Immune system modulators

Abstract

The present invention described herein relates to compositions that interact with molecules that suppress the immune system. More specifically, embodiments described herein concern the discovery, manufacture, and use of compositions that remove immunosuppression the immune system by binding to immunoregulatory peptides that interact with receptors on immune cells, compositions the can stimulate immune cells, and compositions that are cytotoxic to tumor cells.

1 .- 88 . (canceled) 
     
     
         89 . A method of binding a cancer cell or an immune cell with an isolated peptide the method comprising:
 contacting the cancer cell or the immune cell with the isolated peptide, the isolated peptide comprising the amino acid sequence FFVKLS (SEQ ID NO: 62), wherein the isolated peptide comprises no more than 30 amino acid residues; and   detecting the binding of said isolated peptide to said cancer cell or immune cell.   
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide comprises a detectable moiety. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 90 , wherein the detectable moiety comprises a biotinylated label, a radioactive label, a fluorescent label, an enzyme, or a colloidal gold label. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the cancer cell is a colorectal cancer cell, a renal cancer cell, a breast cancer cell, a skin cancer cell, an ovarian cancer cell, a prostate cancer cell, a pancreatic cancer cell, a lung cancer cell, a malignant melanoma cell, a small cell lung cancer cell, a non-small lung cancer (adenocarcinoma) cell, a squamous cell carcinoma cell, a bladder cancer cell, an osteosarcoma cell, a bronchial cancer cell, or a hematopoietic cell cancer cell. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the immune cell is selected from the group consisting of a leukocyte, a PBMC, a lymphocytes, a monocyte, and a macrophage. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the immune cell is selected from the group consisting of an immunosuppressor cell, a regulatory T-cell, an immature dendritic cell, a tumor associated macrophage, and a myeloid-derived suppressor cell. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide binds to at least one of: an aggregate of albumin, a denatured albumin, a damaged albumin, or a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 185. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein said peptide comprises an antibody fragment. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 89 , further comprising binding an antibody or fragment thereof to the peptide to detect the presence of the peptide. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide comprises no more than 29 amino acid residues. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide comprises no more than 16 amino acid residues. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide comprises no more than 8 amino acid residues. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide consists of the amino acid sequence FFVKLS (SEQ ID NO: 62). 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide comprises the amino acid sequence KKLDTFFVKLSLFTER (SEQ ID NO: 2). 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide consists of the amino acid sequence KKLDTFFVKLSLFTER (SEQ ID NO: 2). 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide comprises the amino acid sequence RKLDTFFVKLSLFTERRR (SEQ ID NO: 586). 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the isolated peptide consists of the amino acid sequence RKLDTFFVKLSLFTERRR (SEQ ID NO: 586).