Eosinophil eotaxin receptor

Abstract

The eosinophil eotaxin receptor has been isolated, cloned and sequenced. This receptor is a human β-chemokine receptor and has been designated “CC CKR3”. The eosinophil eotaxin receptor may be used to screen and identify compounds that bind to the eosinophil eotaxin receptor. Such compounds would be useful in the treatment and prevention of atopic conditions including allergic rhinitis, dermatitis, conjunctivitis, and particularly bronchial asthma.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An eosinophil eotaxin receptor, free from receptor-associated proteins.  
     
     
         2 . The eosinophil eotaxin receptor of  claim 1  which is human.  
     
     
         3 . An isolated eosinophil eotaxin receptor.  
     
     
         4 . The eosinophil eotaxin receptor of  claim 3  which is human.  
     
     
         5 . The receptor of  claim 2  which comprises a full length receptor or which comprises the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:1).  
     
     
         6 . The receptor of  claim 4  which comprises a full length receptor or which comprises the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:1).  
     
     
         8 . A functional equivalent of the eosinophil eotaxin receptor of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . A nucleic acid which encodes an eosinophil eotaxin receptor receptor or a functional equivalent, said nucleic acid being free from associated nucleic acids.  
     
     
         10 . A nucleic acid according to  claim 9  which encodes a human eosinophil eotaxin receptor, or a functional equivalent.  
     
     
         11 . The nucleic acid of  claim 10  which is a DNA.  
     
     
         12 . The nucleic acid of  claim 11  which comprises the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:2).  
     
     
         13 . The nucleic acid of  claim 12  which further comprises the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:3).  
     
     
         14 . The nucleic acid of  claim 13  which further comprises the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:4).  
     
     
         15 . A vector comprising a nucleic acid which encodes an eosinophil eotaxin receptor receptor, or a functional equivalent.  
     
     
         16 . A vector according to  claim 15  which is selected from the group consisting of: plasmids, and modified viruses, yeast artificial chromosomes, bacteriophages and cosmids or transposable elements  
     
     
         17 . A vector according to  claim 16  wherein the nucleic acid encodes human eosinophil eotaxin receptor receptor or a functional equivalent.  
     
     
         18 . A host cell comprising a vector according to  claim 17 .  
     
     
         19 . The host cell of  claim 18  wherein the nucleic acid encodes human eosinophil eotaxin receptor receptor, or a functional equivalent.  
     
     
         20 . The host cell of  claim 19  which is from the AML14.3D10 cell line.  
     
     
         21 . A nucleic acid encoding an eosinophil eotaxin receptor receptor clone that belongs to the β-chemokine receptor family and that hybridizes with a nucleotide which a human eosinophil eotaxin receptor under reduced stringency of hybridization.  
     
     
         22 . A method to determine the presence of a compound which binds to an eosinophil eotaxin receptor comprising: 
 (a) introducing a nucleic acid which encodes an eosinophil eotaxin receptor into a cell under conditions so that eosinophil eotaxin receptor is expressed;    (b) introducing a detector molecule or a nucleic acid encoding a detector molecule into the cell, wherein the detector molecule is directly or indirectly responsive to a eosinophil eotaxin-ligand binding event;    (c) contacting the cell with a compound suspected of binding to the eosinophil eotaxin receptor; and    (d) determining whether the compound binds to the eosinophil eotaxin receptor by monitoring the detector molecule.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the eosinophil eotaxin receptor is human.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the nucleic acid which encodes an eosinophil eotaxin receptor comprises the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:2).  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the result of step (d) is compared to that obtained using a known ligand of the eosinophil eotaxin receptor.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the known ligand of the eosinophil eotaxin receptor is eotaxin.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the known ligand of the eosinophil eotaxin receptor is RANTES.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the known ligand of the eosinophil eotaxin receptor is MCP-3.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the eosinophil eotaxin receptor is expressed in a host cell which does not naturally express the human eosinophil eotaxin receptor  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the host cell is from the AML14.3D10 cell line.  
     
     
         31 . A ligand identified by the method of  claim 22 .  
     
     
         32 . A ligand identified by the method of  claim 23 .  
     
     
         33 . A ligand identified by the method of  claim 24 .  
     
     
         34 . A ligand identified by the method of  claim 25 .  
     
     
         35 . A ligand identified by the method of claim  30 .