House dust mite allergen

Abstract

A polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or containing at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1.

1 . A polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or comprising at least one amino acid fragment of at least 6 consecutive amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or having immunological cross-reactivity to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or fragments thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1 codes for an allergen and the polypeptide comprises at least on T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for a molecule having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         2 . Polypeptide according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the amino acid sequence is at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 90%, most preferably at least 95%, in particular 100%, identical to the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         3 . Polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterised in that said polypeptide is hypoallergenic. 
     
     
         4 . Polypeptide according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterised in that said amino acid:fragments are fused together in an order differing from the order of said fragments in SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         5 . Polypeptide according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , characterised in that said at least one amino acid fragment is selected from the group consisting of amino acid molecules comprising amino acids 5 to 13, 9 to 17, 10 to 18, 11 to 19, 12 to 20, 16 to 24, 17 to 25, 43 to 51, 44 to 52, 45 to 53, 47 to 55, 51 to 59 and 60 to 68 of SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         6 . DNA molecule encoding a polypeptide according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 . 
     
     
         7 . Vector comprising a DNA molecule according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         8 . Cell transformed with a vector according to  claim 6 . 
     
     
         9 . Antibody binding to a polypeptide according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 . 
     
     
         10 . Vaccine formulation comprising a polypeptide according to any one of  claims 1  to  5  or an antibody according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         11 . Use of a polypeptide according to any one of  claims 1  to  5  for the diagnosis of an allergy, in particular of house dust mite allergy, in an individual. 
     
     
         12 . Use of a polypeptide according to any one of  claims 1  to  5  or an antibody according to  claim 9  for the preparation of a medicament for the immunotherapy of an allergy, in particular of house dust mite allergy. 
     
     
         13 . Use of a polypeptide according to any one of  claims 1  to  5  or an antibody according to  claim 9  for the preparation of a medicament for the prevention of an allergen sensitisation, in particular of house dust mite allergen sensitisation. 
     
     
         14 . Use according to  claim 12  or  13 , characterized in that said medicament further contains adjuvants, diluents, preservatives or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . Use according to any one of  claims 12  to  14 , characterized in that the medicament comprises 10 ng to 1 g, preferably 100 ng to 10 mg, especially 0.5 μg to 200 μg of Said polypeptide.