Methods and compositions for use in treatment of patients with autoantibody positive diseases

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for use in treatment of patients with autoantibody positive disease. In a specific embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of treating a patient that has an ANA titer of 1:80 or greater and / or greater than or equal to 30 IU / ml of anti-dsDNA antibodies in his / her blood plasma or serum comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an immunomodulatory agent, such as an antagonist of Neutrokine-alpha. Additionally provided is a method of reducing the frequency and / or quantity of corticosteroid administration to patients. In preferred embodiments, the patient has systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods for determining if a lupus patient is responding to medical treatment are also provided.

Description

Background technique

[0001] Neutrokine-α protein (SEQ ID NO: 2) is a member of TNF ligand family, and it and APRIL (28.7%, SEQ ID NO: 4), TNFα (16.2%), and lymphotoxin-α (LTα) (14.1 %) share amino acid sequence identity (Moore, et al., (1999) Science 285:260-263). Neutrokine-α is known by several names in the scientific and patent literature, including B Lymphocyte Stimulator (BLyS), B Cell Activating Factor (BAFF), TNF, and ApoL-Associated Leukocyte Expressed Ligand-1 (TALL-1) (Moore , et al., (1999) Science 285:260-263; Schneider et al., (1999) J.Exp.Med.189:1747-1756; and Khare et al., (2000) Proc.Natl.Acad. Sci. 97:3370-3375). The official name of Neutrokine-α is tumor necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily member 13B (TNFSF13b). The full-length Neutrokine-α gene encodes a polypeptide of 285 amino acids, with a transmembrane region between the 47th and 73rd amino acids, and a non-hydrophobic sequence characteristic of type II membrane-bound proteins in front of the transm...

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