Polypeptides Involved In Immune Response

Abstract

Novel polypeptides which comprise a receptor-ligand pair involved in T-cell activation are disclosed. Nucleic acid molecules encoding said polypeptides, and vectors and host cells for expressing same are also disclosed. The polypeptides, or agonists and antagonists thereof, are used to treat T-cell mediated disorders.

1 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A polypeptide produced by the process of
 (i) growing a culture of a host cell in suitable culture medium, wherein the host cell comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:   (a) the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11, or SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 16;   (b) the nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6 from residues 1-322 or from residues 47-322, or as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11 from residues 1-288 or from residues 19-288, 20-288, 21-288, 22-288, 24-288, or 28-288, or as set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 from residues 1-302, or from residues 19-302, 20-302, 21-302, 22-302, 24-302 or 28-302;   (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide that is at least about 70% identical to the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6;   (d) a naturally occurring allelic variant or alternate splice variant of any of (a), (b) or (c);   (e) a nucleotide sequence complementary to any of (a), (b) or (c);   (f) a nucleotide sequence of (b), (c) or (d) encoding a polypeptide fragment of at least about 25, 50, 75, 100, or greater than 100 nucleotides; and   (g) a nucleotide sequence of (a). (b) or (c) comprising a fragment of at least about 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100, or greater than 100 nucleotides; and   (h) a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to any of (a)-(g), wherein the nucleotide sequence of any of (a) to (h) is operably linked to an expression control sequence; and   (ii) isolating the polypeptide from the culture.   
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A polypeptide encoded by an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11, or SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 16;   (b) the nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6 from residues 1-322 or from residues 47-322, or as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11 from residues 1-288 or from residues 19-288, 20-288, 21-288, 22-288, 24-288, or 28-288, or as set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 from residues 1-302, or from residues 19-302, 20-302, 21-302, 22-302, 24-302 or 28-302;   (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide that is at least about 70% identical to the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6;   (d) a naturally occurring allelic variant or alternate splice variant of any of (a), (b) or (c);   (e) a nucleotide sequence complementary to any of (a), (b) or (c);   (f) a nucleotide sequence of (b), (c) or (d) encoding a polypeptide fragment of at least about 25, 50, 75, 100, or greater than 100 nucleotides; and   (g) a nucleotide sequence of (a). (b) or (c) comprising a fragment of at least about 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100, or greater than 100 nucleotides; and   (h) a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to any of (a)-(g).   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 a) the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7 or SEQ ID NO: 12 or SEQ ID NO: 17;   b) the mature amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7 comprising a mature amino terminus at residues 47, or SEQ ID NO: 12 comprising a mature amino terminus at any of residues 19, 20, 21, 22, 24 or 28, or SEQ ID NO: 17 comprising a mature amino terminus at any of residues 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, or 28;   c) a fragment of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7 or SEQ ID NO: 12 or SEQ ID NO: 17 comprising at least about 25, 50, 75, 100, or greater than 100 amino acid residues;   d) an ortholog of (a), (b) or (c); and   e) an allelic variant or alternative splice variant of (a), (b), (c) or (d).   
     
     
         13 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A composition comprising the polypeptide of  claim 10  or  12  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, solubilizer, stabilizer or anti-oxidant. 
     
     
         20 . A polypeptide comprising a derivative of the polypeptide of  claim 10  or  12 . 
     
     
         21 . The polypeptide of  claim 20  which is covalently modified with a water-soluble polymer. 
     
     
         22 . A fusion polypeptide comprising the polypeptide of  claim 10  or  12  fused to a heterologous amino acid sequence. 
     
     
         23 . The fusion polypeptide of  claim 22  wherein the heterologous amino acid sequence is an IgG constant domain or fragment thereof. 
     
     
         24 - 31 . (canceled)