Therapeutic targeting of escort proteins

Abstract

The invention provides for inhibition of viral disease by the provision to a mammalian host of antibodies directed against an escort protein like Tsg101. These proteins appear on the surface of a cell, and thus can be bound by circulating antibodies thereto. By binding escort proteins on the cell surface, budding of viral particles is inhibited. The virus infects the initial cells, but cannot escape that cell to infect the body en masse.

1 . A method of inhibiting viral disease selected from the group consisting of HIV-I, HIV-II, HTLV_I, Ebola, Marburg, HBV, HCV, EBV, herpesviruses, adenorivuses and measles virus in a mammal, which comprises providing to said mammal an effective amount of at least one antibody that binds at least one escort protein that is associated with viral budding of a viral agent responsible for said viral disease. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one antibody binds NEDD4. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a second antibody which binds to at least a second escort protein is provided to said mammal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody is provided to said mammal by injecting said mammal with an amount of said antibody sufficient to provide an effective circulating titer of said antibody. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody is provided to said mammal by inoculating said mammal with an agent which induces an antibody generating immune response in said mammal, wherein antibodies generated by said response bind to said escort protein. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said antibody is provided to said mammal prophylactically to prevent symptoms associated with said viral disease from occurring. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody is provided to said mammal in association with an exposure of said mammal to a source of a virus which induces said viral disease in said mammal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mammal is a human. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mammal is a commercial animal selected from the group consisting of pigs, sheep, cows, horses and goats. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody is a monoclonal antibody modified to be acceptable for therapeutic administration to humans. 
     
     
         11 . A therapeutic composition which, when administered to a mammal, provides said mammal with a circulating titer of an antibody which binds to an escort protein present in said mammal in conjunction with viral budding on the surface of virally infected cells of said mammal, whereby binding of said antibody to said escort protein inhibits said viral budding. 
     
     
         12 . A composition of  claim 11 , wherein said composition comprises an effective amount of said antibody that binds to said escort protein. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said composition comprises an effective amount of an immunogen which, when administered to said mammal, induces an antibody-generating immune response in said mammal, wherein said antibody so expressed binds to said escort protein. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said antibody is a monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said composition provides to said mammal a plurality of antibodies in an effective amount, wherein each of said antibodies binds to a different escort complex. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said antibody binds to at least two of said escort proteins. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said escort protein is NEDD4,