Antibody therapy for use in the digestive tract

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, the development and use of antibodies within the digestive tract is provided. Antibodies are described that are used to treat disorders associated with altered permeability of the digestive tract. Antibodies are described with increased stability within the environment of the digestive tract. Antibodies are described with enhanced permeability to a compromised digestive tract.

1 . A stabilized antibody for topical administration to the digestive tract. 
     
     
         2 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is enriched for least one carbohydrate moiety that confers enhanced stability against oral or gastric degradation of the antibody. 
     
     
         3 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is stabilized by adding at least one carbohydrate moiety that confers enhanced stability against oral or gastric degradation of the antibody after the antibody has been synthesized. 
     
     
         4 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody has been treated with enzymes to add carbohydrate molecules that confer enhanced stability against oral or gastric degradation of the antibody. 
     
     
         5 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody has been genetically engineered to express the hinge region sequence from bovine IgG1. 
     
     
         6 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody. 
     
     
         7 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         8 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a fragment of an antibody. 
     
     
         9 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody derived from milk or colostrum. 
     
     
         10 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody isolated from egg yolks. 
     
     
         11 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody that is enriched for at least one carbohydrate that confers increased stability to oral or gastric degradation wherein the carbohydrate is an O-linked carbohydrate attached to a Ser or Thr residue in the hinge region of the antibody. 
     
     
         12 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody that has been treated with enzymes to add at least one carbohydrate that confers increased stability to oral or gastric degradation wherein the carbohydrate is an O-linked carbohydrate attached to a Ser or Thr residue in the hinge region of the antibody. 
     
     
         13 . A method of preparing a stabilized antibody of  claim 1 , comprising the step of fractionating an antibody preparation based on the expression of at least one carbohydrate moiety that confers increased stability to oral or gastric degradation using lectin-based chromatography. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one lectin used in the lectin-based chromatograph is jacalin. 
     
     
         15 - 34 . (canceled)