Rage protein derivatives

1 . A method of treating a condition characterized by activation of an inflammatory cytokine cascade in a subject, comprising administering to said subject a fusion protein, wherein
 said fusion protein comprises at least a first and a second polypeptide;   
       wherein:
 said first polypeptide consists of a fragment of a Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Product (RAGE) extracellular domain, wherein said fragment consists of amino acid residue 1 to amino acid residue 305 of SEQ ID NO: 2; and 
 said second polypeptide comprises an immunoglobulin element, wherein said immunoglobulin element comprises from about amino acid residue 101 to about amino acid residue 329 of SEQ ID NO: 4. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said immunoglobulin element comprises an Fc domain. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said immunoglobulin element comprises an immunoglobulin heavy chain. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said immunoglobulin element comprises a C H 1 domain and a Fc domain. 
     
     
         5 . A method of treating a condition characterized by activation of an inflammatory cytokine cascade in a subject, comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 a pharmaceutically-acceptable excipient; and   a fusion protein, wherein said fusion protein comprises at least a first and a second polypeptide; wherein:   said first polypeptide consists of a fragment of a Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Product (RAGE) extracellular domain, wherein said fragment consists of amino acid residue 1 to amino acid residue 305 of SEQ ID NO: 2; and   said second polypeptide comprises an immunoglobulin element, wherein said immunoglobulin element comprises from about amino acid residue 101 to about amino acid residue 329 of SEQ ID NO: 4.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said immunoglobulin element comprises an Fc domain. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said immunoglobulin element comprises an immunoglobulin heavy chain. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said immunoglobulin element comprises a C H 1 domain and a Fc domain. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said pharmaceutical composition further comprises an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds to an HMGB1 polypeptide or an antigenic fragment of said HMGB1 polypeptide. 
     
     
         10 . A method of treating a condition characterized by activation of an inflammatory cytokine cascade in a subject, comprising administering to said subject a fusion protein, wherein said fusion protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO: 6. 
     
     
         11 . A method of treating a condition characterized by activation of an inflammatory cytokine cascade in a subject, comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically-acceptable excipient and fusion protein, wherein said fusion protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO: 6. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said pharmaceutical composition further comprises an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds to an HMGB1 polypeptide or an antigenic fragment of said HMGB1 polypeptide.