Compositions and methods modulating variola and vaccinia virus

Abstract

Antibodies directed to SPICE and VCP which may be used for detection, prevention, and treatment of variola virus or vaccinia virus are provided. Recombinant SPICE and VCP proteins are also provided which are used for enhancing the immune response to variola or vaccinia virus and modulating of complement activation. Methods and kits for detecting nucleic acid sequences encoding SPICE and VCP are also provided.

1 . An antibody directed against SPICE or VCP.  
     
     
         2 . A composition comprising at least one antibody directed against SPICE or VCP and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         3 . A method for producing an antibody to SPICE comprising immunizing an animal with a complement regulatory protein so that antibodies are produced and identifying the antibodies that cross-react with SPICE.  
     
     
         4 . A method for preventing or treating variola or vaccinia virus infections comprising administering an effective amount of at least one antibody of  claim 1  so that signs or symptoms of variola or vaccinia virus are prevented or reduced.  
     
     
         5 . A method for preventing or treating variola or vaccinia virus infections comprising administering an effective amount of the composition of  claim 2  so that signs or symptoms of variola or vaccinia virus are prevented or reduced.  
     
     
         6 . A method of modulating side effects of vaccinia virus vaccination comprising administering the composition of  claim 2  so that side effects of vaccinia virus are prevented or reduced.  
     
     
         7 . A method of method of preventing or treating variola or vaccinia virus infections comprising administering an effective amount of nucleic acid sequences encoding SPICE or VCP so that signs or symptoms of variola or vaccinia virus are prevented or reduced.  
     
     
         8 . A method of diagnosing the presence of variola or vaccinia virus comprising detecting the presence of SPICE or VCP or nucleic acid sequences encoding SPICE or VCP in a sample.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein detecting the presence of SPICE or VCP comprises contacting an antibody of  claim 1  with a sample such that said antibody binds to an epitope of SPICE or VCP if said epitope is contained in the sample and detecting the presence of bound antibody.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein detecting SPICE or VCP comprises the use of an enzyme-linked immunoassay.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein detecting nucleic acid sequences encoding SPICE or VCP consists of the steps: 
 (a) contacting DNA from a sample with a primer located 5′ and a primer located 3′ of a SspI restriction site of the SCR4 region of SPICE;    (b) amplifying, from said DNA, nucleic acid sequences encoding SPICE or VCP with a polymerase chain reaction;    (c) restricting said nucleic acid sequences with endonuclease SspI; and    (d) detecting the presence of nucleic acid sequences restricted with SspI.    
     
     
         12 . A kit for detecting the presence of SPICE or VCP polypeptides comprising the antibody of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         13 . A kit for detecting the presence of nucleic acid sequences encoding SPICE or VCP comprising primer of SEQ ID NO:12.  
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13 , further comprising a primer of SEQ ID NO:11 or SEQ ID NO:13.  
     
     
         15 . A fusion protein comprising a tag fused to a complement regulatory protein that binds complement components.  
     
     
         16 . The fusion protein of  claim 15  wherein the tag comprises polyhistidine.  
     
     
         17 . The fusion protein of  claim 15  wherein the protein comprises VCP or SPICE.  
     
     
         18 . The fusion protein of  claim 15  wherein the complement components comprise C4b, C3b, iC3b 1 , iC3b 2 , or iC4b.  
     
     
         19 . A method for modulating complement activation comprising contacting the fusion protein of  claim 15  with a cell, tissue, or bodily fluid so that complement activation is modulated.  
     
     
         20 . A vaccine comprising SPICE or VCP or derivatives or fusion proteins thereof or nucleic acid sequences encoding SPICE or VCP.