Contiguous overlapping peptides for treatment of birch pollen allergy

Abstract

Contiguous overlapping peptides (COPs) for the treatment of allergic patients by Specific Immunotherapy (SIT) are provided from the sequence of the major allergen of birch pollen Bet v 1. Such peptides while providing all potential T cell epitopes are devoid of the 3D structure of the original allergen, therefore reducing their ability to bind IgE.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising a plurality of contiguous overlapping peptide fragments comprising a first peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acid 2 to amino acids 42-52 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said first peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained; a second polypeptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acids 42-52 to amino acids 96-131 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said second peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained and a third peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acids 96-131 to amino acid 160 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said third peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the first and second peptides overlap each other by 1 to 11 amino acids. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the second and third peptides overlap each other by 5 to 20 amino acids. 
     
     
         4 . A peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acid 2 to amino acids 42-52 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained. 
     
     
         5 . A peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acids 42-52 to amino acids 96-131 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained. 
     
     
         6 . A peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acids 96-131 to amino acid 160 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of anyone of  claim 4 ,  5  or  6  which is provided in dry powdered form. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of anyone of  claim 4 ,  5  or  6  further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8  further comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the adjuvant is aluminium hydroxide. 
     
     
         11 . A method of specific immunotherapy against birch pollen allergies comprising administering to a patient in need thereof one or more allergens selected from the group consisting of a first peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acid 2 to amino acids 42-52 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said first peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained; a second polypeptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acids 42-52 to amino acids 96-131 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said second peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained and a third peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acids 96-131 to amino acid 160 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said third peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the peptides are administered using intradermal injection, subcutaneous injection, intramuscular injection, intravenous injection, transdermal, intranasal, oral, sublingual, intraocular, or intrathecal techniques. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the patient is treated with the combination of each of a first peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acid 2 to amino acids 42-52 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said first peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained; a second peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acids 42-52 to amino acids 96-131 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said second peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained and a third peptide consisting of the sequence from amino acids 96-131 to amino acid 160 of SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the reactivity of said third peptide having 90% sequence identity with the peptide to IgE antibodies of subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is eliminated while the reactivity with the T lymphocytes from subjects who are allergic to birch pollen is retained. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first and second peptides overlap each other by at least 1 to 11 amino acids. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the second and third peptides overlap each other by at least 5-20 amino acids.