Novel mucosal vascular addressins

Abstract

The present invention relates to isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acids which encode primate MAdCAMs, and to proteins or polypeptides referred to herein as isolated and/or recombinant primate MAdCAMs. The invention further relates to recombinant nucleic acid constructs, comprising a nucleic acid which encodes a primate MAdCAM of the present invention, a portion thereof, or a variant; to host cells comprising such constructs, useful for the production of recombinant proteins; the use of nucleic acids and/or proteins in assays to identify inhibitors (e.g., antagonists) of primate MAdCAM function; and to antibodies reactive with primate MAdCAM, which are useful in in vitro methods, diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid which encodes a naturally occurring primate MAdCAM.  
     
     
         2 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the isolated nucleic acid is recombinant.  
     
     
         3 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1  wherein the primate MAdCAM is human MAdCAM.  
     
     
         4 . A recombinant nucleic acid construct comprising a nucleic acid which encodes a naturally occurring primate MAdCAM.  
     
     
         5 . The recombinant nucleic acid construct of  claim 4 , wherein the recombinant nucleic acid is operably linked to an expression control sequence.  
     
     
         6 . A host cell comprising a recombinant nucleic acid encoding a naturally occurring primate MAdCAM.  
     
     
         7 . The host cell of  claim 6 , wherein the nucleic acid is operably linked to an expression control sequence, whereby said primate MAdCAM is expressed when the host cell is maintained under conditions suitable for expression.  
     
     
         8 . An isolated nucleic acid encoding a fusion protein comprising a naturally occurring primate MAdCAM or fragment thereof which can mediate α4β7-dependent adhesion.  
     
     
         9 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 8 , wherein the primate MAdCAM or fragment thereof is a human MAdCAM or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         10 . A host cell comprising a recombinant nucleic acid encoding a fusion protein comprising a naturally occurring primate MAdCAM or fragment thereof which can mediate α4β7-dependent adhesion.