Peptide for Protection of Allergic Respiratory Disorders

Abstract

A peptide (Peptide-1) based on the C-terminal of Equine CC10 has been discovered that can be used as a vaccine to protect horses from respiratory airway obstruction (RAO), Antibodies to Peptide-1 may also be administered for short-term passive immunotherapy to RAO-affected horses, and can be used to measure the level of CC10 protein in serum to identify potential RAO horses (horses with reduced CC10). Due to similarities between equine RAO and human asthma, this peptide or its antibodies may also be useful in treatment or prevention of human asthma.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An isolated, purified peptide with an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% homologous to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         2 . The isolated peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide has an amino acid sequence that is at least 85% homologous to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide has an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% homologous to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         4 . The isolated peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide has a sequence as in SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         5 . A medical composition comprising the isolated peptide of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         6 . A vaccine for mammalian respiratory disorders comprising the isolated peptide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . The vaccine of  claim 6 , wherein the peptide is covalently or non-covalently linked to a protein carrier. 
     
     
         8 . The vaccine of  claim 7 , wherein the protein carrier is keyhole limpet hemocyanin. 
     
     
         9 . The vaccine of  claim 6 , wherein the peptide is administered with an adjuvant or other pharmaceutically acceptable compound. 
     
     
         10 . The vaccine of  claim 9 , wherein the adjuvant is incomplete Feund's adjuvant. 
     
     
         11 . An isolated antibody to the peptide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . The antibody of  claim 11 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody. 
     
     
         13 . The antibody of  claim 11 , wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         14 . A method to treat or prevent a respiratory allergic disease in a mammal, said method comprising administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of the vaccine of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the mammal is a horse. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         17 . A method to increase treat or prevent respiratory airway disease in a mammal, said method comprising administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the mammal is a horse. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         20 . A method to detect mammals that are susceptible to respiratory airway disease, said method comprising measuring the levels of CC10 protein in the serum of a mammal using the antibody of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said mammal is a horse. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said mammal is a human. 
     
     
         23 . A method to detect mammals that are susceptible to respiratory airway disease, said method comprising measuring the levels of antibody to CC10 protein in the serum of a mammal using the isolated peptide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the mammal is a horse. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         26 . A DNA expression vector with a nucleic acid sequence encoding for the peptide as in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         27 . A method to treat or prevent a respiratory allergic disease in a mammal, said method comprising administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of the DNA expression vector of  claim 26 . 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the mammal is a horse. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the mammal is a human.