Compounds and methods for treatment and diagnosis of chlamydial infection

Abstract

Compounds and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Chlamydial infection are disclosed. The compounds provided include polypeptides that contain at least one antigenic portion of a Chlamydia antigen and DNA sequences encoding such polypeptides. Pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptides or DNA sequences are also provided, together with antibodies directed against such polypeptides. Diagnostic kits containing such polypeptides or DNA sequences and a suitable detection reagent may be used for the detection of Chlamydial infection in patients and in biological samples.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a polypeptide, said polypeptide comprising:
 (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139; or   (ii) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139.   
     
     
         20 . A composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         21 . A composition according to  claim 20 , wherein the polypeptide comprises the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         22 . A composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         23 . A composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the polypeptide consists of:
 (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139; or   (ii) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139.   
     
     
         24 . A composition according to  claim 23 , wherein the polypeptide consists of an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         25 . A composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the polypeptide consists of the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         26 . A composition according to  claim 23 , wherein the polypeptide consists of an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         27 . A composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the polypeptide is a fusion protein. 
     
     
         28 . A composition according to  claim 27 , wherein the fusion protein comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         29 . A composition according to  claim 27 , wherein the fusion protein comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         30 . A composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide, said polypeptide comprising:
 (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139; or   (ii) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139.   
     
     
         31 . A composition comprising an immunostimulant and a polypeptide, said polypeptide comprising:
 (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139; or   (ii) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139.   
     
     
         32 . A composition according to  claim 31 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         33 . A composition according to  claim 32 , wherein the polypeptide comprises the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         34 . A composition according to  claim 31 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         35 . A composition according to  claim 31 , wherein the polypeptide consists of:
 (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139; or   (ii) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139.   
     
     
         36 . A composition according to  claim 35 , wherein the polypeptide consists of an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         37 . A composition according to  claim 36 , wherein the polypeptide consists of the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         38 . A composition according to  claim 35 , wherein the polypeptide consists of an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         39 . A composition according to  claim 31 , wherein the polypeptide is a fusion protein. 
     
     
         40 . A composition according to  claim 39 , wherein the fusion protein comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         41 . A composition according to  claim 39 , wherein the fusion protein comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139. 
     
     
         42 . A composition comprising an immunostimulant and a polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide, said polypeptide comprising:
 (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of residues 8 to 660 of SEQ ID NO: 139; or   (ii) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 139.   
     
     
         43 . A method for the treatment and/or prevention of chlamydial infection comprising administering an effective amount of a composition according to any one of  claims 19 ,  30 ,  31  or  42 .