摘要:
The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prevention of an influenza infection. The composition comprises an isolated polypeptide including a sequence of at least 8 contiguous amino acid residues of the fusion initiation region (FIR) of an influenza hemagglutinin 2 protein or a peptide analog of the sequence. The FIR is a segment of the full length hemagglutinin 2 protein which is bounded by an amino-terminal region within the amino-terminal alpha-helix thereof and a carboxy terminus within the carboxy-terminal alpha-helix thereof, with a cysteine loop therebetween. The amino-terminal region of the FIR comprises a portion of the final 10 to 20 amino acid residues of the amino-terminal alpha-helix of the hemagglutinin 2 protein, and includes 3 or 4 hydrophobic amino acid residues, a positively-charged amino acid residue, a negatively-charged amino acid residue, and an aromatic amino acid residue. The carboxy terminus of the FIR is the carboxy terminus of the first peptide sequence of the hemagglutinin 2 protein beyond the amino terminal helix, which exhibits a positive Wimley-White interfacial hydrophobicity.
摘要:
The present invention relates to a method of preventing or inhibiting viral infection of a cell and/or fusion between the envelope of a virus and the membranes of a cell targeted by the virus (thereby preventing delivery of the viral genome into the cell cytoplasm, a step required for. viral infection). The present invention particularly relates to the families of RNA viruses, including the arenaviruses, coronaviruses, filoviruses, orthomyxoviruses, paramyxoviruses, and retroviruses, having Class I membrane fusion proteins as the fusion proteins that mediate this fusion process. The present invention provides for a method of identifying a conserved motif or domain called the fusion initiation region (FIR) in these viruses. The present invention further provides for methods of preventing infection by such viruses, by interfering with their FIR. The present invention further provides for methods of treatment and prophylaxis of diseases induced by such viruses.
摘要:
The instant invention is directed to novel Lassa virus-like particle (VLP) compositions and methods of production thereof. The inventive VLPs comprise, for example, the Lassa virus (LASV) Z matrix protein, glycoproteins (GPs)-I and -2, and nucleoprotein (NP). A novel method for producing these VLPs comprises constructing multicistronic plasmids for the expression of VLP protein components from a single vector. One example is a tricistronic vector containing DNA sequences encoding the LASV Z, GPC and NP proteins. The VLPs provided by the present invention can be used for research, therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.
摘要:
The invention discloses compositions comprising soluble and membrane-anchored forms of Lassa virus (LASV) glycoprotein 1 (GP1), glycoprotein 2 (GP2), the glycoprotein precursor (GPC), the nucleocapsid protein (NP), and the nucleic acids encoding these proteins. This invention further relates to diagnostic and preventative methods using these compositions. Preventative methods include preparation of vaccines, as well as factors (e.g. small molecules) that inhibit LASV infectivity. Further, the invention relates to diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies including neutralizing antibodies for the prevention and treatment of infection by LASV and other arenaviruses.
摘要:
The present invention provides peptides, peptide analogs, peptide derivatives and pharmaceutical compositions useful for treating or preventing influenza infections or preventing the person-to-person transmission of an influenza infection. A peptide of the invention comprises an influenza virus-cell fusion inhibiting portion of the fusion initiation region (FIR) of a wild-type influenza hemagglutinin 2 protein or a variant thereof. In a preferred embodiment, a peptide of the invention consists of 8 to 40 consecutive amino acid residues a portion of a wild-type influenza hemagglutinin 2 protein or a variant thereof, the portion of the protein comprising the FIR of the protein and up to five amino acid residues on the amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal sides of the FIR.
摘要:
The present invention provides compositions useful for treating or preventing influenza infections. The composition comprises an isolated polypeptide including a sequence of at least 8 contiguous amino acid residues of the fusion initiation region (FIR) of an influenza hemagglutinin 2 protein or a peptide analog of the sequence. The FIR is a segment of the full length hemagglutinin 2 protein which is bounded by an amino-terminal region within the amino-terminal alpha-helix thereof and a carboxy terminus within the carboxy-terminal alpha-helix thereof, with a cysteine loop therebetween. The amino-terminal region of the FIR comprises a portion of the final 10 to 20 amino acid residues of the amino-terminal alpha-helix of the hemagglutinin 2 protein, and includes 3 or 4 hydrophobic amino acid residues, a positively-charged amino acid residue, a negatively-charged amino acid residue, and an aromatic amino acid residue. The carboxy terminus of the FIR is the carboxy terminus of the first peptide sequence of the hemagglutinin 2 protein beyond the amino terminal helix, which exhibits a positive Wimley-White interfacial hydrophobicity.
摘要:
The present invention relates to peptides and methods of inhibiting fusion between the virion envelope of Flaviviruses and membranes of the target cell, the process that delivers the viral genome into the cell cytoplasm. The invention provides for methods which employ peptides or peptide derivatives to inhibit Flavivirus:cell fusion. The present invention is based in part on the discovery that E1 envelope glycoprotein of hepaciviruses and E2 envelope glycoprotein of pestivirus have previously undescribed structures, truncated class II fusion proteins. The present invention provides peptides and methods of treatment and prophylaxis of diseases induced by Flaviviruses.
摘要:
The present invention is related to mammary tumor virus (MTV). MTV represents a group of retroviruses which possess very high homology to mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), a virus known to cause neoplastic mammary disease in mice. As described herein, MTV's have been identified in human, cat, and Rhesus macaque. The present invention specifically provides for recombinant nucleic acids and polypeptides derived from these MTV's as well as methods for using these biological molecules.
摘要:
A process to aid in the diagnosis of silicone related disease in which a correlation between silicone related disease and the presence of antibodies that bind to partially polymerized acrylamide is disclosed.
摘要:
The present invention provides peptides, peptide analogs, peptide derivatives and pharmaceutical compositions useful for treating or preventing influenza infections or preventing the person-to-person transmission of an influenza infection. A peptide of the invention comprises an influenza virus-cell fusion inhibiting portion of the fusion initiation region (FIR) of a wild-type influenza hemagglutinin 2 protein or a variant thereof. In a preferred embodiment, a peptide of the invention consists of 8 to 40 consecutive amino acid residues a portion of a wild-type influenza hemagglutinin 2 protein or a variant thereof, the portion of the protein comprising the FIR of the protein and up to five amino acid residues on the amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal sides of the FIR.