B7-related nucleic acids and polypeptides useful for immunomodulation

Abstract

The present invention provides nucleic acids encoding B7-related factors that modulate the activation of immune or inflammatory response cells, such as T-cells. Also provided are expression vectors and fusion constructs comprising nucleic acids encoding B7-related polypeptides, including BSL1, BSL2, and BSL3. The present invention further provides isolated B7-related polypeptides, isolated fusion proteins comprising B7-related polypeptides, and antibodies that are specifically reactive with B7-related polypeptides, or portions thereof. In addition, the present invention provides assays utilizing B7-related nucleic acids, polypeptides, or peptides. The present invention further provides compositions of B7-related nucleic acids, polypeptides, fusion proteins, or antibodies that are useful for the immunomodulation of a human or animal subject.

1 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
         54 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising at least 20 contiguous amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
         55 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
         56 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence comprising at least 60 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         57 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence comprising at least 25 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         58 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence that is complementary to the sequence of the nucleic acid molecule to any one of  claims 53 - 57 . 
     
     
         59 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising:
 (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding an extracellular domain of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; and   (b) a nucleotide sequence encoding an Fc domain of immunoglobulin G.   
     
     
         60 . A vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of any one of  claims 53 - 57 . 
     
     
         61 . A vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 58 . 
     
     
         62 . A host cell comprising the vector of  claim 60 , wherein the host cell is bacterial, yeast, insect, mammalian, or plant cell. 
     
     
         63 . A host cell comprising the vector of  claim 61  wherein the host cell is bacterial, yeast, insect, mammalian, or plant cell.