129results about "Mammal lectins" patented technology

The present invention relates to the design of trimeric polypeptides using polypeptide structural elements derived from the tetranectin protein family, and their use in rational de novo design and production of multi-functional molecules including the application of the multi-functional molecules in protein library technology, such as phage display technology, diagnostic and therapeutic systems, such as human gene therapy and imaging. The trimeric polypeptides being constructed as a monomer polypeptide construct comprising at least one tetranectin trimerising structural element (TTSE) which is covalently linked to at least one heterologous moiety, said TTSE being capable of forming a stable complex with two other TTSEs; or as an oligomer which is comprised of two monomer polypeptide constructs as mentioned above, and which comprises three TTSEs or a multiplum of three TTSEs, or which is comprised of three monomer polypeptide constructs.

Novel methods for identification of inhibitors or modulators of binding activities mediated by lectin domains of polypeptide GalNAc-transferases are disclosed. Direct binding activity of GalNAc-transferase lectins has been demonstrated for the first time and methods to measure lectin mediated binding of isolated lectins or enzymes with lectin domains are disclosed. The present invention specifically discloses a novel selective inhibitor of polypeptide GalNAc-transferase lectin domains, which provides a major advancement in that this inhibitor and related inhibitors sharing common characteristics of activity bind lectin domains without serving as acceptor substrate for glycosyltransferases involved in synthesis of O-glycans. This inhibitor is represented by the β-anomeric configuration of GalNAc-benzyl, GalNAcβ-benzyl. Methods for inhibiting intracellular transport, cell surface expression, and secretion of mucins and O-glycosylated glycoproteins without affecting O-glycosylation processing are disclosed using the novel selective inhibitor identified.

This invention relates to a remedy for neuropathy, such as nerve injury, nerve degeneration, and hypofunction upon nerve grafting, which contains as the active ingredient galectin-1 having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 or its derivative; a protein having the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 or one having a homology of 90% or more at the amino acid level with the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and carrying a disulfide bond(s) at least between Cys at the 16-position (Cys 16) and Cys at the 88-position (Cys 88) among cystein residues at the 2-position (Cys 2), 16-position (Cys 16), 42-position (Cys 42), 60-position (Cys 60), 88-position (Cys 88) and 130-position (Cys 130); and a process for producing the galectin-1 or its derivative protein by using an affinity column having an antibody to the above protein.

Engineered lectins and methods of using such reagents for both preventing and treating a broad array of viral infections are provided. The lectins of the invention are engineered in two ways, first through the enhancement of the natural mode of action of lectins against viruses through linked multimerization, and second through the creation of a new class of reagents, hereinafter referred to as a “lectibody” or “lectibodies”, that engage host immune function in addition to simply binding glycosylated viral proteins via the combination of a lectin and the Fc region of an antibody in order to drive Fc-mediated effector functions including ADCC (antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity), increased half-life, complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), and antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis (ADCP) in response to a lectin-mediated carbohydrate-binding event.

The present invention relates to the design of trimeric polypeptides using polypeptide structural elements derived from the tetranectin protein family, and their use in rational de novo design and production of multi-functional molecules including the application of the multi-functional molecules in protein library technology, such as phage display technology, diagnostic and therapeutic systems, such as human gene therapy and imaging. The trimeric polypeptides being constructed as a monomer polypeptide construct comprising at least one tetranectin trimerising structural element (TTSE) which is covalently linked to at least one heterologous moiety, said TTSE being capable of forming a stable complex with two other TTSEs; or as an oligomer which is comprised of two monomer polypeptide constructs as mentioned above, and which comprises three TTSEs or a multiplum of three TTSEs, or which is comprised of three monomer polypeptide constructs.

A non-natural HSP70 activating region that activates dendritic cells. Polypeptides that bind to the HSP70 activating region can be used to treat autoimmune diseases, such as vitiligo, by binding to HSP70 and preventing HSP70 form activating dendritic cells. The HSP70 binders can be constructed in the form of fusions proteins with a trimerizing structural element that may associate to form a trimeric complex. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating vitiligo using the HSP70 binding proteins, fusion proteins and complexes.

A new use of a molecule comprising at least one moiety which is a biologically active protein and at least one moiety capable of binding to a serum albumin of a mammal is provided, for preparation of a medicament which elicits no or a reduced immune response upon administration to the mammal, as compared to the immune response elicited upon administration to the mammal of the biologically active protein per se. Also provided is a method of reducing or eliminating the immune response elicited upon administration of a biologically active protein to a human or non-human mammal, which comprises coupling the polypeptide to at least one moiety capable of binding to a serum albumin of the mammal.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring a glycan-marker glycoprotein, by which liver disease can be detected with higher accuracy than is possible with conventional methods. Also, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for examining liver disease, by which liver disease can be detected with higher accuracy than is possible with conventional methods. Disclosed is a method for measuring at least one glycoprotein selected from alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and Mac-2-binding protein (M2BP) contained in a sample collected from a subject, comprising: measuring AGP binding to a first lectin selected from AOL and MAL, when the glycoprotein is AGP; and measuring M2BP binding to a second lectin selected from WFA, BPL, AAL, RCA120, and TJAII, when the glycoprotein is M2BP.

The present invention provides methods of treatment and / or prevention of infections, for example, viral and bacterial infections, in individuals, wherein the method comprises administering a supraphysiological amount of mannose-binding lectin (MLB) and / or ficolin-MBL fusion protein to an individual afflicted with an infection or at risk of an infection, such as a bacterial or a viral infection. For example, methods for treatment and / or prevention of Ebola virus infection are provided.

Fusion proteins having sequences that target specific moieties such as carbohydrates, lipids, and / or proteins that are associated with certain cell types and / or pathogens; and a sequence that induces effector function are provided. The disclosure also provides nucleic acids encoding the fusion proteins, as well as pharmaceutical compositions, methods of use, and methods of treating conditions or diseases such as infectious diseases, cancers, immune related disorders and other ailments, that include the fusions proteins described herein.

The present invention relates to a fusion protein capable of activating the complement system, the fusion protein comprising a first polypeptide sequence derived from a lectin-complement pathway activating protein or a functional homologue thereof; and a second polypeptide sequence derived from a collectin or a functional homologue thereof; wherein said complement activating protein is not a collectin. A preferred fusion protein comprises amino acids of the L-ficolin sequence of FIG. 1 and amino acids of the MBL sequence shown in FIG. 2. The fusion protein is suitable for use in treatment consisting of creation, reconstitution, enhancing and / or stimulating the opsonic and / or bactericidal activity of the complement system, i.e. enhancing the ability of the immune defence to recognise and kill microbial pathogens, and accordingly, the invention relates to a medicament comprising the fusion protein, methods for producing said fusion protein and methods for treating diseases, in particular infections.

There are provided multimeric fusion proteins exhibiting anti-viral activity. The fusion proteins comprise the HR2 region of the ectodomain of the human immunodeficiency virus gp41 protein which is fused to a multimerisation domain peptide such as a trimerisation domain derived from tetranectin. The multimerised fusion proteins may be used as HIV fusion inhibitors in the treatment of AIDS.

There is provided a composition for anti-cancer or anti-inflammatory treatment having an effective amount of N-terminally truncated galectin-3 or its homologues, antibodies to galectin-3 carbohydrate binding sites, or a nucleic acid sequences encoding N-terminally truncated galectin-3 or its homologues, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Also provided by the present invention is a method of treating disease by administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of N-terminally truncated galectin-3, its homologues, antibody to galectin-3 carbohydrate binding sites, or a nucleic acid sequence encoding N-terminally truncated galectin-3 in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Further, there is provided a disease treatment having an effective amount of N-terminally truncated galectin-3 or its homologues, antibodies to galectin-3 carbohydrate binding sites, or a nucleic acid sequences encoding N-terminally truncated galectin-3 or its homologues, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Interleuekin-1 receptor antagonists (IL-1Ra) including fusion proteins having a trimerizing domain and an IL-1Ra polypeptide sequence. The fusion proteins are part of trimeric complexes that are used in pharmaceutical compositions for treating diseases mediated by IL-1. Effective treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes, are described.

Isolated polynucleotides encoding novel galectin-8 variants polypeptides are provided. Also provided are methods and kits using same for diagnosing prognosing and treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other joint / chronic inflammatory diseases.

The present invention provides a vaccine composition comprising a collectin such as mannose binding protein (MBL) and an immunogenic determinant. The invention also describes methods of immunizing individuals with the compositions, and the use of collectins in the preparation of vaccine compositions.

The present invention relates to methods for promoting T cells response. The inventors examined the expression and function of CLEC-1 in human DCs and demonstrated for the first time a cell-surface expression. They investigated its functional role following triggering on orchestration of T-cell responses. The inventors showed in vitro and in vivo with CLEC-1 deficient rats and rat CLEC-1 Fc fusion protein that disruption of CLEC-1 signalling enhances in vitro Th17 activation and in vivo enhances T cell priming and Th17 and Th1 activation. In particular, the present invention relates to CLEC-1 antagonists for promoting T cells response in a subject in need thereof.

As a result of dedicated research, the present inventors have successfully invented a collagen gene construct which can be easily purified and maintains a triple helix structure equivalent to that of naturally-occurring collagen while having a low molecular weight. Specifically, one-step purification by affinity purification is enabled because CR-D (a signal peptide) has a carbohydrate recognition domain. By substituting a portion of a human collagen structural gene of the present invention with the collagen-like structural gene portion of MBL, a low-molecular-weight collagen which maintains a triple helix structure and is thermally stable can be obtained with high purity and in large quantities.

The present invention includes a method for the treatment of an advanced ovarian cancer, comprising: identifying a patient with advanced ovarian cancer; and administering to the patient an effective amount of truncated, dominant negative form of Galectin-3 sufficient to reduce the advanced ovarian cancer. In certain aspects, the truncated, dominant negative form of Galectin-3 is provided in an amount sufficient to reduce at least one of growth, motility, invasion, angiogenesis, or prevents Akt / NF-κB activation of the ovarian cancer.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for treating cancer. The invention makes use of peptides, nucleic acids encoding such peptides, and cells expressing such peptides, where the peptide comprises a tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen (TACA)-binding domain.

The present invention refers to fusion proteins comprising a neck region and carbohydrate recognition domain of a collectin trimerization domain, a linker element and an effector polypeptide. Further the invention refers to a nucleic acid encoding the said fusion protein. The fusion proteins, the nucleic acid, and the cell are suitable as pharmaceutical composition or for therapeutic, diagnostic and / or research applications as described herein.

The present invention relates generally to the fields of proteins, diagnostics, therapeutics and nutrition. More particularly, the present invention provides an isolated protein molecule which comprises a C-type lectin or an EGF-like domain such as amphiregulin, CD209L, Langerin, L-selectin or chimeric molecules thereof comprising at least a portion of the protein molecule, such as amphiregulin-Fc, CD209L-Fc, Langerin S, Langerin L, Langerin L-FLAG, Langerin-Fc, L-selectin-Fc wherein the protein or chimeric molecule thereof has a profile of measurable physiochemical parameters, wherein the profile is indicative of, associated with or forms the basis of one or more pharmacological traits. The present invention further contemplates the use of the isolated protein or chimeric molecule thereof in a range of diagnostic, prophylactic, therapeutic, nutritional and / or research applications.

Fusion proteins having sequences that target specific moieties such as carbohydrates, lipids, and / or proteins that are associated with certain cell types and / or pathogens; and a sequence that induces effector function are provided. The disclosure also provides nucleic acids encoding the fusion proteins, as well as pharmaceutical compositions, methods of use, and methods of treating conditions or diseases such as infectious diseases, cancers, immune related disorders and other ailments, that include the fusions proteins described herein.

The invention relates to a PSP (pancreatic stone protein) detection kit with insect cell expression PSP as a calibration product, belongs to the biotechnological field and discloses the process as follows: the purified insect cell expression PSP is used as the calibration product, an LFIA (lateral flow immunoassay) test strip is established, the fluorescence intensity of the test strip is determined with TRFIA (time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay), and the concentration of PSP in blood or liquids is detected. The method comprises the steps as follows: extracting RNA in gastric cancer cells (AGS),synthesizing cDNA, transferring recombinant Flag-PSP AcNPV plasmids into insect cells, purifying PSP as the calibration product, marking carboxyl modified particles, assembling the LFIA test strip andestablishing an automatic PSP concentration display system. The kit has the advantages of being high in sensitivity, high in specificity, convenient to operate and capable of rapidly diagnosing bacterial infection and sepsis.

Lectin-binding proteins and their therapeutic use. In particular, described are the targeting and targeting-enhanced multimerization and activation of galectins. Provided is a galectin-conjugate including at least one galectin molecule conjugated to a non-galectin cell targeting means. Exemplary targeting means include targeting means able to bind EGP2, a pancarcinoma-associated cell surface target antigen, CD antigen, such as CD7 or CD38, or a TNF family member, such as TRAIL-R. The targeting means may comprise an antibody or a functional fragment thereof, such as a single chain variable antibody fragment (scFv). Also provided is the use of a galectin-conjugate for treating a disease, like cancer or an immune disorder, such as auto-immune disease, allergic disorder, auto-immune encephalomyelitis, arthritis, colitis, hepatitis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, transplant rejection, Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and / or inflammatory bowel disease.