Peptide Domain Required For Interaction Between The Envelope of a Virus Pertaining to The Herv-W Interference Group and an Hasct Receptor

Abstract

The invention relates to a peptide domain required for interaction between the envelope of a virus pertaining to the HERV-W interference group and a hASCT receptor, comprising an N end point and a C end point. Said peptide domain is defined, at the N end point thereof, by a pattern formed by the amino acids L (Z)-proline-cysteine-X-cysteine in which Z is any amino acid, is a whole number between 2 and 30, and X is any amino acid, and at the C end point thereof, by a pattern formed by the amino acids serine-aspartic acid-Xa-Xb-Xc-Xd-Xe-aspartic acid-Xf-Xg-(Z) in which Xa, Xb, Xc, Xd, Xe, Xf, Xg are any amino acids, Z is any amino acid, B is a whole number between 15 and 25, preferably 20. The peptide domain comprises, between the N end point and the C end point, at least one pattern selected from the following patterns: a pattern formed by the amino acids cysteine-X2-X3-X4-X5-X6-cysteine in which X2, X3, X4, X5, X6 are any amino acids, and a pattern formed by the amino acids cysteine-X7-X8-X9-X10-X11-X12-X13-X14-X15-cysteine-trytophane in which X7, X8, X9, X10, X11, X12, X13, X14, X15 are any amino acids.

1 . A peptide domain necessary for an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the peptide domain comprising:
 an N-terminus motif having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 1 to SEQ ID No. 29,   a C-terminus motif having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 30 to SEQ ID No. 40, and   at least one motif between the N-terminus and the C-terminus, and having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 41, SEQ ID No. 42 and SEQ ID No. 73.   
   
   
       2 . A nucleotide sequence encoding a peptide domain as defined in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       3 . An epitope derived from the peptide domain of  claim 1 , wherein the epitope induces an immune response against a virus belonging to the HERV-W interference group. 
   
   
       4 . A nucleotide sequence encoding an epitope as defined in  claim 3 . 
   
   
       5 . An expression vector comprising:
 the nucleotide sequence of  claim 2 , and   elements necessary for expressing the nucleotide sequence.   
   
   
       6 . A microorganism or host cell transformed with at least one expression vector as defined in  claim 5 . 
   
   
       7 . An antibody directed against a peptide domain as defined in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       8 . A method of inhibiting, preventing and/or treating in an animal an infection caused by a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, the method comprising:
 administering to the animal, in an effective amount, a composition comprising as an active substance at least one peptide domain of  claim 1  and elements necessary for a constitutive and/or inducible expression of said peptide domain.   
   
   
       9 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising, as an active substance, at least one peptide domain of  claim 1  and elements necessary for a constitutive and/or inducible expression of said peptide domain, and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. 
   
   
       10 . A diagnostic composition for detecting and/or quantifying a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, and/or for quantifying an immune response against said virus, the composition comprising at least one peptide domain of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       11 . A method for detecting and/or quantifying virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group in a biological sample taken from an individual liable to be infected by said virus, the method comprising:
 contacting said biological sample with at least one antibody of  claim 7  under conditions allowing formation of a complex between the virus and the antibody, and   detecting and/or quantifying the formation of said complex.   
   
   
       12 . A method of in vitro screening of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group in a biological sample or specimen, the method comprising:
 contacting the composition of  claim 10  with the biological sample or specimen, and   determining whether an immune response to the virus is produced.   
   
   
       13 . A method of inhibiting an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the method comprising contacting the peptide domain of  claim 1  with said hASCT receptor. 
   
   
       14 . A method of identifying chemical or biological molecules whose interaction with all or part of the peptide domain of  claim 1  blocks an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the method comprising:
 contacting at least one chemical or biological molecule with the peptide domain of  claim 1 ; and   detecting whether interaction occurs between the envelope of the virus belonging to the HERV-W interference group and the hASCT receptor.   
   
   
       15 . A method of generating antibodies which block an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the method comprising inoculating an animal or cultured cells with the peptide domain of  claim 1 , thereby inducing the animal or cultured cells to generate antibodies directed against the peptide domain of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       16 . A method of determining a peptide domain necessary for an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the method comprising:
 identifying a nucleotide and/or peptide sequence of a precursor envelope of said virus,   excluding a signal part of said sequence,   detecting an amino acid motif having an amino acid sequence corresponding to SEQ ID No. 43, and   excluding a C-terminus in the amino acid sequence between 15 and 25 amino acid positions after the amino acid motif having an amino acid sequence corresponding to SEQ ID No. 43.   
   
   
       17 . A peptide domain determined by the method of  claim 16 . 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the animal is a human. 
   
   
       19 . An antibody produced by the method of  claim 15 . 
   
   
       20 . A method of producing a peptide domain necessary for an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the method comprising:
 transforming a microorganism or a host cell with at least one expression vector of  claim 5 ,   culturing the transformed microorganism or host cell, and   recovering the peptide domain produced by the microorganism or host cell.   
   
   
       21 . An expression vector comprising:
 the nucleotide sequence of  claim 4 , and   elements necessary for expressing the nucleotide sequence.   
   
   
       22 . A microorganism or host cell transformed with at least one expression vector of  claim 21 . 
   
   
       23 . A method of producing a peptide domain necessary for an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the method comprising:
 transforming a microorganism or host cell with at least one expression vector of  claim 21 ,   culturing the transformed microorganism or host cell, and   recovering the peptide domain produced by the microorganism or host cell.   
   
   
       24 . An antibody directed against the epitope of  claim 3 . 
   
   
       25 . A method of inhibiting, preventing and/or treating in an animal an infection caused by a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, the method comprising:
 administering to the animal, in an effective amount, a composition comprising as an active substance at least one epitope of  claim 3  and elements necessary for a constitutive and/or inducible expression of said epitope.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the animal is a human. 
   
   
       27 . A method of inhibiting, preventing and/or treating in an animal an infection caused by a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, the method comprising:
 administering to the animal, in an effective amount, a composition comprising as an active substance at least one antibody of  claim 7 .   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the animal is a human. 
   
   
       29 . A method of inhibiting, preventing and/or treating in an animal an infection caused by a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, the method comprising:
 administering to the animal, in an effective amount, a composition comprising as an active substance at least one nucleotide sequence of  claim 2 .   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the animal is a human. 
   
   
       31 . A method of inhibiting, preventing and/or treating in an animal an infection caused by a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, the method comprising:
 administering to the animal, in an effective amount, a composition comprising as an active substance at least one nucleotide sequence of  claim 4 .   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the animal is a human. 
   
   
       33 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising, as an active substance, at least one epitope of  claim 3  and elements necessary for a constitutive and/or inducible expression of said epitope, and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. 
   
   
       34 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising, as an active substance, at least one nucleotide sequence of  claim 2 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. 
   
   
       35 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising, as an active substance, at least one nucleotide sequence of  claim 4 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. 
   
   
       36 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising, as an active substance, at least one antibody of  claim 7 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. 
   
   
       37 . A diagnostic composition for detecting and/or quantifying a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, and/or for quantifying an immune response against said virus, the composition comprising at least one epitope of  claim 3 . 
   
   
       38 . A diagnostic composition for detecting and/or quantifying a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, and/or for quantifying an immune response against said virus, the composition comprising at least one nucleotide sequence of  claim 2 . 
   
   
       39 . A diagnostic composition for detecting and/or quantifying a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, and/or for quantifying an immune response against said virus, the composition comprising at least one nucleotide sequence of  claim 4 . 
   
   
       40 . A diagnostic composition for detecting and/or quantifying a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group, and/or for quantifying an immune response against said virus, the composition comprising at least one antibody of  claim 7 . 
   
   
       41 . A method of inhibiting an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the method comprising contacting the epitope of  claim 3  with said hASCT receptor. 
   
   
       42 . A method of inhibiting an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor, the method comprising contacting the antibody of  claim 7  with said envelope.