Method for treating atherosclerosis by administering human MCP1 fusions

#The present invention relates to fusion proteins that are useful for, inter alia, treatment or prevention of inflammatory conditions; along with method for treating such conditions using the fusion proteins.

#Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP1, also known as HC11, MCAF, CCL2, SCYA2, GDCF-2, SMC-CF, HSMCR30, MGC9434, GDCF-2 and HC11) is a highly selective, high-affinity chemokine ligand for chemokine receptor CCR2. It is secreted locally by inflammatory tissues to attract CCR2-bearing cells such as monocytes and memory T cells. Upon binding to CCR2, MCP1 induces calcium flux and cell migration toward the gradient of MCP1.

#There is substantial biological and genetic evidence for the critical involvement of MCP1 and CCR2 in inflammatory diseases including arthritis, atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and fibrosis. Mice deficient in either MCP1 or CCR2 were protected from developing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) (Huang et al., 2001, J. Exp. Med. 193:713; Izikson et al., 2000, J. Exp. Med. 192:1075; Mahad and Ransohoff, 2003, Semi. Immunol. 15:23). CCR2-deficient mice were also protected from collagen-induced arthritis (Quinones et al., 2004, J. Olin. Invest. 113:856). Furthermore, CCR2-knockout mice were resistant to the development of atherosclerotic plaques (Charo and Taubman, 2004, Circ. Res. 95:858).

#FIG. 1. Map of plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)hMCP1 mIgG.

#The present invention provides a polypeptide comprising MCP1 fused to any half-life extending moiety that extends or prolongs the in vivo half-life of MCP1 in the body (e.g., in the plasma) of a subject.

#In accordance with the present invention there may be employed conventional molecular biology, microbiology, and recombinant DNA techniques within the skill of the art. Such techniques are explained fully in the literature. See, e.g., Sambrook, Fritsch & Maniatis, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Second Edition (1989) Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (herein “Sambrook, et al., 1989”); DNA Cloning: A Practical Approach, Volumes I and II (D. N. Glover ed. 1985); Oligonucleotide Synthesis (M. J. Gait ed. 1984); Nucleic Acid Hybridization (B. D. Hames & S. J. Higgins eds. (1985)); Transcription And Translation (B. D. Hames & S. J. Higgins, eds. (1984)); Animal Cell Culture (R. I. Freshney, ed. (1986)); Immobilized Cells And Enzymes (IRL Press, (1986)); B. Perbal, A Practical Guide To Molecular Cloning (1984); F. M. Ausubel, et al., (eds.), Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1994).

#A “polynucleotide”, “nucleic acid” or “nucleic acid molecule” includes the phosphate ester polymeric form of ribonucleosides (adenosine, guanosine, uridine or cytidine; “RNA molecules”) or deoxyribonucleosides (deoxyadenosine, deoxyguanosine, deoxythymidine, or deoxycytidine; “DNA molecules”), or any phosphoester analogs thereof, such as phosphorothioates and thioesters, in single stranded form, double-stranded form or otherwise.