Modulating disease through genetic engineering of plants

Abstract

In certain embodiments transgenic plants (e.g., transgenic tomatoes) are provided that comprise cells that express a peptide one or more domains of which comprise the amino acid sequence of an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide where the peptide has biological activity (e.g., lowers SAA, and/or increases paroxonase activity, and/or improves HDL inflammatory index, etc.) when the plant and/or the peptide is fed to a mammal.

1 . A transgenic plant comprising cells that express a peptide one or more domains of which comprise the amino acid sequence of an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide where said transgenic plant or a portion thereof and/or said peptide has biological activity. 
     
     
         2 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The transgenic plant accord of  claim 1 , wherein said amino acid sequence comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of DWLKAFYDKFFEKFKEFF (6F, SEQ ID NO:17), FFEKFKEFFKDYFAKLWD (rev6F, SEQ ID NO: 25), DWFKAFYDKVAEKFKEAF (4F, SEQ ID NO:15), FAEKFKEAVKDYFAKFWD (rev4F, SEQ ID NO: 23), LLEQLNEQFNWVSRLANL (SEQ ID NO:609), and LVGRQLEEFL (SEQ ID NO:612). 
     
     
         7 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A seed, a fruit, a leaf, a root or tuber, a cutting, or a clone of a transgenic plant according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         27 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A peptide expressed in a plant where at least one domain of said peptide comprises an apolipoprotein mimetic and where said peptide is not ApoA-I or apoA-I milano. 
     
     
         37 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . A food comprising at least a portion of a transgenic plant capable of being ingested for its nutritional value, said plant expressing a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic, wherein said food comprises a transgenic plant according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         55 - 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . A protein powder, wherein at least a portion of said protein powder comprises an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide according to  claim 36 . 
     
     
         65 - 68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . A nutritional supplement comprising:
 a transgenic plant of  claim 1  or a portion of said plant; and/or an   apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide expressed in said transgenic plant.   
     
     
         70 - 72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . A method for the treatment or prophylaxis of a pathology characterized by an inflammatory response, said method comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof an effective amount of:
 at least a portion of a transgenic plant comprising cells that express a peptide one or more domains of which comprise the amino acid sequence of an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide where said transgenic plant or a portion thereof and/or said peptide has biological activity; and/or   an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide expressed in said transgenic plant; and/or   a food according comprising a portion of said transgenic plant; and/or   a protein powder according comprising a portion of said transgenic plant; and/or   a nutritional supplement comprising a portion of said transgenic plant.   
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein said transgenic plant expresses a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of DWLKAFYDKFFEKFKEFF (6F, SEQ ID NO:17), FFEKFKEFFKDYFAKLWD (rev6F, SEQ ID NO: 25), DWFKAFYDKVAEKFKEAF (4F, SEQ ID NO:15), FAEKFKEAVKDYFAKFWD (rev4F, SEQ ID NO: 23), LLEQLNEQFNWVSRLANL (SEQ ID NO:609), and LVGRQLEEFL (SEQ ID NO:612). 
     
     
         75 - 94 . (canceled) 
     
     
         95 . A method of preventing or reducing the uptake of one or more dietary pro-inflammatory micro-lipid components in a mammal, said method comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of:
 at least a portion of a transgenic plant comprising cells that express a peptide one or more domains of which comprise the amino acid sequence of an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide where said transgenic plant or a portion thereof and/or said peptide has biological activity; and/or   an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide expressed in said transgenic plant; and/or   a food according comprising a portion of said transgenic plant; and/or   a protein powder according comprising a portion of said transgenic plant; and/or   a nutritional supplement comprising a portion of said transgenic plant.   
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein said transgenic plant expresses a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of DWLKAFYDKFFEKFKEFF (6F, SEQ ID NO:17), FFEKFKEFFKDYFAKLWD (rev6F, SEQ ID NO: 25), DWFKAFYDKVAEKFKEAF (4F, SEQ ID NO:15), FAEKFKEAVKDYFAKFWD (rev4F, SEQ ID NO: 23), LLEQLNEQFNWVSRLANL (SEQ ID NO:609), and LVGRQLEEFL (SEQ ID NO:612). 
     
     
         97 - 116 . (canceled) 
     
     
         117 . An isolated nucleic acid that encodes a peptide one or more domains of which comprise the amino acid sequence of an apolipoprotein mimetic peptide, wherein the codons of said nucleic acid are optimized for expression in a plant. 
     
     
         118 - 126 . (canceled) 
     
     
         127 . A vector that expresses an apolipoprotein mimetic peptide at an effective concentration when transfected into a plant, said vector comprising a nucleic acid according to  claim 117 . 
     
     
         128 - 140 . (canceled) 
     
     
         141 . A plant cell transfected with a nucleic acid according to  claim 117 , wherein said plant cell expresses said peptide one or more domains of which comprise the amino acid sequence of an apolipoprotein mimetic peptide. 
     
     
         142 - 147 . (canceled) 
     
     
         148 . A method for producing a transgenic plant that expresses a peptide comprising at least one domain that encodes an apolipoprotein mimetic, said method comprising:
 providing a vector according to  claim 127 ;   transforming a plant cell with said vector or DNA fragment;   propagating a plant from said cell.   
     
     
         149 - 161 . (canceled) 
     
     
         162 . A food or food ingredient comprising at least a portion of a transgenic plant capable of being ingested for its nutritional value and/or taste, wherein a tissue of the plant comprising said food or food ingredient comprises a peptide recombinantly expressed in cells comprising said tissue where said peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of an apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic peptide where said food or food ingredient, when fed to a mammal has biological activity. 
     
     
         163 - 198 . (canceled)