House Dust Mite Allergen

Abstract

A polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or comprising at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 : A polypeptide comprising
 an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or   comprising at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or   having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof,   wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1.   
     
     
         17 : The polypeptide according to  claim 16 , characterised in that the amino acid sequence is at least 70%, identical to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         18 : The polypeptide according to  claim 16 , characterised in that the amino acid sequence is at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         19 : The polypeptide according to  claim 16 , characterised in that the amino acid sequence is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         20 : The polypeptide according to  claim 16 , characterised in that the amino acid sequence is at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         21 : The polypeptide according to  claim 16 , characterised in that the amino acid sequence is identical to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         22 : The polypeptide according to  claim 16 , characterised in that said polypeptide is hypoallergenic. 
     
     
         23 : The polypeptide according to any one of  claim 16 , characterised in that said amino acid fragments are fused together in an order differing from the order of said fragments in SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         24 : The polypeptide according to any one of  claim 16 , characterised in that said at least one amino acid fragment selected from the group consisting of amino acid molecules comprising amino acids 5 to 13, 9 to 17, 10 to 18, 11 to 19, 12 to 20, 16 to 24, 17 to 25, 43 to 51, 44 to 52, 45 to 53, 47 to 55, 51 to 59 and 60 to 68 of SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         25 : A DNA molecule encoding a polypeptide according to  claim 16 . 
     
     
         26 : A vector comprising the DNA molecule according to  claim 21 . 
     
     
         27 : A cell transformed with the vector according to  claim 22 . 
     
     
         28 : An antibody that binds a polypeptide according to any one of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         29 : A vaccine formulation comprising a polypeptide according to any one of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         30 : A vaccine formulation comprising an antibody according to  claim 24 . 
     
     
         31 : A method for diagnosing an allergy in an individual comprising the step of:
 exposing an individual to a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or comprising at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1.   
     
     
         32 : A pharmaceutical composition comprising
 a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or comprising at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1.   
     
     
         33 : The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 32 , further comprising one or more adjuvants, diluents, preservatives or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         34 : The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 32 , wherein the polypeptide comprises between 10 ng to 1 g of the polypeptide. 
     
     
         35 : The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 32 , wherein the polypeptide comprises between 100 ng to 10 mg of the polypeptide. 
     
     
         36 : The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 32 , wherein the polypeptide comprises between 0.5 μg to 200 μg of the polypeptide. 
     
     
         37 : A pharmaceutical composition comprising
 antibody that binds a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or comprising at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1.   
     
     
         38 : The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 37 , further comprising one or more adjuvants, diluents, preservatives or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         39 : The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 37 , wherein the polypeptide comprises between 10 ng to 1 g of the polypeptide. 
     
     
         40 : The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 37 , wherein the polypeptide comprises between 100 ng to 10 mg of the polypeptide. 
     
     
         41 : The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 37 , wherein the polypeptide comprises between 0.5 μg to 200 μg of the polypeptide. 
     
     
         42 : A method of preventing an allergen sensitisation comprising the step of:
 exposing an individual to a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or comprising at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1.   
     
     
         43 : A method of preventing allergen sensitisation comprising the step of:
 exposing an individual to an antibody that binds a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or comprising at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1; or having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1.