Cyclotides as immunosuppressive agents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a cyclotide for use in immune suppression as well as to a method for immune suppression comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a cyclotide to a subject in need thereof. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a cyclotide for use in treating or preventing a disorder selected from the group consisting of (i) an autoimmune disorder; (ii) a hypersensitivity disorder; and (iii) a lymphocyte-mediated inflammation. Likewise, the present invention also relates to a method for treating or preventing a disorder selected from the group consisting of (i) an autoimmune disorder; (ii) a hypersensitivity disorder; and (iii) a lymphocyte-mediated inflammation. The present invention further relates to a method of screening for and/or selecting an immunosuppressive cyclotide or a mutation which results in a mutated cyclotide having an induced or enhanced immunosuppressive activity. The present invention further relates to a method of producing an immunosuppressive cyclotide or an immunosuppressive pharmaceutical composition. The present invention further relates to a mutated cyclotide having immunosuppressive activity and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.