Mcp-1 splice variants and methods of using same

An isolated polynucleotide coding for a fusion protein comprising a splice variant of MCP-1, wherein said splice variant lacks the predicted C terminal alpha helix of the known human MCP-1 (SEQ ID NO:8), further comprising a polynucleotide having a sequence coding for an immunoglobulin moiety that comprises a constant region of an immunoglobulin.

An isolated chimeric polypeptide having a first amino acid sequence being at least about 95% homologous to amino acids 1-64 of S71513_P1 (SEQ ID NO:9), an amino acid M, and a second amino acid sequence selected from an immunoglobulin moiety that comprises a constant region of an immunoglobulin and an isolated Fc moiety, wherein said first amino acid sequence, said amino acid M and said second amino acid sequence are contiguous and in a sequential order.

An isolated chimeric polypeptide having a first amino acid sequence being at least about 95% homologous to amino acids 1-41 of mature MCP-1 variant (SEQ ID NO:35), an amino acid M, and a second amino acid selected from an immunoglobulin moiety that comprises a constant region of an immunoglobulin and an isolated Fc moiety, wherein said first amino acid sequence, said amino acid M and said second amino acid sequence are contiguous and in a sequential order, wherein optionally said first amino acid sequence comprises at least one of the following mutations:

• Y28L and R30V.

An isolated polypeptide having an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:9 with a point mutation selected from Y51L and R53V or both.