Methods for prevention and treatment of inflammation using anti-chemokine antibodies

Abstract

The present invention provides a means of inhibiting the growth and metastasis of cancer cells by administering anti-chemokine antibodies. It is possible to identify the particular chemokines which are over-expressed in the tumor using methods of the invention and administer antibodies against that over-expressed chemokine.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of treating a mammal with inflammatory disease, comprising:
 a) exposing a tissue sample from said mammal to an antibody which binds specifically to CXCL13;   b) determining a level of expression of CXCL13 based on binding of said antibody to said tissue sample; and   c) if over-expression of CXCL13 is detected in said tissue sample of said mammal, administering to said mammal an effective amount of an antibody which binds specifically to CXCL13 for the treatment of said inflammatory disease,   wherein said inflammatory disease is arthritis, osteoarthritis or nephritis.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said mammal is a human. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said antibody is a humanized antibody. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in step c, said antibody is a chimeric antibody. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in step c, said antibody is administered directly into an inflamed tissue. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in step c, said antibody is administered parenterally. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in step c, said antibody is administered systemically. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in step c, said antibody is administered in a liquid carrier. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in step c, said antibody is administered on a solid support. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inflammatory disease is arthritis or osteoarthritis. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inflammatory disease is nephritis. 
     
     
         26 . A method of treating a mammal with inflammatory disease, comprising:
 a) determining the level of CXCL13 in a tissue sample in said mammal using PCR; and   b) if over-expression of CXCL13 is detected in said tissue sample of said mammal, administering to said mammal an effective amount of an antibody which binds specifically to CXCL13 for the treatment of said inflammatory disease,   wherein said inflammatory disease is arthritis, osteoarthritis or nephritis.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said antibody is administered directly into an inflamed tissue. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , said antibody is administered systemically. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said antibody is administered parenterally. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said antibody is administered on a solid support. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said antibody is a humanized antibody. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said antibody is a chimeric antibody. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said inflammatory disease is arthritis or osteoarthritis. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said inflammatory disease is nephritis.