Canine and feline immunoregulatory proteins, nucleic acid molecules, and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to canine interleukin-5 proteins; canine interleukin-5 nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode canine interleukin-5 proteins; to antibodies raised against such proteins; and to inhibitory compounds that regulate such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to identify and obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to regulate an immune response in an animal.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19, or a homolog thereof, wherein said homolog has an at least 45 consecutive nucleotide region identical in sequence to a 45 contiguous nucleotide region of a nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19, but wherein the 45 contiguous nucleotide region is not in SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:11.  
     
     
         2 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein a said nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a canine IL-5 protein.  
     
     
         3 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes a protein that elicits an immune response against an IL-5 protein having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:10, or a protein that has IL-5 activity.  
     
     
         4 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises the nucleic acid molecule nCaIL-5 1658 .  
     
     
         5 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a protein having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:10; and    (b) a nucleic acid molecule comprising an allelic variant of a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein having any of said amino acid sequences of group (a).    
     
     
         6 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is an oligonucleotide.  
     
     
         7 . A recombinant molecule comprising a nucleic acid molecule as set forth in  claim 1  operatively linked to a transcription control sequence.  
     
     
         8 . A recombinant virus comprising a nucleic acid molecule as set forth in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . A recombinant cell comprising a nucleic acid molecule as set forth in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule having a nucleic acid sequence that is at least about 90 percent identical to a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19.  
     
     
         11 . A therapeutic composition that, when administered to an animal, regulates an immune response in said animal, said therapeutic composition comprising a therapeutic compound that is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19, or a homolog thereof, wherein said homolog has an at least 45 consecutive nucleotide region identical in sequence to a 45 contiguous region nucleotide region of a nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19; but wherein the 45 contiguous nucleotide region is not in SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:11.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said composition further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of an excipient, an adjuvant and a carrier.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said therapeutic compound is a naked nucleic acid vaccine.  
     
     
         14 . A method to regulate an immune response in an animal comprising administering to the animal a therapeutic composition comprising a therapeutic compound comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19, or a homolog thereof, wherein said homolog has an at least 45 consecutive nucleotide region identical in sequence to a 45 contiguous region nucleotide region of a nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19; but wherein the 45 contiguous nucleotide region is not in SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:11.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said animal is selected from the group consisting of canids and felids.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said composition further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of an excipient, an adjuvant and a carrier.  
     
     
         17 . A method to produce an immunoregulatory protein, said method comprising culturing a cell capable of expressing said protein, said protein being encoded by a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19, or a homolog thereof, wherein said homolog has an at least 45 consecutive nucleotide region identical in sequence to a 45 contiguous region nucleotide region of a nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:18 and SEQ ID NO:19; but wherein the 45 contiguous nucleotide region is not in SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:11.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said cell expresses the nucleic acid molecule nCaIL-5 1658 .