Novel antibodies and ligands for "Bonzo" chemokine receptor

A method of detecting and/or identifying an antagonist of mammalian Bonzo comprising combining:

• a) a cell expressing mammalian Bonzo or a ligand-binding variant thereof;
• b) a ligand or promoter of said Bonzo;
• and
• c) an agent to be tested, under conditions suitable for detecting a ligand- or promoter-induced response;
• and
• determining the ability of the test compound to inhibit said response, wherein inhibition of a ligand- or promoter-induced response by the agent indicates that the agent is an antagonist, and wherein said ligand or promoter is not platelet factor-4.

A method of detecting a mammalian Bonzo or portion thereof in a biological sample, comprising:

• a) contacting a biological sample with a Bonzo binding agent, under conditions appropriate for binding of said agent to mammalian Bonzo or a portion thereof;
• and
• b) detecting binding of said agent thereto;
• wherein the binding of said agent indicates the presence of said Bonzo or portion thereof, and wherein said Bonzo binding agent is not platelet factor-4.

A method of isolating a population of mammalian cells enriched in cytotoxic effector cells, comprising:

• a) contacting a suspension of mammalian cells comprising said cytotoxic effector cells with an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof which binds to mammalian Bonzo or a ligand-binding variant thereof under conditions suitable for binding thereto;
• b) separating bound cells from unbound cells;
• and
• c) recovering the bound cells.

A method of detecting and/or identifying an agent which binds mammalian SExCkine or a functional variant thereof comprising combining:

• a) a reference agent that binds mammalian SExCkine;
• b) a test agent;
• and
• c) a composition comprising mammalian SExCkine or functional variant thereof under conditions suitable for binding of said reference agent to said SExCkine or functional variant thereof;
• and detecting or measuring the formation of a complex between said reference agent and said SExCkine or functional variant thereof, wherein a decrease in the formation of said complex relative to a suitable control indicates that said test agent binds to said SExCkine or functional variant thereof.

A method of detecting a mammalian SExCkine or portion thereof in a biological sample, comprising:

• a) contacting a biological sample with a SExCkine-binding agent, under conditions appropriate for binding of said agent to mammalian SExCkine or a portion thereof;
• and
• b) detecting binding of said agent thereto;
• wherein the binding of said agent indicates the presence of said SExCkine or portion thereof.

A method of isolating a population of mammalian cells enriched in CD19+ B lymphocytes and/or CD14+ monocytes/macrophages, comprising:

• a) contacting a suspension of mammalian cells comprising said CD19+ B lymphocytes and/or CD14+ monocytes/macrophages, with an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof which binds to mammalian SExCkine under conditions suitable for binding thereto;
• b) separating bound cells from unbound cells;
• and
• c) recovering the bound cells.

A method of isolating a population of mammalian cells enriched in dendritic cells, comprising:

• a) contacting a suspension of cells comprising said dendritic cells, with an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof which binds to mammalian SExCkine under conditions suitable for binding thereto;
• b) separating bound cells from unbound cells;
• and
• c) recovering the bound cells.

A method of detecting or identifying an agent which inhibits SExCkine binding to receptor comprising combining:

• a) a composition that comprises a receptor that binds SExCkine;
• b) a test agent;
• and
• c) a composition comprising mammalian SExCkine or receptor-binding variant thereof under conditions suitable for binding of said SExCkine or receptor-binding variant thereof, to said receptor;
• and
• detecting or measuring the formation of a complex between said receptor and said SExCkine or receptor-binding variant thereof, wherein a decrease in the formation of said complex relative to a suitable control indicates that said test agent is an inhibitor.

A method of identifying an antagonist of mammalian SExCkine function comprising combining:

• a) a cell that expresses cell surface SExCkine;
• b) a test agent;
• and
• c) a ligand or promoter of SExCkine function under conditions suitable for detecting a promoter-induced response;
• and
• determining the ability of the test-compound to inhibit said response, wherein inhibition of said ligand or promoter-induced response by the agent indicates that the agent is an antagonist.