Canine IL-13 immunoregulatory proteins and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to canine interleukin-4, canine or feline Flt-3 ligand, canine or feline CD40, canine or feline CD154, canine interleukin-5, canine interleukin-13, feline interferon alpha, and/or feline GM-CSF proteins; to canine interleukin-4, canine or feline Flt-3 ligand, canine or feline CD40, canine or feline CD154, canine interleukin-5, canine interleukin-13, feline interferon alpha, and/or feline GM-CSF nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode canine interleukin-4, canine or feline Flt-3 ligand, canine or feline CD40, canine or feline CD154, canine interleukin-5, canine interleukin-13, feline interferon alpha, and/or feline GM-CSF proteins, respectively; to antibodies raised against such proteins; and to inhibitory compounds that regulate such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to identify and obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to regulate an immune response in an animal.

1. An isolated protein selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) an isolated protein of at least about 20 amino acids in length, wherein said 20 amino acids are encoded by a nucleic acid molecule that has an at least 60 contiguous nucleotide region identical in sequence to a 60 contiguous nucleotide region of a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:88, SEQ ID NO:89, SEQ ID NO:90, SEQ ID NO:91, SEQ ID NO:94, SEQ ID NO:96, SEQ ID NO:99, SEQ ID NO:102, and SEQ ID NO:104; and  
 (b) an isolated protein of at least about 20 amino acids in length, wherein said protein has an at least 20 contiguous amino acid region identical in sequence to a 20 contiguous amino acid region selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:92, SEQ ID NO:97, SEQ ID NO:100, and SEQ ID NO:105, 
 wherein said isolated protein of (a) or (b) elicits an immune response against a canine IL-13 protein or has IL-13 activity.  
 
 
     
     
       2. The isolated protein of  claim 1 , wherein said protein has an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:92, SEQ ID NO:97, SEQ ID NO:100, and SEQ ID NO:105. 
     
     
       3. The isolated protein of  claim 2 , wherein the protein has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:92. 
     
     
       4. The isolated protein of  claim 2 , wherein the protein has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:97. 
     
     
       5. The isolated protein of  claim 2 , wherein the protein has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:100. 
     
     
       6. The isolated protein of  claim 2 , wherein the protein has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:105. 
     
     
       7. An isolated protein having an amino acid sequence that is at least about 85 percent identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:92, SEQ ID NO:97, SEQ ID NO:100, and SEQ ID NO:105, wherein said isolated protein elicits an immune response against a canine IL-13 protein or has IL-13 activity. 
     
     
       8. A therapeutic composition comprising the isolated protein of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       9. The composition of  claim 8 , wherein said composition further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of an excipient, an adjuvant and a carrier. 
     
     
       10. A method to regulate an immune response in an animal comprising administering to the animal the therapeutic composition of  claim 8 . 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein said animal is a canid. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein said composition further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of an excipient, an adjuvant and a carrier.