Monoclonal antibody and antigens for diagnosing and treating lung disease and injury

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for diagnosing a patient with emphysema, COPD of lung injury caused by tobacco use by detecting the levels of EMAP II in a sample. Disclosed herein are the hypervariable regions for a rat monoclonal antibody that binds to a form of EMAP II. This disclosure also includes a polypeptide sequence included in EMAP II that is the target for the binding of the antibody to its target protein. This epitope serves as the basis for a humanized antibody that can be used to treat patients that suffer from pathologies that exhibit elevated levels of EMAP II expression.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a patient having emphysema or COPD comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an EMAP II neutralizing antibody. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising generating the antibody by:
 contacting the immune system of a mammal with a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 12; and selecting a B-cell from the mammal;   wherein the B-cell produces antibodies that bind to endothelial monocyte activating protein II (EMAP II).   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein contacting the immune system of the mammal comprises immunizing the mammal. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein selecting a B-cell from the mammal comprises isolating B-cells from the mammal, fusing the B-cells with myeloma cells thereby forming hybridomas, and selecting at least one hybridoma. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one hybridoma is selected by testing hybridoma supernatant for binding of EMAP II by enzyme linked immunosuppression assay (ELISA). 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the EMAP II neutralizing antibody comprises:
 a heavy chain variable region, wherein said heavy chain variable region includes at least a portion of a first polypeptide according to SEQ. ID. NO. 2; and   a light chain variable region, wherein said light chain variable region includes at least a portion of a second polypeptide according to SEQ. ID. NO. 3, wherein said antibody is humanized and the humanized antibody binds to human EMAPII.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said first polypeptide has at least 99 percent homology to SEQ. ID. NO. 2, and said second polypeptide has at least 99 percent homology to SEQ. ID. NO. 3. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said first polypeptide has at least 95 percent identity to SEQ. ID. NO. 2 and said second polypeptide has at least 95 percent identity to SEQ. ID. NO. 3. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said first polypeptide has at least 99 percent identity to SEQ. ID. NO. 2 and said second polypeptide has at least 99 percent identity to SEQ. ID. NO. 3. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said first polypeptide is SEQ. ID. NO. 2 and said second polypeptide is SEQ. ID. NO. 3.