MUTANT HSP70i TO PREVENT AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

Abstract

A vaccine and method of treatment suitable for treating autoimmune diseases, such as Vitiligo, by using variant peptides representing a sequence of amino acids found in heat shock protein 70. The vaccine includes a peptide derived from inducible heat shock protein 70 and a plasmid containing a full inducible heat shock protein 70 DNA sequence encoding the peptide.

1 . A vaccine for treating an autoimmune disease comprising a peptide derived from inducible heat shock protein 70, the peptide encoded in a plasmid containing a full inducible heat shock protein 70 DNA sequence. 
     
     
         2 . The vaccine of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide is characterized by its ability to reduce activation of dendritic cells. 
     
     
         3 . The vaccine of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide is an inducible heat shock protein 70 expressing variant to the dendritic cell binding peptide with the sequence QPGVLIQVYEG. 
     
     
         4 . The vaccine of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide has the sequence APGVLIQVYEG. 
     
     
         5 . The vaccine of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide is derived from human inducible heat shock protein 70. 
     
     
         6 . The vaccine of  claim 1 , wherein the autoimmune disease is Vitiligo and the vaccine is effective to reduce depigmentation in the skin of a human suffering from Vitiligo when administered to the human. 
     
     
         7 . A vaccination kit comprising a vaccine administration device and the vaccine of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . The vaccination kit of  claim 7 , wherein the administration device is a gene gun. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating an autoimmune disease comprising administering to a human patient the vaccine of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The method of to  claim 9 , wherein the patient is currently suffering from an autoimmune disease. 
     
     
         11 . The method of to  claim 9 , wherein the patient is genetically prone to an autoimmune disease. 
     
     
         12 . A method of treating an autoimmune disease, the method comprising:
 deriving a peptide from inducible heat shock protein 70;   forming a vaccine comprising the peptide derived from inducible heat shock protein 70, the peptide encoded in a plasmid containing a full inducible heat shock protein 70 DNA sequence; and then   vaccinating a human patient with the vaccine.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the peptide is characterized by its ability to reduce activation of dendritic cells. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the peptide is an inducible heat shock protein 70 expressing variant to the dendritic cell binding peptide QPGVLIQVYEG. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the peptide is APGVLIQVYEG. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the peptide is derived from human inducible heat shock protein 70. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the autoimmune disease is Vitiligo and the vaccine is effective to reduce depigmentation in the skin of a human suffering from Vitiligo when administered to the human. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the administration device is a gene gun. 
     
     
         19 . The method of to  claim 12 , wherein the human patient is currently suffering from an autoimmune disease. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the human patient is genetically prone to an autoimmune disease.