Genetic analysis of peyer's patches and M cells and methods and compositions targeting peyer's patches and M cell receptors

A method of decreasing the levels of a protein in a Peyer's patch cell, said method comprising delivering to said cell an anti-sense nucleic acid molecule, a ribozyme nucleic acid molecule, an RNA interference nucleic acid molecule (RNAi), said anti-sense molecule, ribozyme or RNAi nucleic acid being complementary to a sequence of at least 10 nucleotides of the mRNA for said protein, wherein absent said anti-sense molecule, ribozyme or RNAi nucleic acid, the levels of said protein or its mRNA is less than in a non-Peyer's patch cell.

A method of decreasing the levels of a protein in a Peyer's patch cell, said method comprising delivering to said cell an anti-sense nucleic acid molecule, a ribozyme nucleic acid molecule, an RNA interference nucleic acid molecule said anti-sense, ribozyme or RNAi nucleic acid forming a double-stranded molecule with part or all of the mRNA for said protein, wherein absent said anti-sense, ribozyme or RNAi nucleic acid molecule, the levels of said protein or its mRNA is less than in a non-Peyer's patch cell.

A method for enhancing transport of a drug through the gastrointestinal tract, said method comprising orally administering said drug in a composition that comprises a transport-enhancing protein, said transport-enhancing protein selected from the group consisting of human serum albumin (HSA), clusterin, T-cell surface glycoprotein CD5 precursor, HSP84, and Ca2+pla2, or a homolog that has at least 80% amino acid identity with said transport-enhancing protein over a length of said transport-enhancing protein identical to the homolog.

A method to facilitate intracellular trafficking of an antigen that has been orally delivered by itself or as part of a composition or particle, said method comprising administering a protein selected from the group consisting of calreticulin, rab family proteins and ribosomal proteins.

A chimeric protein comprising the amino acid sequence for calreticulin, rab family proteins and ribosomal proteins and the amino acid sequence for a second polypeptide.

A method of delivering a vaccine to a target cell, said method comprising utilizing as the target cell a Peyer's patch cell in which a normally upregulated protein or mRNA is further upregulated.

A method of decreasing the levels of a protein in a Peyer's patch cell, said method comprising delivering to said cell a DNA molecule coding for an anti-sense nucleic acid molecule, a ribozyme nucleic acid molecule, an RNA interference nucleic acid molecule (RNAi), said anti-sense molecule, ribozyme or RNAi nucleic acid being complementary to a sequence of at least 10 nucleotides of the mRNA for said protein, wherein absent said anti-sense molecule, ribozyme or RNAi nucleic acid, the levels of said protein or its mRNA is less than in a non-Peyer's patch cell.

A method of increasing the extent to which the function of a protein is carried out in a Peyer's patch cell, said method comprising delivering to said cell a nucleic acid coding for said protein, wherein absent said delivery, the level of said protein or its mRNA is greater in said cell than in a non-Peyer's patch cell.

A chimeric protein that comprises two or more segments, each of said segments enhancing a different step in the peptide transport process, said steps selected from the group consisting of binding to a cell, transporting the peptide into the cell, transporting the peptide through the cell, and transporting the peptide out of the cell.

A method of targeting a composition or delivery vehicle to a Peyer's patch cell said method comprising utilizing a composition or vehicle that contains a protein ligand that will specifically bind to a protein that is up-regulated in Peyer's patch cells.

A method of selecting for a ligand that will selectively bind to a target in a Peyer's patch cell, said method comprising contacting a phage library with a protein that is upregulated in Peyer's patch cells.

A method of promoting enterocyte-M cell conversion, said method comprising orally administering an antigen, antigenic composition, or antigen-carrying particle to a person and either simultaneously with, or prior to, said administration, also orally administering a bacteria, or pro-biotic yogurts, or bacterial component to said person.