Methods of using single domain antibodies directed against ebola virus

Abstract

This invention provides compositions and methods to treat a condition or disease without the use of exogenous targeting sequences or chemical compositions. The present invention relates to single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), proteins and polypeptides comprising the sdAbs that are directed against targets that cause a condition or disease. The invention also includes nucleic acids encoding the sdAbs, proteins and polypeptides, and compositions comprising the sdAbs. The invention includes the use of the compositions, sdAbs, and nucleic acids encoding the sdAbs for prophylactic, therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a disease, preventing development of a disease, or preventing recurrence of a disease in a subject using an anti-Ebola VP24 sdAb comprising an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 55, the method comprising administering an effective amount of the anti-Ebola VP24 sdAb to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-Ebola VP24 sdAb is administered in combination with one or more compounds. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more compounds is an anti-viral compound. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein administering an effective amount of the anti-Ebola VP24 sdAb to a subject in need thereof comprises intravenous administration, intramuscular administration, oral administration, rectal administration, enteral administration, parenteral administration, intraocular administration, subcutaneous administration, transdermal administration, administered as eye drops, administered as nasal spray, administered by inhalation or nebulization, topical administration, and administered as an implantable drug. 
     
     
         7 . A method of measuring the levels of an anti-Ebola VP24 sdAb in a sample from a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) generating a mouse monoclonal antibody directed against one or more domains of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:55;   b) obtaining a sample from the subject;   c) performing a quantitative immunoassay with the mouse monoclonal antibody and the sample to determine the amount of sdAb in a subject; and   d) quantifying the amount of sdAb in the subject.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the quantitative immunoassay comprises an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), specific analyte labeling and recapture assay (SALRA), liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating a disease, preventing development of a disease, or preventing recurrence of a disease in a subject using an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 55, the method comprising administering an effective amount of the isolated peptide comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 55 to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the subject is a mammal. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 55 is administered in combination with one or more compounds. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more compounds is an anti-viral compound. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein administering an effective amount of the isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 55 to a subject in need thereof comprises intravenous administration, intramuscular administration, oral administration, rectal administration, enteral administration, parenteral administration, intraocular administration, subcutaneous administration, transdermal administration, administered as eye drops, administered as nasal spray, administered by inhalation or nebulization, topical administration, and administered as an implantable drug.