Methods for amyloid removal using anti-amyloid antibodies

Abstract

Methods and related immunoglobulin peptides and fragments thereof are disclosed that enhance the cell-mediated immune response of a patient to deposits of amyloid fibrils. These methods exploit the opsonizing effect of antibodies directed toward amyloid material or its component parts.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of treating a patient having an amyloid deposition disease comprising the step of administering to the patient 
 a) a therapeutically effective dose of at least one immunoglobulin polypeptide or a fragments thereof, wherein the immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof binds to an amyloid fibril; and    b) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof is raised against an immunoglobulin light-chain.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein binding of the immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof opsonizes the amyloid fibril.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof is a monoclonal antibody.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is a humanized antibody.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is a chimeric antibody.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the chimeric antibody is a humanized antibody.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the antibody is a labeled antibody.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is selected from the group consisting of κ1 (57-18H12), κ4 (11-1F4), λ8 (31-8C7), and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . An immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof that binds to an amyloid fibril and is effective to enhance the cellular immune response of a patient to remove disease-associated amyloid fibril deposits.  
     
     
         11 . The immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof of  claim 10 , wherein the immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof is a monoclonal antibody or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The immunoglobulin or fragment thereof of  claim 11 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is a humanized antibody.  
     
     
         13 . The immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof of  claim 11 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is a chimeric antibody.  
     
     
         14 . The immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof of  claim 13 , wherein the chimeric antibody is a humanized antibody.  
     
     
         15 . The immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof of  claim 11 , wherein the antibody is a labeled antibody.  
     
     
         16 . The immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof of  claim 11 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is selected from the group consisting of κ1 (57-18H12), κ4 (11-1F4), λ8 (31-8C7), and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The monoclonal antibody or fragment thereof of  claim 16 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is a humanized antibody.  
     
     
         18 . The immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof of  claim 10 , wherein the immunoglobulin polypeptide or fragment thereof has been raised against synthetic amyloid fibrils.  
     
     
         19 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the immunoglobulin peptide or fragment thereof of  claim 10 .  
     
     
         20 . A nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide comprising at least a hypervariable region of the immunoglobulin polypeptide of  claim 10 .  
     
     
         21 . A host cell comprising a nucleic acid molecule of  claim 20 .  
     
     
         22 . A method of producing an immunoglobulin polypeptide comprising the step of culturing the host cell of  claim 21.