Dendritic cell inhibitory proteins from ticks
AssigneeNatural Environment Research Council
InventorsJonathan M. Austyn, Guido Paesen, Stephen Preston, Patricia Nuttal
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Abstract
The present invention provides a dendritic cell modulatory protein which modulates, and preferably inhibits, the differentiation and/or maturation of mammalian dendritic cells. The invention also provides proteins comprising conserved motifs found in such proteins as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the dendritic cell modulatory protein and homologues and active fragments thereof, antibodies thereto and methods of treatment which utilise such proteins, homologues, fragments and antibodies.
Claims52
A dendritic cell (DC) modulatory protein, wherein said protein modulates mammalian DC differentiation and maturation and comprises:
- i) the amino acid sequence of any one of a) SEQ ID NOs:
- 2, 25 or 28 (RaA);
- b) SEQ ID NOs:
- 4, 26 or 29 (RaB);
- or c) SEQ ID NOs:
- 6, 24 or 27 (Rs1);
- ii) a homologue of a protein as defined in i) having at least 40% identity thereto;
- or
- iii) an active fragment of a protein as defined in i) above or of a homologue as defined in ii) above.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein is glycosylated at one or more positions.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein is a lipocalin.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein comprises the motif CXXW (SEQ ID NO:33), and wherein X is any amino acid.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein is complexed to a lipid.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein modulates human DC differentiation and maturation.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein inhibits DC differentiation and maturation.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, which is isolated from a haematophagous arthropod.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein inhibits T lymphocyte activation.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein modulates T lymphocyte polarisation.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protein is an immunosuppressant.
The DC modulatory protein of any one of the preceding claims which binds to a receptor present on the outer membrane of a DC.
A nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a DC modulatory protein according to any one of the preceding claims.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.