Antibodies to peptides that target GIT transport receptors and related methods

Abstract

The invention provides an antibody or antibody fragment specific to a domain of a GIT targeting agent, such as a polyclonal antibody, monoclonal antibody, chimeric antibody, single chain antibody, a Fab fragment or a Fab expression library. In particular, the invention provides an antibody or antibody fragment, wherein the GIT targeting agent is selected from the group consisting of ZElan033 (PAX2 15 mer), ZElan088 (HAX42-2 20 mer) or ZElan053 (P31 D-form 16 mer). Numerous methods using these GIT targeting agent specific antibodies are disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An antibody or antibody fragment specific to a domain of a GIT targeting agent.  
     
     
         2 . The antibody or antibody fragment of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antibody fragment is selected from the group consisting of a polyclonal antibody, monoclonal antibody, chimeric antibody, single chain antibody, a Fab fragment or a Fab expression library.  
     
     
         3 . The antibody or antibody fragment of  claim 1 , wherein the GIT targeting agent is selected from the group consisting of ZElan033 (PAX2 15 mer), ZElan088 (HAX42-2 20 mer) or ZElan053 (P31 D-form 16 mer).  
     
     
         4 . A method of making an antibody or antibody fragment of  claim 1 , comprising the steps of (a) contacting a GIT targeting agent with the immune system of an animal under conditions conducive to formation of antibodies in a body fluid of the animal and (b) recovering the antibody or antibody fragment from the body fluid of the animal.  
     
     
         5 . A method of identifying the presence of a GIT targeting agent in a composition or quantitating the amount of a GIT targeting agent in a composition, wherein the composition comprises the GIT targeting agent bound to an active agent, comprising the steps of (a) contacting an antibody or an antibody fragment specific to a domain of the GIT targeting agent with the composition under conditions conducive to binding between the antibody or antibody fragment and the GIT targeting agent; and (b) detecting the amount of antibody or antibody fragment that specifically binds to the GIT targeting agent.  
     
     
         6 . A method of identifying the location of a GIT targeting agent in a composition, wherein the composition comprises the GIT targeting agent bound to an active agent, comprising the steps of (a) contacting an antibody or an antibody fragment specific to a domain of the GIT targeting agent with the composition under conditions conducive to binding between the antibody or antibody fragment and the GIT targeting agent; and (b) visualizing the position of the antibody or antibody fragment that specifically binds to the GIT targeting agent.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the composition comprises an active agent loaded nano- or microparticle bound to the GIT targeting agent.  
     
     
         8 . A method of identifying the location of a GIT targeting agent following contact of a GIT targeting agent-containing composition with human or animal gastro-intestinal tissue, comprising the steps of (a) contacting an antibody or an antibody fragment specific to a domain of the GIT targeting agent with the composition under conditions conducive to binding between the antibody or antibody fragment and the GIT targeting agent; and (b) detecting the location of the antibody or antibody fragment that specifically binds to the GIT targeting agent.