-59, a nucleic acid sequence encoding the original ChBP-59 signal sequence (or other suitable signal / export sequence) is at its 5 ′ end, An expression vector in which a nucleic acid sequence encoding the constant region of human immunoglobulin λ heavy chain IgG1 (NCBI Acc. No. CAA75302; segment 246-477) is fused to its 3 ′ end may be used. After transforming the resulting vector into a CHO or HEK293 host cell strain, a clone is selected that stably expresses and secretes a recombinant fusion protein having ChBP-59 at the N-terminus and an IgG1 sequence at the C-terminus. Subsequently, this clone is used to scale up production and the resulting recombinant fusion protein is purified from the medium. Alternatively, the position of the nucleic acid encoding ChBP-59 and the constant region of human immunoglobulin λ heavy chain IgG1 is reversed, and the resulting protein is similarly converted to the original signal sequence of ChBP-59, or other suitable signal. / The export sequence may be used for expression and secretion. Using these techniques, it is also possible to produce heterodimers. That is, two different constructs can be used to co-express a ChBP-59-Fc fusion protein on one side and another Fc-based fusion protein (eg, another CC-chemokine antagonist) on the other in the same host cell. (WO00 / 18932).

  A further heterologous sequence group is a group represented by a sequence that imparts another functional activity that can synergize with or amplify the adoption of the functional activity exhibited by ChBP-59. These sequences are isolated from the extracellular domain of membrane-bound proteins (eg CC-chemokine receptors) or are expected to be present in secreted proteins, but are as active as CC-chemokine antagonists. It is considered to have mainly immunomodulating activity.

  As described above, if necessary, other sequences contained in the fusion protein may be removed, for example, at the end of the production or purification process, or in vivo, such as with a suitable endo / exopeptidase. For example, a linker sequence contained in a recombinant protein presents a recognition site for an endopeptidase (eg, caspase), which can be used to move a desired protein from a heterologous sequence, either in vivo or in vitro. It can be removed by enzymatic treatment. Alternatively, even if the expressed protein sequence does not have an initiating methionine (for example, the sequence does not have a signal peptide and encodes only the mature sequence of the protein), using the initiating methionine, Inventive proteins can be normally expressed in host cells. Thereafter, the added amino acid may be left as it is in the obtained recombinant protein, or may be removed by an exopeptidase such as methionine aminopeptidase by a method disclosed in the literature (Van Valkenburgh HA and Kahn RA, 2002; Ben-Bassat A, 1991).

  Further variants or analogues of the polypeptides of the invention are obtained in the form of peptide mimetics, also known as peptidomimetics. This is a chemical modification of the properties of a peptide or polypeptide at the level of amino acid side chains, amino acid chirality, and / or peptide backbone. These modifications are intended to improve antagonist purification, potency and / or pharmacokinetic characteristics. For example, if the peptide has the problem of being easily cleaved by a peptidase after injection into a subject, it can be made more stable, and thus more therapeutic, by replacing particularly sensitive peptide bonds with non-cleavable peptidomimetics. More useful peptides can be obtained. Similarly, substitution of L-amino acid residues is a standard approach to reduce the sensitivity of peptides to proteolysis and ultimately make them more similar to organic compounds other than peptides. Also useful are amino-terminated blocking groups such as t-butyroxycarbonyl, acetyl, theyl, succinyl, methoxysuccinyl, suberyl, adipyl, azelayl, dansyl, benzyloxycarbonyl, fluorenylmethoxy Examples include carbonyl, methoxyazelayl, methoxyadipyl, methoxysuberyl, 2,4-dinitrophenyl and the like. Many other modifications are known in the art to enhance potency, sustain activity, facilitate purification, and / or extend half-life (WO 02/10195; Villain M et al ., 2001). As the “synonymous” group that can replace the amino acid derivative contained in the peptidomimetic, the groups defined in Table II are preferable. An “amino acid derivative” intends an amino acid or amino acid-like chemical substance other than the 20 naturally occurring amino acids that are genetically encoded. Specifically, the amino acid derivative may have a substituted or unsubstituted, linear, branched or cyclic alkyl moiety and may contain one or more heteroatoms. Amino acid derivatives may be synthesized newly or commercially available raw materials (Calbiochem-Novabiochem AG, Switzerland; Bachem, USA). Peptidomimetic synthesis and development techniques, as well as non-peptidomimetic drugs, are well known in the art (Hruby VJ and Balse PM, 2000; Golebiowski A et al., 2001). There are also various methods disclosed in the literature for exploring and / or improving the structure and function of proteins by introducing unnatural amino acids into proteins using both in vitro and in vivo translation systems. (Dougherty DA, 2000).

  As will be described in detail below, any of the techniques known in the art such as recombinant techniques and chemical synthesis techniques may be used for the preparation of the polypeptide of the present invention.

  A further object of the present invention resides in a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide as defined above, ie a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 or a fragment or analogue thereof.

Specifically, the nucleic acid molecule of the present invention is selected from the group consisting of:
a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 5);
b) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 6);
c) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 17);
d) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 18);
e) a nucleic acid molecule capable of hybridizing with a nucleic acid molecule of a), b), c) or d) under moderately stringent conditions and encoding a protein that binds to a CC-chemokine ;
f) a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a protein that is at least about 70% identical in amino acid sequence to the protein of a), b), c), or d) and that binds to a CC-chemokine;
g) A protein fragment encoded by a nucleic acid molecule of a), b), c), d), e), or f), wherein the protein comprises a fragment that binds to a CC-chemokine. And a) a modified variant of the nucleic acid molecule of h) a), b), c), d), e), or f).

In particular, the nucleic acid molecule encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of:
a) a protein having the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 5);
b) a protein having the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 6);
c) a protein having the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 17);
d) a protein having the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 18);
e) a protein fragment comprising the fragment of a), b), c), or d) that binds CC-chemokine;
f) a protein comprising a fragment of the protein of a), b), c) or d) having immunomodulatory activity;
g) an active variant of the protein of a), b), c), or d), wherein one or more amino acid residues are added, deleted or substituted, and CC-chemokine Mutants that bind; and h) operate on one or more amino acid sequences selected from the extracellular domain of a membrane-bound protein, immunoglobulin constant region, multimerization domain, signal peptide, translocation signal, and tag sequence A fusion protein comprising a protein of a), b), c), d), e), f), or g) linked in a formula:

  A “denatured variant” in the context of the present invention refers to any nucleic acid sequence that encodes the same amino acid sequence as a reference nucleic acid due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

  Furthermore, the term “nucleic acid molecule” includes all of the various nucleic acids. Examples include, but are not limited to, deoxyribonucleic acid (eg, DNA, cDNA, gDNA, synthetic DNA, etc.), ribonucleic acid (eg, RNA, mRNA, etc.), peptide nucleic acid (PNA), and the like. According to a preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is a DNA molecule, for example a double-stranded DNA molecule, in particular a cDNA.

  When focusing mainly on the DNA and protein sequences of ChBP-59 disclosed in the Examples, specific embodiments include moderately stringent conditions (5 × SSC, 0.5% SDS, 1.0 mM EDTA ( can be hybridized to a DNA sequence encoding ChBP-59 under a pre-wash solution of pH 8.0) and 50 ° C., 5 × SSC, overnight hybridization conditions), and CC-chemokine binding A group of ChBP-59 related sequences that encode proteins, such as DNA and RNA sequences.

  For example, according to the present invention, the cDNA sequence of Chrysanthemum ticks that expresses ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 3), the associated open reading frame (ORF; SEQ ID NO: 4), recombination fused ChBP-59 with a histidine tag Provided is a modified cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 15) and associated ORF (SEQ ID NO: 16) for expression in mammalian or insect host cells in protein form.

  According to another preferred embodiment, the ChBP-59 related sequence is a DNA molecule that encodes a protein in which at least about 70%, preferably 80%, most preferably 90% of the amino acid sequence is identical to ChBP-59. is there. This numerical value can be calculated using an arbitrary dedicated program such as FASTA (Pearson WR, 2000). Further, in the case of a fragment or partial sequence, it can be calculated based on the ChBP-59 portion present in the fragment.

  Another preferred embodiment includes an oligonucleotide that specifically hybridizes with a region of sequence of a nucleic acid molecule, or has such a fragment, as defined above. Such oligonucleotides typically have a length of 5 to 100 nucleotides, such as oligonucleotides that are at least about 20 nucleotides long, oligonucleotides that are at least about 30 nucleotides long, and oligonucleotides that are at least about 50 nucleotides long Can be selected from the group consisting of These oligonucleotides are used for the detection of non- / coding sequences and related sequences in ChBP-59 encoded transcripts in samples (eg by PCR or Southern blot), and for the generation and subcloning of recombinant variants of ChBP-59 be able to. This is shown in the Examples for the 3 ′ end of the primer used when subcloning and modifying the ChBP-59 coding sequence as a histidine tag fusion variant (59-attB1 forward and 59-attB2 reverse; SEQ ID NO: 7 and 8).

  According to a further aspect, the nucleic acid molecules defined above can be included in a cloning or expression vector. In this regard, one particular object of the present invention includes a promoter, particularly a tissue-specific, constitutive promoter, or a regulated (eg, inducible) promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid molecule as defined above. In an expression vector. The vector may contain other optional regulatory elements such as terminators, enhancers, origins of replication, selectable markers and the like. This vector may be any of a plasmid, cosmid, viral vector, phage, artificial chromosome and the like.

According to a particular embodiment, the vector is
a) a DNA of the present invention; and b) an expression cassette, wherein said DNA (a) is operably linked to a tissue-specific, constitutive or inducible promoter contained in sequence (b). It may be.

  In the case where the encoding nucleic acid (that is, the sequence (a)) does not contain the initiation methionine codon (for example, this sequence does not have a signal peptide and encodes only the mature sequence of the protein). May be cloned normally 5 ′ of the sequence of this vector or expression cassette so that it is normally expressed by the starting methionine. Thereafter, this additional amino acid may be left as it is in the obtained recombinant protein, or may be removed by a method described in the literature using an enzyme such as methionine aminopeptidase (Van Valkenburgh HA and Kahn RA , 2002; Ben-Bassat A, 1991).

  According to this vector, it will be possible to express the protein of the present invention not only in tissue culture conditions but also in vivo regardless of experimental or therapeutic reasons. For example, by introducing (for example, encapsulating) a cell overexpressing the protein of the present invention into an animal model, the physiological effect of steady administration of the protein is examined before the cell is finally administered to humans. Is also possible. This vector can also be used for gene transfer by retroviruses, or for any other technique in which a vector or isolated DNA coding sequence is introduced into an animal and expressed under the control of an endogenous promoter. Is also possible. According to this approach, transgenic non-human animals are generated that express the proteins of the invention constitutively or under control (eg, in specific tissues and / or after induction with specific compounds). be able to. Similar approaches have been applied to other non-mammalian chemokine-binding proteins, with various developmental and pathological effects (Jensen KK et al., 2003; Pyo R et al., 2004; Bursill CA) et al., 2004).

  Another object of the present invention is a host cell transformed or transfected using the cloning or expression shown above. These vectors can be used in the process of preparing the polypeptides of the invention. In this regard, an object of the present invention is a method of preparing a ChBP-59 polypeptide as defined above, comprising culturing a recombinant cell as defined above under conditions that permit or promote expression, and ChBP Recovering the -59 polypeptide. In the case where the polypeptide expressed by the vector is secreted as a protein into the extracellular space, it is easier to collect and purify the protein from the cultured cells in view of subsequent processing.

  Methods for cloning and producing recombinant proteins using vectors and prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cells have been described in numerous books and reviews. Examples include several volumes in the “A Practical Approach” series published by Oxford University Press (“DNA Cloning 2: Expression Systems”, 1995; “DNA Cloning 4: Mammalian Systems”, 1996; “Protein Expression”, 1999; Protein Purification Techniques ", 2001). In particular, in the Examples, after screening a DNA library of Chrysanthemum ticks and identifying a DNA sequence encoding ChBP-59, ORF was applied, modified, and inserted into an expression vector. A method for obtaining a recombinant protein is shown.

  In general, these vectors may be episomal or non- / homologously integrated vectors, and may be any suitable technique (transformation, transfection, conjugation, protoplast fusion, electrical Transformation into a perforation method, calcium phosphate precipitation, direct microinjection, etc.), and can be introduced into an appropriate host cell. Important factors in selecting a particular plasmid, virus, or retroviral vector include recognition of recipient cells containing the vector and ease of selection from recipient cells that do not contain the vector, vectors desired in the individual host And whether it is desired to “shuttle” the vector between host cells of different species. With these vectors, the isolated protein of the present invention or a fusion protein comprising them can be expressed in prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cells under the control of appropriate transcriptional start / stop regulatory sequences. . These regulatory sequences are selected to be constitutively active or inducible in the cell. If a cell line in which such cells are sufficiently grown is isolated, a stable cell line can be obtained (shown in Examples using HEK293 and TN5 cell lines).

  For eukaryotic host cells (eg yeast, insect or mammalian cells), different transcriptional and translational regulatory sequences may be used depending on the nature of the host. These sequences may be derived from viral sources such as adenovirus, bovine papilloma virus, simian virus. In these, regulatory signals are associated with specific genes that exhibit high levels of expression. Examples include herpes virus TK promoter, SV40 early promoter, yeast gal4 gene promoter, and the like. As a transcription initiation regulatory signal, a signal capable of being repressed and activated may be selected, which enables regulation of gene expression. In order to select cells stably transformed with the introduced DNA, one or more markers that enable selection of host cells containing the expression vector may be introduced. This marker may further impart phototrophic properties to auxotrophic hosts, resistance to biocides such as antibiotics, or heavy metals such as copper. This selectable marker gene may be directly linked to the DNA gene sequence to be expressed, or may be introduced into the same cell by cotransfection. Additional components may be required for optimal synthesis of the proteins of the invention.

  The host cell for recombinant production may be a prokaryotic cell or a eukaryotic cell. Particularly preferred prokaryotic cells include bacteria (eg, Bacillus subtilis or E. coli) transformed with a recombinant bacteriophage, plasmid, or cosmid DNA expression vector. Eukaryotic host cells are preferred, and examples include mammalian cells such as human, monkey, mouse, and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. This is because these cells enable post-translational modifications of protein molecules such as normal folding and normal site glycosylation. Another eukaryotic host cell includes a yeast cell transformed with a yeast expression vector. Yeast cells also make post-translational peptide modifications such as glycosylation. There are a number of recombinant DNA strategies using strong promoter sequences and high copy number plasmids, and these can be used to produce the desired protein in yeast. Yeast recognizes leader sequences in cloned mammalian gene products and secretes peptides with leader sequences (ie, pre-peptides).

  In order to produce a recombinant polypeptide in a high yield over a long period of time, it is preferable that expression is stable. For example, to obtain a cell line that stably expresses a desired polypeptide, an expression vector containing a viral origin of replication and / or an endogenous expression element and a selection marker gene on the same or separate vectors is used. Then, transformation may be performed. Following the introduction of the vector, the cells may be cultured in a rich medium for 1-2 days and then changed to a selective medium. The purpose of the selection marker is to provide resistance to selection. The presence of the selectable marker allows growth and recovery of cells that have successfully expressed the introduced sequence. Resistant clones of stably transformed cells may be propagated using tissue culture techniques appropriate for the cell type. If a cell line in which such cells are sufficiently grown is isolated, a stable cell line can be obtained.

  A particularly preferred method for producing the recombinant polypeptides of the present invention in high yield includes dihydrofolate in DHFR deficient CHO cells using a continuous increase in methotrexate concentration as described in US 4,889,803. Examples include a reductase (DHFR) amplification method. The resulting polypeptide may be glycosylated.

  Mammalian cell lines that can be used as expression hosts are known in the art, and many immortal cell lines are available from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Examples include, but are not limited to, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO), HeLa, baby hamster kidney (BHK), monkey kidney (COS), C127, 3T3, BHK, HEK293, Bowes melanoma, and human liver Cell carcinoma (eg, HepG2) cells, as well as numerous other cell lines. In the baculovirus system, baculovirus / insect cell expression system materials are commercially available in kit form, particularly from Invitrogen.

Alternatively, the polypeptide of the present invention may be prepared by artificial synthesis. In this regard, examples of chemical synthesis techniques include solid phase synthesis and liquid phase synthesis. In solid phase synthesis, for example, an amino acid corresponding to the carboxy terminus of the peptide to be synthesized is bound to a support that can be dissolved in an organic solvent, and then the amino group and the side chain functional group are protected with an appropriate protecting group The peptide chain is extended by alternately repeating the reaction of sequentially condensing the amino acids one by one from the carboxy terminus to the amino terminus, and the reaction of releasing the amino group bonded to the resin or the amino group protecting group of the peptide. be able to. Solid phase synthesis methods are roughly classified into tBoc method and Fmoc method, depending on the type of protecting group used. Commonly used protecting groups include tBoc (t-butoxycarbonyl), Cl-Z (2-chlorobenzyloxycarbonyl), Br-Z (2-bromobenzyloxycarbonyl), Bzl (benzyl) for amino groups. , Fmoc (9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl), Mbh (4,4′-dimethoxydibenzhydryl), Mtr (4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylbenzenesulfonyl), Trt (trityl), Tos ( tosyl), Z (benzyloxycarbonyl), and Cl ₂ -Bzl (2,6-dichlorobenzyl); for the guanidino group, NO ₂ (nitro) and Pmc (2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl chroman -6-sulfonyl); and tBu (t-butyl) for the hydroxyl group. After synthesis of the desired polypeptide, it is subjected to a deprotection reaction and further cleaved from the solid support. This peptide cleavage reaction can be performed by hydrogen fluoride or trifluoromethanesulfonic acid in the case of the Boc method, and by TFA in the case of the Fmoc method. A fully synthetic protein of a size comparable to ChBP-59 has been disclosed in the literature (Brown A et al., 1996).

  The polypeptides of the invention can be manufactured, formulated, administered, or genetically used as other preferred alternatives, depending on the desired use and / or manufacturing method. In addition, the protein of the present invention can be modified after translation, and examples thereof include glycosylation as shown in Examples.

  In general, the proteins of the invention are provided in the form of active fractions, precursors, salts, derivatives, conjugates or complexes.

  As indicated above, the term “active” or “biologically active” means that the CC-chemokine binding and / or immunomodulatory properties of ChBP-59 are maintained in such alternative compounds, or It means being strengthened.

  The term “fraction” refers to any fragment of the polypeptide chain of the compound itself, either alone or in combination with a related molecule or residue (eg, sugar or phosphate residue) that binds to it. It is. Such molecules may also have other modifications that do not normally alter the primary sequence, such as chemical derivatization of peptides in vitro (acetylation or carboxylation), post-translational modifications of proteins, eg Synthesis of treatments such as phosphorylation (introduction of phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, or phosphothreonine residues) and glycosylation (contacting peptides with glycosylated enzymes such as mammalian glycosylation or deglycosylation enzymes) It may be obtained during and / or during further processing steps. In particular, ChBP-59 has been shown to be glycosylated to some extent, both in tick saliva and in any of the recombinant forms disclosed herein. This modification may be performed in vitro by using a suitable modifying enzyme or by selecting an appropriate host cell for recombinant production in vitro.

  “Precursor” refers to a compound that can be converted to the compound of the present invention by metabolism or enzymatic treatment before or after administration to cells or the body.

  As used herein, the term “salt” refers to both a salt of a carboxyl group and an acid addition salt of an amino group of the peptide, polypeptide, or analog thereof of the present invention. A salt of a carboxyl group can be formed by a method known in the art. Examples include inorganic salts such as salts with sodium, calcium, ammonium, ferric or zinc, and salts with organic bases such as amines such as triethanolamine, arginine or lysine, piperidine, procaine, etc. Salt. Examples of acid addition salts include salts with mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid, and salts with organic acids such as acetic acid and oxalic acid. Any of these salts should have substantially the same activity as the peptides and polypeptides of the invention, or analogs thereof.

  As used herein, the term “derivative” refers to a derivative that can be prepared by a known method from a functional group present in the side chain of an amino acid moiety, or an amino or carboxy terminal group. Examples of such derivatives include carboxyl group esters or aliphatic amides, free amino group N-acyl derivatives, or free hydroxyl group O-acyl derivatives. These are formed by acyl groups, for example as alkanoyl or aroyl groups.

  The proteins of the present invention can also be in the form of active conjugates or complexes with molecules selected from radiolabels, biotin, fluorescent labels, cytotoxic drugs, and drug delivery agents. Useful conjugates and complexes can be generated using molecules and methods for various purposes known in the art. Examples include the detection of interactions with CC-chemokines or other proteins (radioactive or fluorescent labels, biotin), therapeutic efficacy (cytotoxic drugs), or drug delivery with the aim of improving drugs, for example polyethylene And glycols and other natural or synthetic polymers (Harris JM and Chess RB, 2003; Greenwald RB et al., 2003; Pilla O and Panchagnula R, 2001).

  When these compounds derived from ChBP-59 are produced, appropriate residues may be modified site-specifically at the internal or terminal site. Any residue can be used for conjugation if it has a side chain that can be bound to the polymer (that is, an amino acid side chain having a functional group, such as lysine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, cysteine, histidine, etc.). Alternatively, the residues at these sites may be substituted with amino acids having side chains that can bind to the polymer.

  For example, PEGylation can be performed directly by adding cysteine to the N- or C-terminus of the mature protein sequence by recombinant DNA technology or enzymatic treatment. Alternatively, cysteine may be incorporated into the protein, for example by replacing residues corresponding to glycosylation sites.

  Furthermore, it is possible to chemically modify the side chain of a genetically encoded amino acid so that it can be attached to a polymer, or to use an unnatural amino acid having an appropriate side chain functional group. . The polymer not only binds to a naturally occurring amino acid side chain present at a specific site of an antagonist, or to a side chain of a natural or non-natural amino acid substituted with a naturally occurring amino acid present at a specific site of an antagonist. You may make it couple | bond with respect to the hydrocarbon couple | bonded with the amino acid side chain in the site | part, and another part.

  Suitable polymers for these purposes are those that are biocompatible, i.e., are not toxic to biological systems, and many such polymers are known. Such polymers may be hydrophobic or hydrophilic in nature, biodegradable or non-biodegradable, and combinations thereof. Examples of such a polymer include natural polymers (eg, collagen, gelatin, cellulose, hyaluronic acid, etc.) and synthetic polymers (eg, polyester, polyorthoester, polyanhydride, etc.). Examples of hydrophobic non-degradable polymers include polydimethylsiloxane, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polymethyl methacrylate. Examples of hydrophilic non-degradable polymers include poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), polyvinyl alcohol, poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone), polyalkylene, polyacrylamide, and copolymers thereof. Preferred polymers include ethylene oxide consisting of regular repeating units, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG).

  As a method for binding, it is preferable to use a combination of peptide synthesis and chemical linkage. Water-soluble polymers have the advantage that they can be bound via a biodegradable linker, in particular to the amino terminal region of the protein. Such modifications allow the protein to be provided in the form of a precursor (or “prodrug”). This precursor releases the protein by degrading the linker without modifying the polymer.

  According to another aspect, the invention relates to an antibody that selectively binds to a protein of the invention.

  As used herein, the term “antibody” refers to monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, chimeric, humanized, fully human, bispecific or multispecific antibodies, and their Includes fragments, such as single chain antibodies (scFv) or domain antibodies.

In the context of the present invention, the term “selective” binding means that the antibody binds preferentially to the target polypeptide or epitope, ie, has a higher affinity than its affinity for any other antigen or epitope. It shows that. In other words, binding to the target polypeptide can be distinguished from non-specific binding to other antigens. The antibody according to the present invention has a target polypeptide or epitope of 10 ⁶ M ⁻¹ or more, preferably 10 ⁷ M ⁻¹ or more, more preferably 10 ⁸ M ⁻¹ or more, and most preferably 10 ⁹ M ^−1. It is preferable to exhibit the above binding affinity (Ka). The binding affinity of an antibody can be easily determined by those skilled in the art, for example, by Scatchard analysis (Scatchard G., 1949).

  The antibody of the present invention may be a monoclonal antibody or a polyclonal antibody, or a fragment or derivative thereof having substantially the same antigen specificity.

  Methods for preparing polyclonal antibodies from various species such as rodents, primates and horses are described in, for example, Vaitukaitis et al (1971). In order to produce a polyclonal antibody in a mammal, for example, an immunizing agent and optionally an adjuvant may be administered to the mammal one or more times. Usually, immunizing agents and / or adjuvants are administered to mammals by multiple subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injections. The immunizing agent contains the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 5, 6, 17, 18 as described above, or a variant thereof as described above, or a fusion protein thereof. The immunizing agent is conjugated to a protein known to be immunogenic in the mammal to be immunized. Examples of such immunogenic proteins include, but are not limited to, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, serum albumin, bovine thyroglobulin, and soybean trypsin inhibitor. Examples of adjuvants that can be used include Freund's complete adjuvant and MPL-TDM adjuvant (monophosphorylated lipid A, synthetic trehalose dicorynomycolate). Administration may be repeated. Blood is collected and immunoglobulin or serum is isolated.

  Alternatively, the antibody may be a monoclonal antibody. As used herein, the term “monoclonal antibody” refers to an antibody obtained from a substantially homogeneous antibody population. That is, the individual antibodies included in the population are the same except for natural variations that can occur in minute amounts. Monoclonal antibodies are highly specific and have specificity for a single antigenic site. The modifier “monoclonal” indicates the character of the antibody as being obtained from a substantially homogeneous population of antibodies, and does not require that the antibody be produced by a method of character.

  Methods for producing monoclonal antibodies are described, for example, in Kohler et al (Nature 256 (1975) 495). This document is incorporated herein by reference.

  According to the hybridoma method, a mouse, hamster, or other suitable host animal is usually treated with an immunizing agent (this immunizing agent is usually the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 5, 6, 17, 18 or those described above, or Or a fusion protein thereof) to produce antibodies that specifically bind to the immunizing agent or induce lymphocytes that have the ability to produce. Alternatively, lymphocytes may be immunized in vitro. Generally, peripheral blood lymphocytes ("PBL") are used when human-derived cells are desired, and spleen cells or lymph node cells are used when non-human mammalian sources are desired. Subsequently, the lymphocytes are fused with an immortalized cell line using an appropriate flux such as polyethylene glycol to form hybridoma cells (Goding 1986). Immortalized cell lines usually include transformed mammalian cells, particularly myeloma cells from rodents, cattle, and humans. Usually, rat or mouse myeloma cell lines are used. The hybridoma cells may be cultured in an appropriate medium. This medium preferably contains one or more substances that suppress the growth or survival of unfused immortalized cells. For example, when the parent cell lacks an enzyme called hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT or HPRT), the medium for hybridoma is usually a medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine (“HAT medium”). )). These components prevent the growth of HGPRT-deficient cells. As the immortalized cell line, a cell line that is excellent in fusion efficiency, can stably express an antibody by a selected antibody-producing cell at a high level, and is sensitive to a medium such as a HAT medium is preferable. Particularly preferred immortalized cell lines include mouse myeloma lines. This is available, for example, from the Salk Institute Cell Distribution Center in San Diego, California and the American Type Culture Collection in Manassas, Virginia. Examples of human monoclonal antibody production include human myeloma and mouse-human heterogeneous myeloma cell lines.

  Subsequently, it may be assayed whether a monoclonal antibody having specificity for the immunized peptide is present in the medium in which the hybridoma cells are cultured. The binding specificity of monoclonal antibodies produced by hybridoma cells is determined by immunoprecipitation or by in vitro binding assays such as radioimmunoassay (RIA) or enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). It is preferable to determine. Such techniques and assays are known in the art.

  After identifying the desired hybridoma cells, this clone may be further subcloned by limiting dilution and then grown by standard methods (Goding, supra). Suitable media for this purpose include, for example, Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium and RPMI-1640 medium. Alternatively, the hybridoma cells may be grown in vivo such as mammalian ascites.

  Monoclonal antibodies secreted by subclones may be isolated or purified from the culture medium or ascites by conventional immunoglobulin purification methods. Examples of the purification method include protein A-Sepharose, hydroxylapatite chromatography, gel electrophoresis, dialysis, affinity chromatography and the like.

  Monoclonal antibodies can also be obtained by recombinant DNA methods, for example as described in US Pat. No. 4,816,567. The DNA encoding the monoclonal antibody of the present invention can be easily isolated and sequenced by using conventional techniques (for example, the gene encoding the heavy and light chains of the mouse antibody). It is sufficient to use an oligonucleotide probe that can bind specifically to the target). The hybridoma cell of the present invention is also preferable as a raw material for such DNA. The isolated DNA can be introduced into an expression vector and this vector can be transfected into a host cell. Examples of host cells include cells that do not produce immunoglobulin proteins alone, such as monkey COS cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, and myeloma cells. As described above, the monoclonal antibody can be synthesized in the recombinant host cell.

  The “monoclonal antibody” may be isolated from a phage antibody library by the technique described in Clackson et al., 1991 or Marks et al, 1991.

  The antibody may be a monovalent antibody. Methods for preparing monovalent antibodies are well known in the art. For example, a method of recombinantly expressing immunoglobulin light chain and modified heavy chain can be mentioned. To prevent heavy chain crosslinking, the heavy chain is usually truncated at any position in the Fc region. Alternatively, the relevant cysteine residues are substituted with other amino acid residues or deleted to prevent crosslinking.

  In vitro methods are also suitable for preparing monovalent antibodies. Preparation of fragments by antibody digestion, particularly Fab fragments, can be performed using conventional methods known in the art.

  Further, as described in Ward et al (1989), an antibody can be prepared by selecting a recombinant immunoglobulin library.

  The antibody of the present invention may further comprise a humanized antibody or a human antibody. Humanized forms of non-human (eg, murine) antibodies are chimeric immunoglobulins, immunoglobulin chains, or fragments thereof (eg, Fv, Fab, Fab ′, F (ab ′) 2, or other antigen binding properties). Antibody subsequence), which contains a minimal sequence derived from non-human immunoglobulin. Humanized antibodies are human immunoglobulins (recipient antibodies) in which residues from the complementarity determining region (CDR) of the recipient have the desired specificity, affinity, and ability. , Those substituted by the residues derived from CDRs of non-human species (donor antibodies) such as mouse, rat, rabbit and the like. In some cases, Fv framework residues of the human immunoglobulin are replaced with corresponding non-human residues.

  Methods for humanizing non-human antibodies are well known in the art. Humanization basically replaces the corresponding sequence of a human antibody with a rodent CDR or CDR sequence according to the method of Winter and co-workers (Jones et al., Nature, 321: 522-525 (1986)). This can be done. Accordingly, such “humanized” antibodies are chimeric antibodies (US Pat. No. 4,816,567), where substantially less than an intact human variable domain is non-human. An antibody substituted by a corresponding sequence from a species.

  Human antibodies can also be produced using various techniques known in the art, such as phage display libraries (Hoogenboom and Winter, (1991)). Similarly, human antibodies can be made by introducing human immunoglobulin loci into transgenic animals such as mice in which the endogenous immunoglobulin genes are partially or completely inactivated. Human antibody production is observed upon antigen exposure, which is very similar to that observed in humans in all aspects such as gene rearrangement, construction, and antibody repertoire. This approach is described, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 5,545,807; 5,545,806; 5,569,825; 5,625,126; 5,633,425; 5,661,016. .

  In addition, the present invention is linked to a heterologous moiety such as a cytotoxic drug, a label, a drug, or other therapeutic agent, directly or using an uplinking agent, a linker, or the like, regardless of whether it is by a covalent bond. It also relates to an immunoconjugate comprising an antibody. Cytotoxic agents include chemotherapeutic agents, toxins (eg, enzymatically active toxins derived from bacteria, fungi, plants, or animals, or fragments thereof), or radioisotopes (ie, radioconjugates). It is done.

Usable enzymatically active toxins and fragments thereof include diphtheria A chain, non-binding active fragment of diphtheria toxin, exotoxin A chain (derived from Pseudomonas aeruginosa), ricin A chain, abrin A chain , Modexin A chain, α-sarcin, Aleurites fordii protein, diansin protein, Phytolaca americana protein (PAPI, PAPII, and PAP-S), momordica charantia inhibitor, Kursin, Crotin, saponaria officinalis inhibitors, gelonin, mitogenin, restrictocin, phenomycin, enomycin, and trichothecenes. A variety of radionuclides are available for making radioconjugates. Examples include ²¹² Bi, ¹³¹ I, ¹³¹ In, ⁹⁰ Y, ¹⁸⁶ Re, and the like.

  According to another embodiment, the antibody may be conjugated to a “receptor” (eg, streptavidin) for use in tumor pretargeting. The antibody-receptor conjugate is administered to a patient, followed by removal of unbound conjugate from the circulation using a clearing agent, followed by a “ligand” that binds to a cytotoxic agent (eg, a radionuclide) ( For example, avidin) is administered.

  Furthermore, the antibody or antibody fragment of the present invention may be PEGylated using a method in the art or a method described herein. The antibodies described herein may also be formulated as immunoliposomes. Liposomes with increased circulation time are disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,013,556.

The invention also relates to “antibody fragments” comprising a portion of an intact antibody, preferably the antigen binding or variable region of the intact antibody. Examples of antibody fragments include Fab, Fab ′, F (ab ′) ₂ , and Fv fragments; bispecific antibodies; linear antibodies; single-chain antibody molecules; Specific antibodies (monobodies); bispecific antibodies (diabodies); mutant monospecific antibodies (camelized monobodies); domain antibodies and multispecific antibodies formed from antibody fragments.

  “Fv” is the minimum antibody fragment which has a complete antigen recognition and binding site. This region is a dimer in which the variable domains of one heavy chain and one light chain are tightly paired by non-covalent bonds. Within this configuration, the three CDRs of each variable domain interact to form an antigen binding site on the surface of the VH-VL dimer. These 6 CDRs confer antigen binding specificity to the antibody. However, even a single variable domain (or only three antigen-specific CDRs, half of Fv) has a lower affinity than the entire binding site, but recognizes and binds to the antigen. Have the ability to

The Fab fragment also has the constant domain of the light chain and the first constant domain (CH1) of the heavy chain. The difference between the Fab fragment and the Fab ′ fragment is that a small number of bases including one or more cysteines derived from the hinge region of the antibody are added to the carboxy terminus of the heavy chain CH1 domain. As used herein, Fab′-SH is a designation that refers to Fab ′ in which one or more cysteine residues of the constant domain have a free thiol group. F (ab ′) ₂ antibody fragments originally were produced as pairs of Fab ′ fragments that have hinge cysteines between them. Other chemical couplings of antibody fragments are also known. The “light chain” of any vertebrate species antibody (immunoglobulin) has two distinct types, called κ (kappa) and λ (lambda), respectively, based on the amino acid sequence of its constant domain. Assigned to either.

  “Single-chain antibody molecule” refers to a fragment of the antibody comprising the VH and VL domains of an antibody, wherein the domains are present in a single polypeptide chain. The Fv polypeptide preferably further comprises a polypeptide linker between the VH and VL domains. This allows single chain antibody molecules to form the desired antigen binding structure.

  The term “bispecific antibody” is a small fragment of an antibody having two antigen binding sites, wherein the heavy chain variable domain (VH) and the light chain variable domain (VL) bound thereto are identical. A polypeptide chain (VH-VL) is included. By using a linker that is short enough that no two domains in the same chain can form a pair, these domains are forced to pair with the complementary domains of the other chain, creating two antigen-binding sites. Become. A more detailed description of bispecific antibodies is described, for example, in EP 404,097, WO 93/11161.

  As used herein, the term “monospecific antibody” refers to an antigen binding molecule that has a heavy chain variable domain and no light chain variable domain. Monospecific antibodies can bind antigens in the absence of light chain and usually have three CDR regions, called CDRH1, CDRH2, and CDRH3, respectively. A heavy chain IgG monospecific antibody has two heavy chain antigen binding molecules linked by disulfide bonds. The heavy chain variable domain comprises one or more CDR regions, preferably a CDRH3 region.

  “Camelized monospecific antibodies” are monospecifics originating from animals of the camelid family, for example, animals with legs with two hoofs and leathery soles. Sex antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof. Examples of camelids include camels, llamas, and alpaca. Camels (Camelus dromedaries) and Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) have been reported to often lack a variable light chain domain by analysis of IgG-like substances in their sera, and VH domains (three CDR loops) alone are believed to exhibit sufficient antibody specificity and affinity.

  The present invention also includes single domain antibodies. Single domain antibodies, sometimes referred to as domain antibodies or dAbs, are the smallest functional binding units of an antibody and correspond to the variable region of either the heavy chain (VH) or light chain (VL) of a human antibody. To do. Domain antibodies have a molecular weight of approximately 13 kDa, less than one-tenth the size of a complete antibody. In contrast to conventional antibodies, domain antibodies show good expression in bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cell lines. In addition, many domain antibodies have excellent stability and retain activity even after exposure to harsh conditions such as lyophilization and heat denaturation, which may be applicable to a wide range of pharmaceutical formulation conditions and manufacturing processes. is there.

  The protein of the present invention can be provided in a purified form to some extent. Examples include methods of cloning clonal nucleic acids necessary to express recombinant ChBP-59, methods of purifying recombinant or native ChBP-59 using affinity for CC-chemokines and chromatographic techniques, In addition, a method for selecting a cell that appropriately expresses this protein using an assay technique for detecting CC-chemokine binding activity is shown.

  In particular, purification of the natural, synthetic or recombinant antagonists of the present invention uses any of the methods known for this purpose, ie any conventional technique such as extraction, precipitation, chromatography, electrophoresis, etc. Can be implemented. A further purification technique preferably used for purifying the protein of the present invention includes affinity chromatography using a monoclonal antibody or an affinity group. These monoclonal antibodies or affinity groups bind to the target protein and are immobilized after production on a gel matrix contained in the column. Impure preparations containing protein are introduced into this column. While proteins are bound to the column by heparin or specific antibodies, impurities pass through. After washing, the protein is eluted from the gel by changing the pH or ionic strength. Alternatively, HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) can be used. Elution can be carried out using a water-acetonitrile solvent generally used for protein purification. As used herein, a purified preparation of the protein of the invention refers to a preparation containing at least 1%, preferably at least 5% (per dry weight) of the protein.

  Another aspect of the present invention comprises a ChBP-59 polypeptide as defined above as an active ingredient (in the form of a protein or alternatives thereof as described above) and a suitable diluent or carrier. A pharmaceutical composition.

  Another subject of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a ChBP-59 polypeptide as defined above, or a corresponding vector or recombinant host cell, and a suitable diluent or carrier. .

  Yet another aspect of the present invention is the use of a ChBP-59 polypeptide as defined above, or a nucleic acid encoding the same, in the manufacture of a medicament that modulates an immune response in a subject.

  These compositions can be used as medicaments, in particular as medicaments for modulating immune or inflammatory responses in mammals, more specifically as anti-inflammatory compounds.

  In general, given the involvement of CC-chemokines in many human and veterinary disorders, CC-chemokine binding proteins of the present invention are CC-chemokines (eg CCL5 / RANTES, CCL3 / MIP-1α, Or as an antagonist of CCL2 / MCP-1) it can be used for the treatment or prevention of CC-chemokine related disorders in animals. Although not exhaustive, examples of CC-chemokine related disorders include inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, immune diseases, infections, allergic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, neurological diseases, sepsis, Examples include transplant rejection-related diseases and fiber diseases. Examples of these diseases include, but are not limited to, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, restenosis, sepsis, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, scleroderma, polymyositis, glomerulonephritis, fibrosis, allergic or hypersensitivity disease, dermatitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) , Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease, fibroma, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, septic shock, viral infection, cancer, endometriosis, transplantation, graft-versus-host disease (Graft-versus-host disease: GVHD), heart and kidney reperfusion injury, ischemia, atherosclerosis and the like.

  The proteins or specific fragments of the invention can be used as active ingredients in the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions for modulating immune or inflammatory responses in mammals, such as anti-inflammatory compositions. Alternatively, the protein or specific fragment of the invention can be used as an active ingredient in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for mammalian vaccination against parasites, viruses, or bacteria. A method of preparing such a pharmaceutical composition comprises combining ChBP-59 together with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier.

  Using a pharmaceutical composition containing the protein of the present invention as an active ingredient, binding CC-chemokine in vivo to prevent binding of CC-chemokine to the corresponding cell surface receptor, and as a result It is possible to obtain a therapeutic effect such as an anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, the pharmaceutical composition containing the protein of the present invention as an active ingredient is used to bind to a CC-chemokine analog present in a virus, bacterium, or parasite, whereby the virus, bacterium, or parasite It is also possible to prevent the entry of cells into the cell. A pharmaceutical composition for vaccination of mammals against parasites, viruses or bacteria comprises a fragment of the protein of the invention as an active ingredient. The composition described above may further contain other immunosuppressive agents or anti-inflammatory substances.

  This pharmaceutical composition, in combination with an active ingredient protein of the invention, is a suitable pharmaceutically acceptable diluent, carrier, biocompatible vehicle and additives suitable for administration to animals (eg, Pharmaceutically usable auxiliaries (e.g. excipients, stabilizers, adjuvants, etc.) that facilitate the processing of the active compound into preparations, You may finally include. This pharmaceutical composition can be formulated by any acceptable technique depending on the administration method. For example, various techniques and models for the effective use of biomaterials and other polymers for drug delivery and specific administration methods have been described in the literature (Luo B and Prestwich GD, 2001; Cleland JL et al., 2001).

  “Pharmaceutically acceptable” is intended to encompass any carrier that does not interfere with the effectiveness of the biological activity of the active ingredient and that is not toxic to the host to which it is administered. . For example, for parenteral administration, the above active ingredients may be formulated in unit dosage form for injection in vehicles such as saline, glucose solution, serum albumin, Ringer's solution and the like. The carrier is starch, cellulose, talc, glucose, lactose, sucrose, gelatin, malt, rice, flour, lime powder, silica gel, magnesium stearate, sodium stearate, glycerol monostearate, sodium chloride, dried skim milk powder, It may be selected from glycerol, propylene glycol, water, ethanol, and various oils such as petroleum-derived, animal, vegetable or synthetic oils (peanut oil, soybean oil, mineral oil, sesame oil) and the like.

  Any acceptable method of administration can be used and determined by one skilled in the art to bring the active ingredient to the desired blood level. For example, administration can be performed by various parenteral routes such as subcutaneous, intravenous, intradermal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intranasal, transdermal, rectal, oral, buccal and the like. In addition, the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is preferably used in the form of sustained or controlled release preparations such as accumulation injections, osmotic pumps, etc., preferably in an accurate dose, for long-term administration of the polypeptide at a predetermined concentration. It is also possible to administer in a unit dosage form suitable for a single administration.

  Parenteral administration may be performed by bolus injection or over time by gradual perfusion. Preparations for parenteral administration include sterile aqueous or non-aqueous solutions, suspensions, and emulsions. These may contain auxiliaries or excipients known in the art and can be prepared by routine methods. In addition, suspensions of the active compounds may be administered as appropriate oily injection suspensions. Suitable lipophilic solvents or vehicles include fatty oils such as sesame oil, synthetic fatty acid esters such as sesame oil, or synthetic fatty acid esters such as ethyl oleate and triglycerides. Aqueous injection suspensions that may contain substances that increase the viscosity of the suspension include, for example, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, sorbitol, and / or dextran. The suspension may optionally contain a stabilizer. Pharmaceutical compositions include solutions suitable for administration by infusion, and contain about 0.01 to 99.99 percent, preferably about 20 to 75 percent, of the active compound together with excipients.

  It is understood that the dose administered will depend on the age, sex, health status, and weight of the recipient, the type and frequency of treatment being performed in parallel, and the nature of the desired effect. The dosage is adjusted according to the individual subject. This will be understood and determined by those skilled in the art. The total dose required for each treatment may be divided and administered in multiple doses. Administration of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be performed alone or in combination with other treatments for the same disease or treatments for other symptoms of the disease. Usually, the active ingredient is contained in a daily dose in the range of 0.01 to 100 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. In order to obtain a desired effect, it is usually effective to divide 1 to 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day into multiple administrations or in a sustained release form. The amount of the second and subsequent administrations may be the same, less, or more than the amount of the first or previous administration for the individual.

  Another aspect of the present invention is the use of the protein encoded by the DNA of the present invention as a medicament, particularly in the preparation of a composition for modulating an immune or inflammatory response in a mammal.

  A further aspect of the present invention is a method of immunizing an animal against a blood-sucking ectoparasite, or a method of modulating an immunity or inflammatory response in a desired animal, wherein the animal is Administering the protein for a time and under conditions sufficient to modulate the immune response.

  Another object of the present invention is a method for treating or preventing a CC-chemokine related disease, comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a compound of the present invention.

  “Effective amount” refers to the amount of active ingredient that is sufficient to affect the course and severity of the disease and reduce or sedate its pathology. Effective amounts will vary depending on the route of administration and the condition of the patient.

  The term “CC-chemokine-related disease” refers to mass monocyte / macrophage / neutrophil / T-wetting of monocytes / macrophages / neutrophils / T cells due to over- or uncontrolled production of CC-chemokines. It shows any disease caused by cell infiltration), which can have a beneficial effect by administration of ChBP-59. Examples of such chronic, acute, or genetic disorders are listed above, but not exhaustively.

  The therapeutic applications of CC-chemokine antagonists and related reagents of the present invention can be evaluated by in vivo or in vitro assays utilizing mammalian cells, tissues, and models (for safety, pharmacokinetics, and performance). Yes (Coleman R et al., 2001; Li A, 2001; Methods Mol. Biol vol. 138, "Chemokines Protocols", edited by Proudfoot A et al., Humana Press Inc., 2000; Methods Enzymol, vol. 287 and 288, Academic Press, 1997). Examples of assays include, but are not limited to, calcium mobilization, degranulation, increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increased expression of proteases, suppression of cell mobilization in vitro and in vivo, etc. .

A further aspect of the present invention is a test kit containing any of the compounds disclosed in connection with the CC-chemokine binding protein of the present invention. For example, a kit for detecting a CC-chemokine or analog, a CC-chemokine binding protein or receptor, an interaction between a CC-chemokine and a CC-chemokine binding protein, or an antagonist or agonist of the interaction, A) a nucleic acid molecule (eg DNA) derived from a detection reagent and the CC-chemokine binding protein of the invention;
b) oligonucleotides;
c) protein; and d) antibody;
At least a compound selected from the group consisting of:

  These kits can be used in in vitro or in vivo applicable methods for contacting a sample with any of these compounds. These compounds may be labeled or may be immobilized on a solid support.

  Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the content of the present specification includes all modifications and substitutions that can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the meaning and purpose of the claims. It is.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the following examples, but these should not be construed as limiting the present invention. The figures detailed above are also referred to in the examples.

Example 1: Screening for CC-chemokine binding activity of chrysanthemum salmon saliva and cDNA library and cloning of ChBP-59

Materials and Methods a. Screening for chemokine binding activity in saliva of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (common brown dog tick)

  Purified salmon mite saliva was obtained according to the protocol described in the publication (Ferreira BR and Silva JS, 1998). The mite saliva (RSs) was divided into aliquots and subjected to different assays. Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) was used as a negative control in the assay, and CC-chemokine binding protein from limb disease virus was used as a positive control (also known as vCCl or p35).

  RSs and vCCl were spotted in parallel on nitrocellulose filters in various amounts, and these filters were exposed to recombinant CC- and CXC-chemokines with different radiolabels.

  Attempts were made to detect molecules that interfere with chemokine / chemokine receptor interacting molecules by scintillation proximity assay (SPA) as described in the literature (Alouani S, 2000). In summary, wheat germ agglutinin SPA beads are coated with a cell membrane isolated from a CHO cell line stably expressing a particular chemokine receptor (eg, CCR1 or CCR5) and then the corresponding radiolabeled CC-chemokine alone, Or it culture | cultivated with the combination with CC-chemokine.

b. Construction of cricket mite cDNA library and control plasmid expressing vCCl

  Salivary glands were removed from 100 adult mites (Cryococcidae) and immediately transferred into ice-cold RNAlater® solution (Ambion) and stored until later use. Total RNA was extracted using the TRIzol® method (Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer's instructions. A cDNA library was constructed in the phagemid vector λTriplEX2 using SMART cDNA library construction kit (Clontech). Using a ChromaSpin 400 column (Clontech), the cDNA was size fractionated according to the manufacturer's instructions, and then ligated to the vector. The size of the cloned cDNA insert in the library ranged from about 0.6 kb to 1.5 kb, and the frequency of the insert was approximately 80%.

  A cDNA insert fragment derived from the salmon gland salmon gland cDNA library in pTriplEX2 was excised with the restriction enzyme SfiI and subcloned into the mammalian cell expression vector pEXP-lib (Clontech). The pEXP-lib vector is the primary early promoter / enhancer of human cytomegalovirus (CMV), followed by multiple cloning sites; encephalomyocarditis virus (ECMV) internal ribosome entry site site: IRES); a gene encoding puromycin resistance (puromycin-N-acetyl-transferase); and an expression cassette comprising a bovine growth hormone polyadenylation signal. The multiple cloning site has two distinct SfiI sites (SfiIA and SfiIB, which differ in their interpalindromic sequences), so that the cDNA insert can be directed subcloned from the pTriplEX2 vector to pEXPII. It is.

  The expression of the control protein, vCCl (NCBI Acc. No. CAC05575; SEQ ID NO: 1), was carried out by transferring cDNA encoding this protein (NCBI Acc. No. AJ277111; SEQ ID NO: 2) to pEXP-lib by the above-described method. This was done by cloning and generating pEXP-lib vCCl.

c. Library screening using supernatant of HEK293 cells
Human fetal kidney cells 293 (HEK293 cells; ATCC Cat. No. CRC-1573) were added to DMEM / F12 medium (DMEM-F12 Nut Mix), 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum, 2 mM L-glutamine, and Maintained in 100 units / ml penicillin-streptomycin solution.

  The pEXP-lib plasmid expressing the cricket mite cDNA library was divided into multiple pools and transfected into HEK293 cells using the GenePorter2 transfection kit (Gene Therapy Systems) according to the manufacturer's protocol. The pEXP-lib plasmid expressing the control protein vCCl was also transfected into HEK293 by the same procedure.

  After 3 days of culture, the medium was harvested from a culture in which transfected HEK293 cells had grown throughout the medium. The conditioned medium was centrifuged to remove cell debris and the supernatant was subjected to cross-linking or SPA assay.

Medium samples for cross-linking experiments were transferred to flat bottom 96 well plates (Costar). To 50 μl of each supernatant sample, radiolabeled CC-chemokine ( ¹²⁵ I-CCL3 / MIP-1α) was added to a final concentration of 0.23 nM, followed by incubation at room temperature for 2 hours with shaking. Subsequently, 25 μl aliquots from each well were transferred to another well containing 5 μl of 50 mM BS3 (cross-linking reagent) and incubated for another 2 hours with shaking. Thereafter, 5 μl of 10 × sample buffer (mainly 125 mM Tris, pH 6.8, 10% SDS, 5 mM EDTA, 20% glycerol, 0.2% w / w bromophenol blue, 1MDTT) was added to each well to crosslink. The reaction was stopped. Subsequently, the sample was boiled for 5 minutes and electrophoresed using a 10% bis-Tris-SDS-polyacrylamide gel (Invitrogen NuPAGE, catalog no. NP0301BOX). After electrophoresis, the gel was sealed with Saran Wrap (registered trademark) and exposed to a Biorad K-type storage phosphoimaging screen (Biorad) for 8 hours. This imaging screen was scanned with a resolution of 100 μm using a Biorad Personal FX phosphoimager.

Results About the saliva of the mite mites, such as immunoregulatory activity such as suppression of IgG and cytokine production (Matsumoto K et al., 2003), suppression of T cell proliferation (Ferreira BR and Silva JS, 1998), etc. Although characterized, CC-chemokine specific activity was not known.

  CC-chemokine-specific binding activity comparable to that detected using vCC1 (Burns JM et al., 2002), a CC-chemokine binding protein derived from the limb disease virus, also known as p35, Detected from tick saliva. This is a high-throughput screening technique that can measure molecular interactions with extremely high accuracy even when saliva is spotted on a nitrocellulose filter and exposed to different radiolabeled CC- / CXC-chemokines. The same was true when using a scintillation proximity assay (SPA).

  Subsequently, the CC-chemokine binding activity of Chrysanthemum ticks was identified at the DNA / protein sequence level in a cDNA library made from Chrysanthemum ticks salivary glands. A pool of cDNA from this library was used to transfect mammalian cells (HEK293).

A clone expressing a transfected cDNA encoding a signal peptide-containing polypeptide will secrete this protein into the medium. This supernatant was examined directly under different dilutions by the SPA assay described above or by a cross-linking assay using radiolabeled CC-chemokine ( ¹²⁵ I-CCL3 / MIP-1α). In particular, by adding a cross-linking reagent to the radiolabeled CC-chemokine / CC-chemokine binding protein, the two molecules are covalently linked and the protein complex is stabilized. The resulting complex is identified as a band shift by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by autoradiography. This cross-linking method is very sensitive and can detect a gram quantity of protein.

  By comparing the signal obtained with the supernatant from the clone expressing the protein as the positive control (vCCl), the supernatant with recombinant vCCl, and the supernatant of the untransfected cells. Carried out.

  A single transfected HEK293 clone that secretes CC-chemokine binding activity by repeated screening and deconvolution using a pool of transfected HEK293 clones showing the presence of CC-chemokine binding activity Was identified. This was named ChBP-59 (FIG. 1).

  The cDNA encoding ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 3) had an open reading frame (ORF; SEQ ID NO: 4), which encoded a protein consisting of 114 amino acids (SEQ ID NO: 5). This protein has a signal peptide sequence (residues 1-20) that can be secreted, and the mature protein obtained thereby consists of 94 amino acids (SEQ ID NO: 6) and does not have significant homology with known proteins Met.

  A further feature of ChBP-59 is that it can pair with three glycosylated sites (39th, 54th and 62nd asparagine sites according to the number attached to the full length protein) to form a disulfide bridge. A group of cysteines (residues 32, 49, 53, 66, 85, 90, 95, and 104 according to the numbers attached to the full length protein).

Example 2: Purification and confirmation of ChBP-59 expressed as a His-tagged recombinant protein in HEK293 EBNA cell culture supernatant and TN5 insect cell culture supernatant

Materials and Methods a. Subcloning of ChBP-59 cDNA into expression vectors pDEST8 and pEAK12d using the Gateway® cloning process

The first stage of the Gateway cloning process is a two-step PCR reaction (PCR1 and PCR2) that places the attB1 recombination site and Kozak sequence at the 5 'end and an in-frame 6 histidine (6His) tag at the 3' end. An ORF of ChBP-59 in which a coding sequence, a stop codon, and an attB2 recombination site are arranged (Gateway compatible cDNA; FIG. 2). The PCR1 reaction consists of 1 μl (40 ng) plasmid pEXP-Lib-ChBP-59 (in a final volume of 50 μl), 1.5 μl dNTP (10 mM), 10 μl 10XPfx polymerase buffer, 1 μl MgSO ₄ (50 mM), 0.5 μl each. Gene-specific primers (100 μM) (59-attB1 forward and 59-attB2 reverse; SEQ ID NOs: 7 and 8), and 0.5 μl Platinum Pfx DNA polymerase (Invitrogen). For the PCR1 reaction, a denaturation step is first performed at 95 ° C for 2 minutes, followed by 12 cycles of 94 ° C for 15 seconds, 55 ° C for 30 seconds, and 68 ° C for 2 minutes, followed by 12 cycles. A 4 ° C. hold cycle was performed. The amplified product was purified as it was using the Promega Wizard PCR Preps DNA Purification System (Promega) according to the manufacturer's instructions and recovered in 50 μl of sterile water.

PCR2 reactions consisted of 10 μl purified PCR1 product (in a final volume of 50 μl), 1.5 μl dNTP (10 mM), 5 μl 10XPfx polymerase buffer, 1 μl MgSO ₄ (50 mM), 0.5 μl Gateway conversion primer (100 μM) each (100 μM) GCP forward and GCP reverse; SEQ ID NOs: 9 and 10), and 0.5 μl Platinum Pfx DNA polymerase. PCR2 reaction conditions include: 95 ° C for 1 minute; 94 ° C for 15 seconds, 50 ° C for 30 seconds, and 68 ° C for 2 minutes, 4 cycles; 94 ° C for 15 seconds, 55 ° C for 30 seconds, and A cycle of 68 ° C. for 2 minutes was carried out in the order of 25 cycles; 4 ° C. holding cycle. The obtained PCR product was visualized on a 0.8% agarose gel in 1XTAE buffer (Invitrogen), and a band at a migration position predicted from the molecular weight (430 bp) was obtained from a Promega Wizard PCR product DNA purification system (Wizard PCR Preps DNA). Purification System: Promega) according to the manufacturer's instructions and purified from the gel and recovered in 50 μl of sterile water.

  The second stage of the Gateway cloning process involves subcloning the Gateway modified PCR product into the Gateway entry vector pDONR221. Combine 5 μl of the purified product of PCR2 with 1.5 μl pDONR221 vector (0.1 μg / μl), 2 μl BP buffer, and 1.5 μl BP clonase enzyme mix (Invitrogen) to a final volume of 10 μl, 1 at room temperature. Incubate for hours. The reaction was stopped by adding 1 μl of proteinase K (2 μg / μl), followed by further incubation at 37 ° C. for 10 minutes. Using an aliquot (1 μl) of this reaction, E. coli DH10B cells were transformed by electroporation according to the following procedure. An aliquot of 25 μl of DH10B electrocompetent cells (Invitrogen) was thawed on ice and 1 μl of BP reaction mix was added. This mixture was transferred to a chilled 0.1 cm electroporation cuvette and the cells electroporated using a BioRad Gene-Pulser® according to the manufacturer's recommended protocol. SOC medium (0.5 ml) pre-warmed to room temperature was added immediately after electroporation. This mixture was transferred to a 15 ml snap-cap test tube and incubated at 37 ° C. for 1 hour under shaking (220 rpm). Subsequently, aliquots (10 μl and 50 μl) of the transformation mixture were plated on LB (L-broth) plates containing kanamycin (40 μg / ml) and cultured overnight at 37 ° C.

  Plasmid miniprep DNA was prepared by Qiaprep Turbo 9600 robotic system (Qiagen) using 5 ml of each culture from 6 of the obtained colonies. The plasmid DNA (150 to 200 ng) was subjected to DNA base sequencing using the BigDyeTerminator system (Applied Biosystems cat. No. 4336919) using 21M13 and M13Rev primers, according to the manufacturer's instructions. The reaction for sequencing was purified using a Montage SEQ 96 cleanup plate (Millipore cat. No. LSKS09624), and then analyzed with an Applied Biosystems 3700 sequencer.

Correct sequence (pDONR221) Plasmid eluate (2 μl, approximately 150 ng) from one clone that had ChBP-59-HIS) was added to 1.5 μl pDEST8 vector or pEAK12d vector (0.1 μg / μl), 2 μl LR buffer, and A final volume of 10 μl was added to the recombination reaction with 1.5 μl of LR clonase (Invitrogen). This mixture was incubated at room temperature for 1 hour. Proteinase K (2 μg) was added to stop the reaction, and the mixture was further incubated at 37 ° C. for 10 minutes. Using an aliquot (1 μl) of each reaction product, E. coli DH10B cells were transformed by electroporation according to the following procedure. An aliquot of 25 μl of DH10B electrocompetent cells (Invitrogen) was thawed on ice and 1 μl of LR reaction mix was added. The mixture was transferred to a chilled 0.1 cm electroporation cuvette and the cells electroporated using a BioRad Gene-Pulser® according to the manufacturer's recommended protocol. SOC medium (0.5 ml) pre-warmed to room temperature was added immediately after electroporation. This mixture was transferred to a 15 ml snap-cap test tube and incubated at 37 ° C. for 1 hour under shaking (220 rpm). Aliquots (10 μl and 50 μl) of the transformation mixture were plated on LB (L-broth) plates with ampicillin (100 μg / ml) and cultured overnight at 37 ° C.

  Among these colonies subcloned into each vector, plasmid miniprep DNA was prepared from 5 ml of the culture seeded from 6 colonies using Qiaprep Bio Robot 8000 (Qiagen). The plasmid DNA (200 to 500 ng) in the pEAK12d vector was subjected to DNA sequencing using pEAK12F and pEAK12R primers (SEQ ID NOs: 11 and 12). Similarly, the plasmid DNA (200 to 500 ng) in the pDEST8 vector was subjected to DNA base sequencing as described above using pDEST8F and pDEST8R primers (SEQ ID NOs: 13 and 14).

CsCl gradient purified maxi-prep DNA was sequenced with a sequence confirmed clone (pEAK12d ChBP-59-HIS and pDEST8 From ChBP-59-HIS) cultures 500ml, Sambrook J. et al., A method according to 1989 (Molecular Cloning, prepared a Laboratory Manual, 2 ^nd edition, according Cold see Spring Harbor Laboratory Press). Plasmid DNA was resuspended in sterile water (or 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.5) to a concentration of 1 μg / μl and stored at −20 ° C.

  The primer sequences used in each (sub) cloning step are summarized in Table III.

b. Purification of recombinant ChBP-59-HIS expressed in HEK293 cells Six days after transfection with pEAK12d-ChBP-59-HIS, cell culture supernatants (450 ml) from HEK293-EBNA cells were collected and 0.3 M NaCl and 10 Dilute with 2 volumes of 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) containing% (vol / vol) glycerol. After filtering this sample through a 0.22 μm filter membrane, an Akta purifier system (Amersham Biosciences) was used against an SX16 / 10 column with 5 ml of Ni ²⁺ -NTA agarose (Catalogue No: 30250; Qiagen). It was supplied at 1.7 ml / min at 4 ° C. The column was washed at 1.5 ml / min to remove non-specific binding material. For washing, 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) containing 0.3 M NaCl, 10% glycerol (Catalogue No: 49781; Fluka), 5 column volumes (Column Volume: CV), then 1% Tween-20 (Catalogue No: 93773; Fluka), and the same buffer 50 CV containing no Tween-20 was used. This column was eluted at 5 ml fractions at 2.5 ml / min. Elution was performed using 10 CV of 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) containing 0.3 M NaCl, 10% glycerol, and 12.5 mM imidazole (Catalogue No: 56749; Fluka), followed by an imidazole gradient up to a maximum concentration of 250 mM at 10 CV. This was further maintained at 5 CV.

  Fractions containing ChBP-59-HIS were pooled and concentrated 10-fold using a centrifugal filter device (Amicon Ultra-15, Catalog No: UFC901096, Millipore) with a 10 kDa cutoff. The concentrated pool was subjected to size exclusion chromatography as the second step of purification. SX200 10/300 GL column (bed volume 25 ml; catalog No: 17-5175-01; Amersham Biosciences) is first equilibrated in PBS (phosphate buffered saline) and then concentrated to 450 μl. ChBP-59-HIS containing protein eluate was injected. The protein was eluted at 0.5 ml / min into each 0.5 ml fraction. Fractions containing ChBP-59-HIS protein were pooled, aliquoted and stored at -80 ° C.

c. Purification of recombinant ChBP-59-HIS expressed in insect cells Commercial strain HighFive (Catalogue No: 10486; Invitrogen) of Trichoplusa ni insect cells is cultured in Excell405 medium (Catalogue No: 24405; JRH Biosciences) did. The cells were infected with recombinant baculovirus made from the expression plasmid pDEST8-ChBP-59-HIS. The culture supernatant was collected and centrifuged at 500 g for 30 minutes to clarify. A total of 1200 ml of supernatant was collected from these cells and diluted with 7 volumes of ice-cold 50 mM NaPO ₄ buffer (pH 7.5) containing 0.3 M NaCl and 10% glycerol, followed by 0.22 μm. Filtered through a filter. The filtered and diluted sample was passed through 15 ml of Ni ²⁺ NTA agarose resin (Catalogue No: 30250; Qiagen) and fed to the SX 26/10 column at 7 ml / min at 4 ° C. The column was washed at 2.5 ml / min. For washing, 5 CV of 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) containing 0.3 M NaCl and 10% glycerol, followed by 50 CV of the same buffer containing 1% Tween 20 (Catalogue No: 93772; Fluka), and finally Tween 20 All the residues of the detergent were removed using 30 CV of the same buffer containing no detergent. To remove non-specific binding material, the column was washed at 2.5 ml / min with 10 CV of 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) containing 0.3 M NaCl, 10% glycerol, and 12.5 mM imidazole. did. Subsequently, the column was eluted at 2.5 ml / min with a linear gradient of imidazole concentration from 12.5 mM to 250 mM at 10 CV. The column was further eluted with 250 mM imidazole at 5 CV. Selected fractions were analyzed by Western blotting using SDS-PAGE and anti-histidine tag antibodies.

ChBP-59-HIS containing fractions were pooled and subjected to a second purification step using anion exchange chromatography. Pooled fractions after Ni ²⁺ affinity chromatography were diluted 10-fold with 25 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8) containing 0.03 M NaCl and applied to an SX 16/10 column packed with 15 ml Q Sepharose. It was supplied at 5 ml / min at 4 ° C. The column was then washed with 10 CV buffer and subsequently eluted at 10 CV using a NaCl containing buffer with a NaCl salt gradient from 0.03 M to 1 M. Seven ml fractions were collected and analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Fractions containing ChBP-59-HIS were pooled and the pool was split in half, one dialyzed in 100 volumes of 25 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8) and the other dialyzed in PBS. Pool protein concentration was determined by UV spectroscopy at 280 nm and pooled protein fractions were aliquoted and stored at −80 ° C.

d. Western blot and cross-linking analysis of recombinant ChBP-59-HIS The column eluate was diluted 1: 1 with 2 × sample buffer (Invitrogen) containing 100 mM DTT and boiled for 5 minutes. This sample was subjected to electrophoresis at 200 V for 35 minutes in MES buffer using a 10% bis-Tris gel together with a HIS-tagged molecular weight standard (Catalogue No: LC5606; Invitrogen). The electrophoresed protein was applied to a 0.45 μm nitrocellulose membrane (Catalogue No: LC2001; Invitrogen) in transfer buffer (39 mM glycine, 48 mM Tris base, and 20% methanol, pH 8.3) for 50 minutes at room temperature. Then, it was electrically transferred using a constant current of 290 mA. The membrane was blocked by culturing it in a 20 ml blocking solution (containing 0.1% Tween 20, 5% powdered milk in PBS) for 1 hour at room temperature on a rocking platform. The membrane is then shaken at room temperature in 15 ml of a solution containing primary anti-histidine tag antibody (diluted 1: 1000 with a solution containing 0.1% Tween 20, 2.5% milk powder in PBS). For 2 hours. The primary antibody used here was His-probe H-15 (sc-803; Santa Cruz Biotechnology) or His-probe G-18 (sc-804; Santa Cruz Biotechnology). The membrane was rinsed with wash buffer (0.1% Tween 20 in PBS) and washed with 3 changes of wash buffer (10 minutes each). Subsequently, the membrane was cultured in a HRP-conjugated secondary antibody (diluted 1: 3000 with a solution containing 0.1% Tween 20, 2.5% milk powder in PBS) at room temperature for 2 hours with shaking. This membrane was washed again as described above. Finally, the membrane was blotted dry and antibody staining was visualized using the ECL® Western blotting detection reagent kit (Catalogue No: RPN2106; Amersham Pharmacia) according to the manufacturer's instructions. .

Results By introducing an ORF encoding ChBP-59 into a plasmid, using a commercially available kit (Gateway®) in mammalian or insect cells, a histidine fusion recombinant protein (ChBP-59-HIS; FIG. 2) High level production was possible.

Clone 59 (pEXP-Lib Using a plasmid containing the ORF of ChBP-59) as a PCR template, a 6-histidine-tagged ChBP-59 cDNA (SEQ ID NO: 15) compatible with the Gateway cloning system was prepared. The ORF for ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 16) encodes a sequence consisting of 120 amino acids (SEQ ID NO: 17), matured by removing the signal sequence therefrom, and a sequence consisting of 100 amino acids (SEQ ID NO: 18). Gateway entry vector pDONR221 ChBP-59-HIS and the expression construct pDEST8 ChBP-59-HIS and pEAK12d ChBP-59-HIS was generated (Figure 3).

Recombinant ChBP-59-HIS can be purified by HEK293 EBNA cell supernatant transfected with pEAK12d-ChBP-59 (Ni ²⁺ -affinity chromatography followed by size exclusion chromatography) or pDEST8-ChBP-59. -Performed from TN5 insect cells infected with HIS (Ni ²⁺ -affinity chromatography followed by anion exchange chromatography). Coomassie blue staining of SDS-PAGE into which the purified protein has been introduced suggests that ChBP-59-HIS was expressed and purified as a mixture of different post-translational modifications. This modification may have been made by glycosylation, as seen in other tick proteins expressed in insect cells (Alarcon-Chaidez FJ et al., 2003). In fact, this protein appeared as a smear band and the average molecular weight of the recombinant protein expressed in HEK293 and TN5 cells was about 20-25 Kd (FIG. 4).

  The supernatants of both HEK293 and insect cells were subjected to different purification steps, and the existing recombinant ChBP-59-HIS was subjected to Western blot using an anti-histidine tag as a primary antibody. Determination of the N-terminal sequence of the purified mature sequence confirmed that the sequence EDDEDYGDLG forms the N-terminus of the mature protein.

  The CC-chemokine binding activity of the final preparation of ChBP-59-HIS was compared to the activity observed with saliva from positive control (viral CC-chemokine binding protein vCCl) or cricket mite. The comparison used the cross-linking assay that was first used to assess activity in tick saliva.

In SDS-PAGE, free ¹²⁵ I-labeled CC-chemokine CCL3 / MIP-1α migrates as an 8 kDa band. When a cross-linking agent is added, some of the radioactivity is retained in the protein complex with a molecular weight of 28-40 kDa in both the sample containing recombinant ChBP-59 and the sample in tick saliva. This can be largely determined based on the shifted band (FIG. 5). The molecular weight of the shifted band is slightly different between these three samples, probably due to the different types and levels of protein post-translational modifications (especially glycosylation) in each type of host cell. Seem.

  Considering that the molecular weight of mature ChBP-59-HIS polypeptide (100 amino acids) is about 11 Kd, this recombinant protein is post-translationally modified to an isoform when expressed in eukaryotic host cells. Therefore, it is considered active. These modifications account for up to 10-20 Kd (this is also suggested by the Coomassie staining in FIG. 4), probably due to another glycosylation.

  This experiment is also supported by other radiolabeled CC-chemokines (CCL5 / RANTES and CCL2 / MCP-1), where ChBP-59 (as a natural protein and as a histidine fusion recombinant protein) is a CC-chemokine binding protein. It has shown that it has activity as.

Example 3: Evaluation of inhibitory activity of recombinant ChBP-59 against CC-chemokines

Materials and Methods a. SPA assay

  The SPA assay was designed to detect molecules that interfere with chemokine / chemokine receptor interactions, as described in the literature (Alouani S, 2000) and above (Example 1).

b. CC-chemokine-induced chemotaxis Chemotaxis experiments were performed using L1.2 cells (mouse pre-B cell line) that stably express human chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5). L1.2 / CCR5 cells were treated with 10% FCS (fetal bovine serum; TerraCell, catalog no: CS-C08-1000-A), 2 mM L-glutamine (Invitrogen catalog no: 25030-024), 1 mM sodium pyruvate (Sigma, catalog no: S8636), and RPMI 1640 medium (Invitrogen, catalog no: 31870-025) supplemented with 1% penicillin-streptomycin (Invitrogen catalog no: 15140-148).

Cells were treated in 5 mM butyric acid (Sigma catalog no: B-5887) 24 hours prior to performing the chemotaxis assay. The next day, cells were harvested by centrifugation at 230 × g for 15 minutes and resuspended in RPMI 1640 medium to a cell concentration of 1 × 10 ⁶ cells / ml. Phenol red indicator (Invitrogen catalog no: 32404-014) was not added to the medium, and 10% FCS was added. CCL3 / MIP-1α was suspended in the same medium so as to be 0.01 mg / ml, and 11-fold dilutions were prepared 4 times each. Similarly, recombinant ChBP-59-HIS purified from TN5 cells was serially diluted 5-fold starting from 316 ng / ml and mixed in the same volume with medium containing 2 nM CCL3 / MIP-1α. . Three aliquots (32 ml) of serially diluted chemokine solution or chemokine-ChBP-59-HIS solution (in triplicate) are added to the lower compartment of the chemotaxis chamber and a filter unit (Neuroprobe ChemoTx System, catalog no: 101-8) was carefully placed on top of the lower compartment. L1.2 / CCR5 cell suspension (20 μl) was added to the upper compartment of the chemotaxis chamber and cultured at 37 ° C. for 2 hours in a humidified incubator with 5% CO 2.

  Thereafter, the chemotaxis chamber lid was removed and discarded. A 96-well funnel plate (Neuroprobe ChemoTx System catalog No: FP1) was placed upside down on the top of the lower compartment of the chemotaxis chamber. Subsequently, a black matrix plate (Vitaris catalog no: 3915) was placed on the top of the funnel plate upside down and the chemotaxis chamber / funnel plate / black matrix plate assembly was repeated. Subsequently, the medium in the lower compartment of the chemotaxis chamber was transferred into a black matrix plate by centrifugation at 700 × g for 2 minutes. The black matrix plate containing the migrated cells was sealed and frozen at −80 ° C. for 2 hours. The number of cells that migrated to the lower compartment of the chemotaxis chamber was determined indirectly using the CyQUANT cell proliferation assay kit (Molecular Probes catalog no: C7026). The black plate was thawed and the resulting cells were well resuspended in 200 ml cell lysis buffer containing the dye provided with the kit according to the manufacturer's instructions. The fluorescence was measured using a Wallac Victor plate reader at 480 nm / 520 nm excitation / emission wavelength.

Results The CC-chemokine binding properties of ChBP-59-HIS were examined by SPA (Scintillation Proximity Assay) and CC-chemokine-induced cell migration assay.

SPA has shown that this interaction can be suppressed by serial dilution of recombinant ChBP-59-HIS that challenges specific chemokine / chemokine receptor pairs. In fact, the SPA signal resulting from the interaction between beads and radiolabeled chemokine obtained by the chemokine receptor was significantly reduced when the molar concentration of ChBP-59-HIS was low (FIG. 6). As determined by this approach, ChBP-59-HIS affinity is higher for CCL3 / MIP-1α (EC ₅₀ for suppression was 12 pM) CCL2 / MCP-1 and CCL5 / RANTES. (For any of these CC-chemokines, the EC ₅₀ for inhibition was in the micromolar range.). This indicates that ChBP-59 may bind preferentially to some CC-chemokines.

Finally, ChBP-59-HIS may efficiently suppress CC-chemokine-induced chemotaxis, especially CCL3 / MIP-1α induction and CCL5 / RANTES-induced chemotaxis of L1.2-CCR5 . Moreover, the number of migratory cells after CC-chemokine exposure decreased in proportion to the ChBP-59-HIS concentration added in this assay, and as a result, the interaction between the cells and CC-chemokine was suppressed. This effect is particularly important since ChBP-59-HIS is achieved at low molar concentrations (less than 10 ⁻¹⁰ M; FIG. 7).

Example 4: Evaluation of ChBP-59 activity in vivo

Materials and Methods a) Animals

  In all these experiments, male Balb / c or C57B6 mice (18-22 g) were used. Animals were kept in a temperature-controlled room and water and food were freely available.

b) Peritoneal cell mobilization Male MLB-1α (0.5 mg) diluted in 200 μl phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) or 200 μl PBS in 8-12 week old male Balb / c or C57B6 mice. / Kg) was injected intraperitoneally. For suppression studies, a dose containing ChBP-59 in the range of 0.15 to 5 mg / kg in 200 μl PBS was administered subcutaneously 45 minutes prior to human MIP-1α administration (0.5 mg / mL in the peritoneal cavity). kg). At 18 hours after injection, the mice were sacrificed, the peritoneal cavity was washed twice with 3 mL of ice-cold PBS, and the whole washing solution was pooled for each individual mouse. Total cell counts were performed using a Turku stain in a modified Neubauer chamber. Differential cell counts are stained with May Grunwald-Giemsa by cytospin preparation (Shandon III) and using standard morphological criteria for cell type identification. I did it. The results are shown as the number of cells per peritoneal cavity (FIGS. 8 and 9).

c) Microscopic observation in vivo For each experiment, a solution containing 0.15 mg / Kg human MIP-1α in 0.1 mL PBS was subcutaneously used for 1 hour before exteriorization using a 30G needle. It was administered topically under the skin of the right scrotum by injection. For inhibition studies, a solution containing ChBP-59 (0.5 mg / kg) and MIP-1α (0.15 mg / Kg) in 100 μl PBS was prepared 15 minutes prior to administration by intrascrotal injection. Thereafter, the left levator ani muscle was prepared for in-vivo microscopy. In summary, the scrotal skin was incised to expose the left levator ani muscle and the surrounding fascia was carefully removed. Using the cautery machine, the ventral surface of the testicular levator was cut in the long axis direction. The testis and epididymis were separated from the underlying muscle and moved into the abdominal cavity. Subsequently, the muscles were spread on a pedestal with an open field of view and fixed with 4-0 sutures along the edges. The exposed tissue was surface perfused with warmed bicarbonate buffered saline (pH 7.4). The microcirculation of the levator ani muscle was observed using an in-vivo microscope (Olympus BX50F4; Japan) equipped with a 20 × objective lens and a 10 × eyepiece. Images were displayed on a monitor using a video camera (5100 HS; Panasonic, Osaka, Japan) and recorded on a conventional video cassette recorder for later playback and analysis.

  An unbranched single levator venule (25-40 μm in diameter) was selected and the same cross section of the levator venule was observed throughout the experiment to minimize variation. Rolling, adhesion, and migrating leukocyte counts were determined by offline video playback analysis. Rolling white blood cells were defined as white blood cells that are moving within a given blood vessel at a speed less than that of red blood cells. The flux of rolling cells was measured as the number of rolling cells per minute passing through a predetermined point in the vein. If leukocytes remained stationary for at least 30 seconds, they were judged to be sticky and total leukocyte adhesion was evaluated as the number of adherent cells per 100 μm length of vein. Leukocyte migration was defined as the number of cells in the extravascular space present in the region within 50 μm from the vein. Only cells that were sticky at the time of observation and were clearly extracellular were counted as migration. At the end of each experiment, the heart was punctured and whole blood was drawn. Total cell counts were performed using a Turku stain in a modified Neubauer chamber. The results are shown in FIG.

d) Induction of sensitization and lung Th2 cell mobilization 2500 days of isolated S. mansoni eggs were administered intraperitoneally in mice on days 0 and 7 of the protocol. And immunized. On the 14th day, a solution containing 10 μg of antigen in 10 μL of PBS was administered into the nasal cavity of the mouse to expose the antigen, and the reaction was localized in the respiratory tract. Subsequently, 6 days later, in order to expose the mouse to the antigen again, a solution containing 10 μg of antigen in 25 μL of PBS or PBS alone (vehicle) was intratracheally administered. For inhibition studies, ChBP-59 (0.5 mg / kg) was administered subcutaneously 45 minutes before and 24 hours after antigen exposure. Mice were sacrificed 48 hours after injection and the lungs were filled in situ with 0.3 mL of sterile PBS through a tracheal cannula. After gently massaging to remove cells, fluid was drawn from the lungs and collected in plastic test tubes on ice. This procedure was repeated three times, and cell suspensions collected from each animal were pooled for each mouse. Total cell counts were performed using a Turku stain in a modified Neubauer chamber. Differential cell counts are stained with May Grunwald-Giemsa by cytospin preparation (Shandon III) and cell types are identified using standard morphological criteria. It was. The results are shown as the number of cells per lung (see FIG. 11).

e) OVA-induced airway inflammation Mice were sensitized by subcutaneous administration of a total volume of 200 μl of 10 μg of OVA precipitated with 2 mg of aluminum hydroxide (2%) to induce an airway response to OVA. Fourteen days after sensitization, mice were sprayed with PBS or OVA 1% in PBS for 20 minutes. For the inhibition test, CbBP-59 (0.5 mg / kg) was administered subcutaneously 45 minutes before antigen exposure and every 12 hours after antigen exposure. Forty-eight hours after injection, the mice were sacrificed and the lungs were filled in situ with 0.3 mL of sterile PBS through a tracheal cannula. After gently massaging to remove cells, fluid was drawn from the lungs and collected in plastic test tubes on ice. This procedure was repeated three times, and cell suspensions collected from each animal were pooled for each mouse. Total cell counts were performed using a Turku stain in a modified Neubauer chamber. Differential cell counts are stained with May Grunwald-Giemsa by cytospin preparation (Shandon III) and cell types are identified using standard morphological criteria. It was. The results are shown as the number of cells per lung (see FIG. 12).

f) Bleomycin-induced lung injury Under anesthesia (3.2 mg ketamine and 0.16 mg xylazine per mouse), a solution containing 0.125 U bleomycin (Bonar, Laboratorio Sintetica, Brasil) in 30 μl PBS It was introduced into the trachea of mice through a 25G needle inserted between the cartilage rings. Control animals received saline only. The tracheal opening site was sutured and the animal was allowed to recover. For inhibition studies, ChBP-59 (0.5 mg / kg) was administered subcutaneously 45 minutes before bleomycin injection and every 12 hours after injection. Mice were sacrificed on day 2 or 8 after injection and the lungs were filled in situ with 0.3 mL of sterile PBS through a tracheal cannula. After gently massaging to remove cells, fluid was drawn from the lungs and collected in plastic test tubes on ice. This procedure was repeated three times, and cell suspensions collected from each animal were pooled for each mouse. Total cell counts were performed using a Turku stain in a modified Neubauer chamber. Differential cell counts are stained with May Grunwald-Giemsa by cytospin preparation (Shandon III) and cell types are identified using standard morphological criteria. It was. The results are shown as the number of cells per lung (see FIG. 13).

g) Statistical analysis All results are expressed as mean ± SEM. Normalized data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, and differences between groups were assessed by Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc test. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results The ability of ChBP-59 to suppress cell mobilization induced by peritoneal administration of MIP-1α was examined. In the case of a single dose of 1.5 mg / kg, the most marked suppression was observed for granulocytes, which is that in human systems, MIP-1α mainly mobilizes monocytes. Is different. In the second experiment, the dose was expanded to a range of 0.15-5 mg / kg and administered to two mouse strains, Balb / C and C57B6. The number of eosinophils recruited in Balb / c mice was insufficient to quantify their inhibition, but in any cell line, excellent neutrophil inhibition at all doses Was observed. In subsequent experiments, 0.5 mg / kg was selected. In vivo microscopic observation confirmed that ChBP-59 suppresses all three steps involved in the mobilization process, rolling, adhesion, and migration.

  Whether ChBP-59 has the ability to suppress the recruitment of these cells to the lung by its strong eosinophil recruitment action is verified in the Th2 sensitization model and also in ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation. Examined. In either case, a strong inhibitory effect on eosinophil recruitment was observed, and there was little effect on mononuclear cells. Bleomycin-induced pulmonary inflammation is mediated by granular neutrophils, and this was also verified in this model. A significant neutrophil inhibitory effect was observed at both 2 and 8 days after sensitization. It was.

  These results are interpreted as a tendency to suppress mononuclear mobilization in humans.

  Therefore, in conclusion, ChBP-59 is a novel protein that has CC-chemokine binding properties and thereby suppresses the action of chemokines. This protein can be used effectively as an anti-inflammatory compound in human medicine, and can also be used for medical and veterinary signs related to mite infestation, such as tick-borne infectious agents. When molecules that are based on the protein of the present invention and interfere with the function of these proteins are used, the life cycle of mites is disrupted, ectoparasites and their pathogens are suppressed, or the ability of mites to carry pathogenic organisms is increased. Can be reduced.

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Alignment of ChBP-59 protein sequence encoded by the cDNA sequence of ChBP-59 and the associated open reading frame (ORF). The signal sequence (residues 1-20, predicted by algorithm SIGNALJ) is underlined. The predicted polyadenylation site is indicated by a box. The cysteine residues present in the mature protein are highlighted. The predicted N-linked glycosylation site is shown in bold. Sequence alignment of Gateway compatible ChBP-59 cDNA with adjacent attB sites, obtained by two successive rounds by PCR. Arrows indicate the position and meaning of the relevant PCR primers (see Table III for an overview). Start and stop codons are shown in bold. The amino acids forming the signal sequence are underlined. (A) pDONR221 for Gateway cloning system Map of ChBP-59-HIS entry vector. (B) pDEST8 for expression in insect (TN5) cells Map of ChBP-59-HIS expression vector. (C) pEAK12d for expression in mammalian (HEK293 / EBNA) cells Map of ChBP-59-HIS expression vector. 10 stained with Coomassie blue solution showing the molecular weight of ChBP-59-HIS purified from HEK293 and baculovirus infected TN5 (symbol BV in FIG. 4) cells using Ni ²⁺ affinity and anion exchange chromatography 10 % SDS-polyacrylamide gel (SDS-PAGE). Molecular weight standards are shown on the left (M _R ). ¹²⁵ I-labeled CC-chemokine CCL3 / MIP-1α and recombinant ChBP-59-HIS protein expressed in HEK293 (HEK) or TN5 insect cells (TN5), viral CC-chemokine binding protein (vCCl, positive control), Autoradiography of SDS-PAGE representing a complex formed by cross-linking natural mite saliva (RSs) from chestnut mite, or bovine serum albumin (BSA, negative control). Unlabeled protein was added to radiolabeled CC-chemokine ( ¹²⁵ I-CCL3 / MIP-1α) in the presence (+) or absence (−) of a crosslinker (BS ³ ). The molecular weight standard (unit Kd) is shown on the left (M). CC-chemokine binding activity of recombinant ChBP-59-HIS purified from baculovirus-infected insect cells. The inhibitory effect of ChBP-59-HIS is that serially diluted recombinant protein is converted from a certain amount of SPA bead-immobilized chemokine receptor (CCR5) and radiolabeled CCL5 / RANTES (A), CCL3 / MIP-1α. It was measured by adding to (B) or CCL2 / MCP-1 (C). Inhibitory effect by ChBP-59-HIS in assays measuring CCL3 / MIP-1α-induced and CCL5 / RANTES-induced chemotaxis in mouse L1.2 cells expressing the CC-chemokine receptor CCR5. A constant concentration (1.0 nM) of CC-chemokine was added to various samples with progressively increasing ChBP-59-HIS molarity (log display). The fluorescence unit is proportional to the number of migrating cells. The inhibitory effect of ChBP-59-6His on CCL3 / MIP-1α-induced peritoneal mobilization. ChBP-59-6His was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 1.5 mg / kg 45 minutes prior to intraperitoneal administration of 0.15 mg / kg CCL3 / MIP-1α. After 18 hours, the mice were sacrificed and the number of cells recruited into the peritoneal cavity was counted. Dose response of the inhibitory effect of ChBP-6His on CCL3 / MIP-1α-induced peritoneal mobilization in two mouse strains. ChBP-59-6His was administered subcutaneously at various doses 45 minutes prior to intraperitoneal administration of CCL3 / MIP-1α at 0.5 mg / kg. After 18 hours, the number of granulocytes mobilized in the peritoneal cavity was counted. A) Balb / c, B) C57B6 mouse strain. Visualization of cell mobilization process by in vivo microscopy. MIP-1α (0.15 mg / kg) or a combination of ChBP-59 (0.5 mg / kg) and MIP-1a (0.15 mg / kg) was administered intrascrotally. One hour later, the levator ani muscle was removed and the circulation was observed with an in vivo microscope, recorded and subjected to offline analysis. A) Rolling. B) Adhesion. C) Travel. The inhibitory effect of ChBP-59-6His on the recruitment of Th2 cells to the lung. On days 1 and 7, mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal administration of 2,500 Schistosoma mansoni eggs. Seven days later, schistosome eggs (SEA) were administered intranasally to these mice and exposed to the antigen. Six days later, ChBP-6His was subcutaneously administered at 0.5 mg / kg, and 45 minutes later, SEA was again administered intratracheally to expose the antigen. 24 hours later, a second administration of ChBP-6His was performed at 0.5 mg / kg. After 48 hours, the BAL liquid was removed and the number of cells was counted. A) Total cells. B) Eosinophils. C) Mononuclear cells. Inhibitory effect of ChBP-59-6His on ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation. Mice were immunized with ovalbumin-containing Al (OH) ₃ (alum). After 14 days, the antigen was exposed for 20 minutes by aerosol spraying with 1% ovalbumin. ChBP-59-6His was administered subcutaneously at 0.5 mg / kg 45 minutes before aerosol spraying and every 12 hours after spraying. BAL was taken 2 days after aerosol spraying and subjected to cell counting. A) Total cells. B) Eosinophils. C) Mononuclear cells. Inhibitory effect of ChBP-59-6His on bleomycin-induced lung inflammation. On day 0, mice were sensitized by intratracheal administration of 0.125 units of bleomycin. Prior to sensitization, 45 minutes before bleomycin administration, these mice were injected subcutaneously with ChBP-59-6His at 0.5 mg / kg, and then the same dose was administered every 12 hours for 12 consecutive days. did. Mice analyzed on day 2 after sensitization were treated with 3 doses of ChBP-59-6His. BAL was taken on days 2 and 8 and subjected to cell counting. A) Total cells. B) Eosinophils. C) Mononuclear cells.

Claims (43)

a) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 5);
b) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 6);
c) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 17);
d) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 18);
e) a nucleic acid molecule that is capable of hybridizing under moderately stringent conditions with a nucleic acid sequence encoding the protein of a), b), c), or d), and that binds to a CC-chemokine A protein encoded by the encoding nucleic acid molecule;
f) a protein that is at least about 70% identical in amino acid sequence to the protein of a), b), c), or d) and that binds to a CC-chemokine;
g) a protein fragment comprising the fragment of a), b), c), d), e), or f), the fragment binding to CC-chemokine; and h) a), b), A protein comprising a fragment of the protein of c), d), e), or f) having immunomodulating activity or a protein having immunomodulating activity:
A polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: a) a protein having the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 5);
b) a protein having the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 6);
c) a protein having the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 17);
d) a protein having the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 18);
e) a fragment of the protein of a), b), c), or d), comprising a fragment that binds CC-chemokine; and f) a), b), c), or d) A protein fragment comprising a fragment having immunomodulatory activity:
The polypeptide of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of:   The active variant of the protein according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or two or more amino acid residues are added, deleted or substituted, and binds to CC-chemokine. a) having a cysteine residue at a position corresponding to residues 32, 49, 53, 66, 85, 90, 95, and 104 of ChBP-59 in SEQ ID NO: 5;
b) The active variant of the protein according to claim 3, which has a glycosylation site at a position corresponding to asparagine 39, 54 and 62 of ChBP-59 in SEQ ID NO: 5.   The active mutant of the protein according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the immunogenicity of the polypeptide upon administration to a mammal is reduced by addition, deletion or substitution of amino acids.   One or more amino acid sequences selected from the extracellular domain of membrane-bound protein, immunoglobulin constant region, multimerization domain, heterodimeric protein hormone, signal peptide, export signal, and tag sequence A fusion protein comprising a protein according to any of claims 1 to 5, operably linked to it.   The protein according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the polypeptide is modified after translation.   The protein according to claim 7, wherein the protein is glycosylated.   The protein according to claim 1, wherein the protein is in the form of an active fraction, a precursor, a salt, a derivative, a conjugate, a complex, or PEGylated. The protein according to crab.   A nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 8. a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 5);
b) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 6);
c) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 17);
d) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 18);
e) a nucleic acid molecule capable of hybridizing under stringent conditions with a nucleic acid molecule of a), b), c) or d), which encodes a protein that binds CC-chemokine;
f) a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a protein that is at least about 70% identical in amino acid sequence to the protein of a), b), c), or d) and that binds a CC-chemokine;
g) Encodes a protein fragment comprising a fragment that binds to a CC-chemokine, encoded by the nucleic acid molecule of a), b), c), d), e), or f) And a) degenerate variant of the nucleic acid molecule of h) a), b), c), d), e), f), or g):
11. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 10 selected from the group consisting of: a) a protein having the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 5);
b) a protein having the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59 (SEQ ID NO: 6);
c) a protein having the amino acid sequence of ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 17);
d) a protein having the amino acid sequence of mature ChBP-59-HIS (SEQ ID NO: 18);
e) a protein fragment comprising the fragment of a), b), c), or d) that binds CC-chemokine;
f) a protein comprising a fragment of the protein of a), b), c) or d) having immunomodulatory activity;
g) an active variant of the protein of a), b), c), or d), wherein one or more amino acid residues are added, deleted or substituted, and CC-chemokine Mutants that bind; and h) operate on one or more amino acid sequences selected from the extracellular domain of a membrane-bound protein, immunoglobulin constant region, multimerization domain, signal peptide, translocation signal, and tag sequence A fusion protein comprising a protein of a), b), c), d), e), f), or g) linked in a formula:
The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 11, which encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of:   The nucleic acid molecule according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the CC-chemokine is CCL5 / RANTES, CCL3 / MIP-1α, and / or CCL2 / MCP-1.   14. Nucleic acid molecule according to any of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the molecule is a DNA molecule, in particular a cDNA molecule.   11. The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 10, wherein the molecule comprises or is the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 or 15.   11. The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 10, wherein the molecule comprises or is the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 or 16.   13. An oligonucleotide comprising a nucleic acid fragment according to claim 11 or 12, comprising an oligonucleotide at least about 20 nucleotides in length, an oligonucleotide at least about 30 nucleotides in length, and an oligonucleotide at least about 50 nucleotides in length. An oligonucleotide selected from the group.   A cloning or expression vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule according to any one of claims 10 to 16.   19. An expression vector according to claim 18, further comprising a promoter operably associated with the nucleic acid molecule, in particular a tissue-specific, constitutive or inducible promoter.   A host cell transformed or transfected with the expression vector according to claim 18 or 19.   A cell genetically engineered to produce the protein according to any one of claims 1 to 8.   A method for preparing a polypeptide comprising culturing a host cell according to claim 20 or 21 under conditions that permit or promote expression.   24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of purifying the protein.   24. The method of claim 22 or 23, further comprising formulating the protein for human administration.   The nucleic acid molecule according to any one of claims 10 to 16, which is a non-human transgenic animal expressing a CC-chemokine binding protein, wherein the cells of the animal are isolated or recombinant. An animal comprising the expression vector according to claim 18 or 19.   An antibody that selectively binds to the polypeptide of any one of claims 1-9.   27. The antibody of claim 26, which is a monoclonal antibody. 28. The antibody of claim 26 or 27, which is a chimeric, humanized or human antibody or an antibody fragment such as a Fab, F (ab) ² , scFv or domain antibody.   A polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or a nucleic acid according to any one of claims 10 to 19, or a cell according to claim 20 or 21, and a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent. Or a pharmaceutical composition comprising a carrier.   The polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or the composition according to claim 29, which is used as a medicine.   30. A polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or a composition according to claim 29 for use in the modulation of an immune or inflammatory response in a mammal.   30. A polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or a composition according to claim 29 for use in the treatment or prevention of CC-chemokine related disorders in animals.   Use of a polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9 for use as an active ingredient in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing an immune or inflammatory disorder in a mammal.   34. Use according to claim 33, characterized in that the immune or inflammatory disorder is due to CCL5 / RANTES, CCL3 / MIP-1α or CCL2 / MCP-1.   35. The immune or inflammatory disorder is an autoimmune disease, infection, allergic disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, gastrointestinal disease, neurological disease, sepsis, transplant rejection related disease, or fibrotic disease. Use of.   Use of a polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9 in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for vaccination of mammals against parasites, viruses or bacteria.   Use of a protein encoded by the nucleic acid molecule according to any one of claims 10 to 16 as a medicament.   Use of the nucleic acid molecule of claim 10 in the preparation of a composition for the modulation of an immune or inflammatory response in a mammal.   A method for immunizing an animal against a blood-sucking ectoparasite, comprising the step of administering the polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9 to the animal. .   A method of modulating an immune or inflammatory response in a desired animal, comprising the step of administering to the animal a therapeutically effective amount of the polypeptide according to any one of claims 1-9.   A method for treating or preventing a CC-chemokine-related disease, the method comprising administering an effective amount of the polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9 to a required subject. CC-chemokine or analog, CC-chemokine binding protein or receptor, kit for detecting an interaction between CC-chemokine and CC-chemokine binding protein, or an antagonist or agonist of the interaction, detection reagent And at least a) the nucleic acid molecule of claim 10;
b) the oligonucleotide of claim 17;
c) a polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and d) an antibody according to claim 26, 27 or 28:
A kit comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of: CC-chemokine or analog, CC-chemokine binding protein or receptor, CC-chemokine interaction with CC-chemokine binding protein, or antagonist or agonist of the interaction in vitro or in vivo There,
a) the nucleic acid molecule of claim 10;
b) the oligonucleotide of claim 17;
c) a polypeptide according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and d) an antibody according to claim 26, 27 or 28:
Contacting the sample with a compound selected from the group consisting of:

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