Medicinal compositions containing fc receptor gamma-chain activator

Abstract

The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance capable of activating the γ chain of Fc receptors (FcRγ) (provided that the substance is not an immunoglobulin for intravenous injection), and agents for stimulating myelinogenesis. The invention also provides agents for stimulating the differentiation of oligodendroglial precursor cells, agents for activating Fyn tyrosine kinase, and agents for stimulating the expression of myelin basic protein, all comprising a substance capable of activating FcRγ as an active ingredient. Further, the invention provides a method of detecting myelinogenetic oligodenroglias or precursor cells thereof which comprises using the expression of FcRγ in oligodendroglias or precursor cells thereof as an indicator.

1 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance capable of activating the γ chain of Fc receptors (FcRγ), provided that said substance is not an immunoglobulin for intravenous injection.  
     
     
         2 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the substance capable of activating FcRγ is a ligand for FcRγ, said ligand producing at least one effect selected from the following (A), (B) and (C): 
 (A) stimulating the differentiation of oligodendroglial precursor cells;    (B) activating Fyn tyrosine kinase;    (C) stimulating the expression of myelin basic protein.    
     
     
         3 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 2 , wherein the ligand for FcRγ is an anti-FcRγ antibody.  
     
     
         4 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the substance capable of activating FcRγ is a ligand for any one of Fc receptors capable of coupling to FcRγ, said ligand producing at least one effect selected from the following (a), (b) and (c): 
 (a) stimulating the differentiation of oligodendroglial precursor cells;    (b) activating Fyn tyrosine kinase;    (c) stimulating the expression of myelin basic protein.    
     
     
         5 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 4 , wherein the ligand for any one of Fc receptors capable of coupling to FcRγ is a ligand for type I Fcγ receptor (FcγRI).  
     
     
         6 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 5 , wherein the ligand for FcγRI is an anti-FcγRI antibody.  
     
     
         7 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 4 , wherein the ligand for any one of Fc receptors capable of coupling to FcRγ is a ligand for type III Fcγ receptor (FcγIII).  
     
     
         8 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 7 , wherein the ligand for FcγIII is an anti-FcγRIII antibody.  
     
     
         9 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the substance capable of activating FcRγ is a subclass of IgG having a high binding property to FcγRI.  
     
     
         10 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 9 , wherein the subclass of IgG is IgG3.  
     
     
         11 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the substance capable of activating FcRγ is IgG2b.  
     
     
         12 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is for stimulating the differentiation of oligodendroglial precursor cells.  
     
     
         13 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is for activating Fyn tyrosine kinase.  
     
     
         14 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is for stimulating the expression of myelin basic proteins.  
     
     
         15 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is for stimulating myelinogenesis.  
     
     
         16 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is for preventing and/or treating at least one disease selected from the group consisting of demyelinating diseases, dysmyelinating diseases and myelinoclasis.  
     
     
         17 . An agent for stimulating myelinogenesis comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance capable of activating FcRγ, provided that said substance is not an immunoglobulin for intravenous injection.  
     
     
         18 . An agent for stimulating the differentiation of oligodendroglial precursor cells comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance capable of activating FcRγ.  
     
     
         19 . An agent for stimulating Fyn tyrosine kinase comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance capable of activating FcRγ.  
     
     
         20 . An agent for stimulating the expression of myelin basic protein comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance capable of activating FcRγ.  
     
     
         21 . A method of detecting myelinogenetic oligodendroglias or precursor cells thereof, comprising using the expression of FcRγ in oligodendroglias or precursor cells thereof as an indicator.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising using as another indicator the expression of at least one marker selected from the group consisting of PDGFαR, MAG, A2B5, 04, 01, MBP, PLP, DM-20, CNPase, MOG, NG2 and AN2 in oligodendroglias or precursor cells thereof.  
     
     
         23 . A method of examining FcRγ expression in animal brain tissues or cells by immunohistochemical or immunocytochemical analysis.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising examining the expression of at least one marker selected from the group consisting of PDGFαR, MAG, A2B5, 04, 01, MBP, PLP, DM-20, CNPase, MOG, NG2 and AN2 in oligodendroglias or precursor cells thereof.  
     
     
         25 . A method of examining FcRγ expression in animal brain tissues or cells by a gene amplification method.  
     
     
         26 . A method of examining FcRγ expression in animal brain tissues or cells by Western blotting.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising examining the expression of at least one marker selected from the group consisting of PDGFαR, MAG, A2B5, 04, 01, MBP, PLP, DM-20, CNPase, MOG, NG2 and AN2 in oligodendroglias or precursor cells thereof.  
     
     
         28 . An immunohistological or cell-staining reagent kit comprising an anti-FcRγ antibody.  
     
     
         29 . The kit of  claim 28 , further comprising at least one antibody selected from the group consisting of anti-PDGFαR antibody, anti-MAG antibody, A2B5 antibody, 04 antibody, 01 antibody, anti-MBP antibody, anti-PLP antibody, anti-DM-20 antibody, anti-CNPase antibody, anti-MOG antibody, NG2 antibody and AN2 antibody.  
     
     
         30 . A Western blotting reagent kit comprising an anti-FcRγ antibody.  
     
     
         31 . The kit of  claim 30 , further comprising at least one antibody selected from the group consisting of anti-PDGFαR antibody, anti-MAG antibody, A2B5 antibody, 04 antibody, 01 antibody, anti-MBP antibody, anti-PLP antibody, anti-DM-20 antibody, anti-CNPase antibody, anti-MOG antibody, NG2 antibody and AN2 antibody.  
     
     
         32 . A gene amplification reagent kit comprising at least one pair of primers capable of specifically amplifying the mRNA of FcRγ.