Method of passive immunization

Abstract

This invention relates to compositions and methods which provide protection against, or reduce the severity of toxic shock and septic shock from bacterial infections. More particularly it relates to peptides derived from homologous sequences of the family of staphylococcal and streptococcal toxins, which may be polymeric, and carrier-conjugates thereof. The invention also relates to serum antibodies induced by the peptides and carrier-conjugates and their use to prevent, treat, or protect against the toxic effects of most, if not all, of the staphylococcal and streptococcal toxins. The invention also relates to diagnostic assays and kits to detect the presence of staphylococcal and streptococcal toxins, or antibodies thereto. The invention also relates isolated and purified to nucleic acids encoding the peptides of the invention and Transformed host cells containing those nucleic acids.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of passively immunizing a mammal against the toxic effects of staphylococcal and streptococcal toxins comprising administering in vivo to the mammal an immunologically sufficient amount of an antibody directed to a peptide comprising a consensus amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of X 25 X 26 YGGX 1 TX 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 N (SEQ ID NO: 28) and KX 6 X 7 X 8 X 9 X 10 X 11 X 12 X 13 DX 14 X 15 X 16 RX 17 X 8 X 27 X 19 X 20 X 21 X 22 X 23 X 24 Y (SEQ ID NO:29), wherein X 1 , X 8 , X 13  and X 24  are each independently selected from the group consisting of L, I and V; X 2 , X 4 , X 5 , X 6 , X 7 , X 9 , X 10 , X 11 , X 12 , X 14 , X 15 , X 16 , X 17 , X 18  X 19 , X 20 , X 21 , X 22 , and X 23  are each independently selected from the group consisting of any amino acid; X 3 , X 25  and X 26  are each independently selected from the group consisting of any amino acid and of no amino acid; and X 27  is selected from the group consisting of L and Y. 
     
     
         21 . A method of  claim 20  wherein said antibody is directed to a peptide having a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:4; SEQ ID NO:5; SEQ ID NO:6; SEQ ID NO:7; and SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence 
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                   (SEQ ID NO:8) 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   CMYGGVTEHEGNKKNVTVQELDYKIRKYLVDNKKLYGC. 
                     
                 
             
                
               
            
             
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the antibody is administered at a dose in the range of from about 1 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg body weight of the mammal. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         25 - 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the antibody is administered at a dose in the range of from about 1 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg body weight of the mammal. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the mammal is a human.