Novel medicinal use of alpha antigen or alpha antigen gene

Abstract

The α antigen-encoding gene and the α antigen protein suppress the production of interleukin-4 etc., improve the Th2 type cytokine-dominant state, and furthermore inhibit various conditions of allergic diseases such as IgE production, histamine release and eosinophil infiltration, and therefore they are very effective for the prevention or treatment of atopic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and allergic conjunctivitis, and more broadly allergic diseases.

1 . A pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases comprising as an active ingredient Mycobacterium-derived α antigen, an analog thereof, a mutant having a function similar thereto, or a gene encoding one of them.  
     
     
         2 . The pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases of  claim 1  wherein the gene is in the form of an expression vector.  
     
     
         3 . The pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases of  claim 1  or 2 wherein the α antigen is Mycobacterium kansasii-derived α antigen.  
     
     
         4 . The pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases of  claim 1  or  2  wherein the analog of the α antigen is the antigen 85 complex-forming protein 85A or the antigen 85 complex-forming protein 85C.  
     
     
         5 . The pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases of any one of  claims 1  to  4  wherein allergic diseases are those allergic diseases that are caused by the Th2 type cytokine-dominant state.  
     
     
         6 . The pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases of any one of  claims 1  to  5  wherein allergic diseases are atopic diseases.  
     
     
         7 . The pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases of any one of  claims 1  to  6  wherein allergic diseases are atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, or allergic conjunctivitis.  
     
     
         8 . The pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases of any one of  claims 1  to  7  wherein allergic diseases are atopic dermatitis or asthma.  
     
     
         9 . A method of preventing or treating allergic diseases comprising administering an effective amount of Mycobacterium-derived α antigen, an analog thereof, a mutant having a function similar thereto, or a gene encoding one of them to mammals including humans.  
     
     
         10 . The method of preventing or treating allergic diseases of  claim 9  wherein the gene is in the form of an expression vector.  
     
     
         11 . The method of prevention or treatment of  claim 9  wherein the α antigen is Mycobacterium kansasii-derived α antigen.  
     
     
         12 . The method of prevention or treatment of any of  claims 9  to  11  wherein the analog of α antigen is the antigen 85 complex-forming protein 85A or the antigen 85 complex-forming protein 85C.  
     
     
         13 . The method of prevention or treatment of any of  claims 9  to  12  wherein allergic diseases are atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, or allergic conjunctivitis.  
     
     
         14 . The use of Mycobacterium-derived α antigen, an analog thereof, a mutant having a function similar thereto, or the gene encoding one of them for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases.  
     
     
         15 . The use of  claim 14  wherein the gene is in the form of an expression vector.  
     
     
         16 . The use of  claim 14  or  15  wherein the α antigen is Mycobacterium kansasii-derived α antigen.  
     
     
         17 . The use of a any of  claims 14  to  16  wherein the analog of α antigen is the antigen 85 complex-forming protein 85A or the antigen 85 complex-forming protein 85C.  
     
     
         18 . The use of any of  claims 14  to  17  wherein allergic diseases are atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, or allergic conjunctivitis.