Method for enhancing immune responses in mammals

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for enhancing an immune response in a mammal to facilitate the elimination of a chronic pathology. The method involves the removal of immune system inhibitors such as soluble TNF receptor from the circulation of the mammal, thus, enabling a more vigorous immune response to the pathogenic agent. The removal of immune system inhibitors is accomplished by contacting biological fluids of a mammal with one or more binding partner(s) such as TNFα muteins capable of binding to and, thus, depleting the targeted immune system inhibitor(s) from the biological fluids. Particularly useful in the invention is an absorbent matrix composed of an inert, biocompatible substrate joined covalently to a binding partner, such as a TNFα mutein, capable of specifically binding to a targeted immune system inhibitor such as soluble TNF receptor.

1 . A conjugate comprising a tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) mutein attached to a substrate.  
     
     
         2 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the TNFα mutein comprises the conserved sequence referenced as SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         3 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the TNFα mutein has the consensus sequence SEQ ID NO:9, 
 wherein X 1  is an amino acid selected from Leu and Val;    wherein X 2  is a 2 or 3 amino acid peptide selected from GlnAsnSer, ArgAlaLeu, ArgThrPro, GlnAlaSer, and GlnThr;    wherein X 3  is an amino acid selected from Asp and Asn;    wherein X 4  is a 5 amino acid peptide selected from HisGlnValGluGlu, HisGlnAlaGluGlu, ProGlnValGluGly, ProGluAlaGluGly, LeuSerAlaProGly, IleSerAlaProGly, ProGlnAlaGluGly, IleAsnSerProGly, and ValLysAlaGluGly;    wherein X 5  is an amino acid selected from Glu, Gln and Arg;    wherein X 6  is a 4 amino acid peptide selected from LeuSerGlnArg, LeuSerArgArg, GlyAspSerTyr, LeuSerGlyArg, TrpAspSerTyr, GlnSerGlyTyr, and LeuAsnArgArg;    wherein X 7  is an amino acid selected from Leu, Met, and Lys;    wherein X 8  is a two amino acid peptide selected from MetAsp, MetLys, ValGlu, ValLys, and ValGln;    wherein X 9  is an amino acid selected from Lys, Thr, Glu, and Arg;    wherein X 10  is an amino acid selected from Val, Lys, and Ile;    wherein X 11  is a 2 amino acid peptide selected from AlaAsp, SerAsp, ThrAsp, LeuAsp, AlaGlu, and SerGlu;    wherein X 12  is an amino acid selected from Lys, Ser, Thr, and Arg;    wherein X 13  is an amino acid selected from Gln and His;    wherein X 14  is a 4 or 5 amino acid peptide selected from AspValValLeu, AspTyrValLeu, SerTyrValLeu, ProProProVal, SerThrHisValLeu, SerThrProLeuPhe, SerThrHisValLeu, and SerThrAsnValPhe;    wherein X 15  is an amino acid selected from Val and Ile;    wherein X 16  is an amino acid selected from Phe, Ile, and Leu;    wherein X 17  is an amino acid selected from Ile and Val;    wherein X 18  is a 2 amino acid peptide selected from GlnGlu, ProAsn, GlnThr, and ProSer;    wherein X 19  is an amino acid selected from Leu and Ile;    wherein X 20  is a 3 amino acid peptide selected from ProLysAsp, HisArgGlu, GlnArgGlu, and HisThrGlu;    wherein X 21  is an amino acid selected from Gly, Glu, Gln, and Trp or is absent;    wherein X 22  is an amino acid selected from Leu, Pro, and Ala;    wherein X 23  is an amino acid selected from Leu and Gln;    wherein X 24  is an amino acid selected from Gly and Asp;    wherein X 25  is an amino acid selected from Gln, Leu, and Arg;    wherein X 26  is an amino acid selected from Ala and Thr;    wherein X 27  is an amino acid selected from Val and Ile;    wherein X 28  is an amino acid selected from Leu, Gln, and Arg;    wherein X 29  is an amino acid selected from Lys, Glu, Ala, Asn, and Asp;    wherein X 30  is an amino acid selected from Phe, Ile, Leu and Tyr; and    wherein X 31  is an amino acid selected from Val and Ile.    
     
     
         4 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the TNFα mutein has an amino acid substitution in a region of TNFα selected from region 1 amino acids 29-36, region 2 amino acids 84-91 and region 3 amino acids 143-149 of human TNFα (SEQ ID NO:2) or the analogous position of TNFα from another species.  
     
     
         5 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the TNFα mutein is selected from mutein 1 (SEQ ID NO:3), mutein 2 (SEQ ID NO:4), mutein 3 (SEQ ID NO:5), mutein 4 (SEQ ID NO:6), mutein 5 (SEQ ID NO:7) and mutein 6 (SEQ ID NO:8).  
     
     
         6 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the TNFα mutein is selected from mutein 1 (SEQ ID NO:3), mutein 2 (SEQ ID NO:4), and mutein 4 (SEQ ID NO:6).  
     
     
         7 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the TNFα mutein is derived from a species selected from human, dog, cat, horse, sheep, goat, pig, cow, rabbit and rat.  
     
     
         8 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the TNFα mutein is covalently attached to said substrate.  
     
     
         9 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is an inert medium.  
     
     
         10 . The conjugate of  claim 9 , wherein the inert medium is a hollow fiber.  
     
     
         11 . The conjugate of  claim 9 , wherein the inert medium is in the form of a bead.  
     
     
         12 . The conjugate of  claim 11 , wherein the bead is a macroporous bead.  
     
     
         13 . The conjugate of  claim 12 , wherein the macroporous bead is selected from agarose, cross-linked agarose, cellulose, controlled pore glass, polyacrylamide, azlactone, polymethacrylate, and polystyrene.  
     
     
         14 . The conjugate of  claim 11 , wherein the bead is a non-porous bead.  
     
     
         15 . The conjugate of  claim 14 , wherein the non-porous bead is selected from silica, polystyrene and latex.  
     
     
         16 . The conjugate of  claim 9 , wherein the inert medium is a cellulose-based fiber.  
     
     
         17 . The conjugate of  claim 9 , wherein the inert medium is a synthetic fiber.  
     
     
         18 . The conjugate of  claim 9 , wherein the inert medium is a flat or pleated membrane.  
     
     
         19 . The conjugate of  claim 9 , wherein the inert medium is a silica-based particle.  
     
     
         20 . The conjugate of  claim 9 , where the inert medium is an agarose-based particle.  
     
     
         21 . A method of stimulating an immune response in a mammal having a pathological condition, comprising: 
 (a) obtaining a biological fluid from the mammal;    (b) contacting the biological fluid with a tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) mutein having specific binding activity for a soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR);    (c) removing the TNFα mutein bound to said soluble TNFR from said biological fluid to produce an altered biological fluid having a reduced amount of soluble TNFR; and    (d) administering the altered biological fluid to the mammal.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said biological fluid is selected from blood, plasma, serum and lymphatic fluid.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the blood is whole blood.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the step of separating the whole blood into a cellular component and an acellular component or a fraction of the acellular component, wherein said acellular or said fraction of the acellular component contains a soluble TNFR.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of combining the cellular component with the altered acellular component or altered fraction of the acellular component to produce altered whole blood.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein comprises the conserved sequence referenced as SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein has the consensus sequence SEQ ID NO:9, 
 wherein X 1  is an amino acid selected from Leu and Val;    wherein X 2  is a 2 or 3 amino acid peptide selected from GlnAsnSer, ArgAlaLeu, ArgThrPro, GlnAlaSer, and GlnThr;    wherein X 3  is an amino acid selected from Asp and Asn;    wherein X 4  is a 5 amino acid peptide selected from HisGlnValGluGlu, HisGlnAlaGluGlu, ProGlnValGluGly, ProGluAlaGluGly, LeuSerAlaProGly, IleSerAlaProGly, ProGlnAlaGluGly, IleAsnSerProGly, and ValLysAlaGluGly;    wherein X 5  is an amino acid selected from Glu, Gln and Arg;    wherein X 6  is a 4 amino acid peptide selected from LeuSerGlnArg, LeuSerArgArg, GlyAspSerTyr, LeuSerGlyArg, TrpAspSerTyr, GlnSerGlyTyr, and LeuAsnArgArg;    wherein X 7  is an amino acid selected from Leu, Met, and Lys;    wherein X 8  is a two amino acid peptide selected from MetAsp, MetLys, ValGlu, ValLys, and ValGln;    wherein X 9  is an amino acid selected from Lys, Thr, Glu, and Arg;    wherein X 10  is an amino acid selected from Val, Lys, and Ile;    wherein X 11  is a 2 amino acid peptide selected from AlaAsp, SerAsp, ThrAsp, LeuAsp, AlaGlu, and SerGlu;    wherein X 12  is an amino acid selected from Lys, Ser, Thr, and Arg;    wherein X 13  is an amino acid selected from Gln and His;    wherein X 14  is a 4 or 5 amino acid peptide selected from AspValValLeu, AspTyrValLeu, SerTyrValLeu, ProProProVal, SerThrHisValLeu, SerThrProLeuPhe, SerThrHisValLeu, and SerThrAsnValPhe;    wherein X 15  is an amino acid selected from Val and Ile;    wherein X 16  is an amino acid selected from Phe, Ile, and Leu;    wherein X 17  is an amino acid selected from Ile and Val;    wherein X 18  is a 2 amino acid peptide selected from GlnGlu, ProAsn, GlnThr, and ProSer;    wherein X 19  is an amino acid selected from Leu and Ile;    wherein X 20  is a 3 amino acid peptide selected from ProLysAsp, HisArgGlu, GlnArgGlu, and HisThrGlu;    wherein X 21  is an amino acid selected from Gly, Glu, Gln, and Trp or is absent;    wherein X 22  is an amino acid selected from Leu, Pro, and Ala;    wherein X 23  is an amino acid selected from Leu and Gln;    wherein X 24  is an amino acid selected from Gly and Asp;    wherein X 25  is an amino acid selected from Gln, Leu, and Arg;    wherein X 26  is an amino acid selected from Ala and Thr;    wherein X 27  is an amino acid selected from Val and Ile;    wherein X 28  is an amino acid selected from Leu, Gln, and Arg;    wherein X 29  is an amino acid selected from Lys, Glu, Ala, Asn, and Asp;    wherein X 30  is an amino acid selected from Phe, Ile, Leu and Tyr; and    wherein X 31  is an amino acid selected from Val and Ile.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein has an amino acid substitution in a region of TNFα selected from region 1 amino acids 29-36, region 2 amino acids 84-91 and region 3 amino acids 143-149 of human TNFα (SEQ ID NO:2) or the analogous position of TNFα from another species.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein is selected from mutein 1 (SEQ ID NO:3), mutein 2 (SEQ ID NO:4), mutein 3 (SEQ ID NO:5), mutein 4 (SEQ ID NO:6), mutein 5 (SEQ ID NO:7), and mutein 6 (SEQ ID NO:8).  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein is selected from mutein 1 (SEQ ID NO:3), mutein 2 (SEQ ID NO:4), and mutein 4 (SEQ ID NO:6).  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said TNFα mutein has specific binding activity for a single type of soluble TNFR.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said soluble TNFR is sTNFRI.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said soluble TNFR is sTNFRII.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the biological fluid is contacted with a TNFα mutein having specific binding activity for more than one type of soluble TNFR.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said TNFα mutein has specific binding activity for sTNFRI and sTNFRII.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein is attached to an inert medium to form an absorbent matrix.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the TNFα mutein is covalently attached to the inert medium.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the inert medium is a hollow fiber.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the inert medium is a macroporous bead.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the inert medium is a cellulose-based fiber.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the inert medium is a synthetic fiber.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the inert medium is a flat or pleated membrane.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the inert medium is a silica-based particle.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said TNFα mutein is produced recombinantly.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the biological fluid is contacted with a plurality of TNFα muteins.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said plurality of TNFα muteins have specific binding activity for a single type of soluble TNFR.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said soluble TNFR is sTNFRI.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein soluble TNFR is sTNFRII.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the biological fluid is contacted with a plurality of TNFα muteins having specific binding activity for more than one type of soluble TNFR.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said plurality of TNFα muteins have specific binding activity for sTNFRI and sTNFRII.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein is conjugated to a carrier.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said plurality of TNFα muteins is conjugated to a carrier.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein steps (a) through (d) are repeated.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mammal is human.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mammal is non-human.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein bound to the soluble TNFR is removed by mechanical means.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TNFα mutein bound to the soluble TNFR is removed by chemical or biological means.  
     
     
         58 . A method for stimulating an immune system response in a mammal having a pathological condition, comprising: 
 (a) obtaining a biological fluid from the mammal;    (b) contacting the biological fluid with at least one tumor necrosis factor a (TNFα) mutein having specific binding activity for a soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR), wherein the TNFα mutein is attached to an inert medium to form an absorbent matrix;    (c) removing the absorbent matrix comprising the TNFα mutein bound to the soluble TNFR from the biological fluid to produce an altered biological fluid; and    (d) administering the altered biological fluid to the mammal.    
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein said biological fluid is selected from blood, plasma, serum and lymphatic fluid.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the blood is whole blood.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising the step of separating the whole blood into a cellular component and an acellular component or a fraction of the acellular component, wherein said acellular or said fraction of the acellular component contains a soluble TNFR.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , further comprising the step of combining the cellular component with the altered acellular component or altered fraction of the acellular component to produce altered whole blood.  
     
     
         63 . A method for stimulating an immune response in a mammal having a pathological condition comprising: 
 (a) obtaining a biological fluid from the mammal;    (b) contacting the biological fluid with two or more TNFα muteins having specific binding activity for a soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor;    (c) isolating the TNFα muteins bound to the soluble TNFR from the biological fluid to produce an altered biological fluid;    (f) administering the altered biological fluid to the mammal.    
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the two or more TNFα muteins are attached to an inert medium to form an absorbent matrix.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the two or more TNFα muteins are covalently joined to the inert medium.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein said biological fluid is selected from blood, plasma, serum and lymphatic fluid.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the blood is whole blood.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , further comprising the step of separating the whole blood into a cellular component and an acellular component or a fraction of the acellular component, wherein said acellular or said fraction of the acellular component contains a soluble TNFR.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , further comprising the step of combining the cellular component with the altered acellular component or altered fraction of the acellular component to produce altered whole blood.