Nucleic acids encoding biologically active polypeptides derived from a novel early stage pregnancy factor designated maternin (ma)

Abstract

The invention relates to nucleotides encoding therapeutic polypeptides and fragments thereof isolated from beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) found in early pregnancy urine, now synthetically produced and designated Maternin. The therapeutic polypeptides and their functional equivalents are useful in treating and/or preventing various medical conditions. Examples of therapeutic effects of the therapeutic polypeptides include anti-HIV, anti-cancer, anti-wasting, pro-hematopoietic (e.g., anemias, radiation-mediated bone marrow damage, and trauma-mediated blood loss), and anti-angiogenic effects. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the therapeutic polypeptides, as well as methods for using the therapeutic polypeptides, functional equivalents and/or pharmaceutical compositions in the treatment and/or prevention of such medical conditions.

1 - 115 . (canceled) 
     
     
         116 . An isolated antibody, or a fragment of an antibody, which specifically binds to a peptide selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) MA (SEQ ID NO: 2);   (b) pMA (SEQ ID NO: 3);   (c) MA S1  (SEQ ID NO: 4);   (d) MA S2  (SEQ ID NO: 5);   (e) MA S3  (SEQ ID NO: 6);   (f) MA S5  (SEQ ID NO: 7);   (g) MA S9  (SEQ ID NO: 8);   (h) MA S10  (SEQ ID NO: 9);   (i) MA S11  (SEQ ID NO: 10);   (j) β-hCG 55-88 (SEQ ID NO: 11);   (k) β-hCG 55-90 (SEQ ID NO: 12);   (l) β-hCG 55-91 (SEQ ID NO: 13);   (m) β-hCG 55-74 (SEQ ID NO: 14);   (n) β-hCG 6-37 (SEQ ID NO: 15);   (o) β-hCG 6-38 (SEQ ID NO: 16);   (p) β-hCG 6-39 (SEQ ID NO: 17); and   (q) β-hCG 6-40 (SEQ ID NO: 18).   
     
     
         117 . The antibody of  claim 116 , wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         118 . The antibody of  claim 116 , wherein the antibody is a humanized antibody. 
     
     
         119 . A cell producing the antibody of  claim 116 , produced by the fusion of an immortal cell line to an immunoglobulin-producing plasma cell producing said monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         120 - 123 . (canceled)