Viral protein binding compositions and methods

Abstract

A pharmaceutical composition comprises M3 protein as encoded by virus MHV 68, or a homologue of said M3 protein, for use in binding to a chemokine or a chemokine analogue in vivo, or to block binding of chemokines to corresponding cell surface receptors in vivo, to produce an immunomodulatory effect, or to bind to a chemokine analogue present in a virus or parasite to block its entry into cells.

1 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising M3 protein as encoded by virus MHV 68, or a homologue of said M3 protein, for use in binding to a chemokine or a chemokine analogue in vivo, or in blocking binding of a chemokine to a corresponding cell surface receptor in vivo, to produce an immunomodulatory effect.  
     
     
         2 . A composition according to  claim 1 , for use in producing an anti-inflammatory effect.  
     
     
         3 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising M3 protein as encoded by virus MHV 68 or a homologue of said M3 protein, for use in binding to a chemokine analogue present in a virus or parasite to reduce or block entry of said virus or parasite into cells.  
     
     
         4 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising (a) M3 protein as encoded by virus MHV 68 or a homologue of said M3 protein and (b) an additional immunosuppressant or anti-inflammatory substance.  
     
     
         5 . A test kit comprising M3 protein or a homologue thereof and a labelled or immobilised reactant, for detecting or measuring a chemokine, chemokine analogue, or chemokine receptor in vitro.  
     
     
         6 . A test kit according to  claim 5 , comprising said M3 protein or a homologue thereof labelled with a detectable label.  
     
     
         7 . A test kit according to  claim 5 , wherein said M3 protein or homologue thereof is immobilised on a solid support.  
     
     
         8 . A composition comprising a polypeptide homologue of M3 protein (other than M3 protein itself) which can bind to a chemokine or chemokine analogue.  
     
     
         9 . A composition according to  claim 8 , comprising a coupling product of M3 protein or homologue thereof with another substance, or a fusion protein comprising an M3 polypeptide sequence or homologue thereof fused to a polypeptide sequence of other origin.  
     
     
         10 . A composition according to  claim 8 , wherein said M3 protein or homologue thereof is coupled to a detectable label.  
     
     
         11 . A polynucleotide having a sequence encoding either (a) a homologue of M3, or (b) a fusion polypeptide comprising M3 protein or a homologue thereof, fused to a polypeptide sequence of other origin.  
     
     
         12 . A polynucleotide according to  claim 11 , comprising an expression cassette wherein said sequence encoding (a) or (b) is operably associated with a tissue specific or a constitutive promoter.  
     
     
         13 . A polynucleotide according to  claim 11 , wherein said sequence encoding (a) or (b) forms part of a viral vector or an expression plasmid.  
     
     
         14 . A method of treatment to produce an anti-inflammatory effect which comprises administering to a subject to be treated a pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , or comprising an expression vector encoding and capable of expressing said M3 protein or protein homologue.  
     
     
         15 . A method of treatment to reduce or block entry of a virus or parasite into cells of a subject infected with said virus of parasite, which comprises administering the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 3 , or an expression vector expressing said M3 protein or protein homologue, to said subject to bind to a chemokine analogue present in said virus or parasite.  
     
     
         16 . A method of detecting a substance that comprises a chemokine or chemokine analogue, which comprises contacting a sample possibly comprising said substance to be tested with a reagent comprising M3 protein as encoded by virus MHV 68, or a homologue of said M3 protein, thereby to bind said chemokine or chemokine analogue.