Title:  DNA and peptides of a diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus

United States Patent:  6,365,727

Assignee:  Green Cross Vaccine Corporation (Kyonggi-do, KR)

Filed:  July 22, 1998

Foreign Application Priority Data:  Mar 24, 1998[KR] (98-10108)

The present invention relates to gene and peptide sequences of a diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus which is derived from type 1 diabetes patients. In particular, the present invention relates to a whole genome of the diabetes-specific variant of endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9) purified from pancreatic tissues of type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM]) patients and its genes and peptide and their sequences, which can be used as a diagnosing reagent for type 1 diabetes and as an immunogen. The diabetes-specific retrovirus expressed exclusively in pancreatic beta cells was purified from deceased type 1 diabetes patients. Subsequently, the retroviral gene sequences were determined, and by analyzing the amino acid sequence of the peptide deduced from the gene, 21 domains of the peptide having hydrophilicity and immuno-dominancy were identified. Therefore, the variant gene of the endogenous retrovirus and the peptide deduced from the gene can be effectively used as a diagnosing reagent of autoimmune-antibody for type 1 diabetes and as a vaccine for the variant ERV-9 related diseases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a whole genome of a diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9) derived from the pancreatic tissues of type 1 diabetes patients, including the gag gene, pol gene, and env gene of the viral genome and their nucleotide sequences, shown in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:6, respectively.

The object of the present invention is to provide amino acid sequences deduced from the above gene sequences. In particular, the Gag protein has the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:3, the Pol protein has the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:5 and the Env gene has the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:7.

The object of the present invention is to provide antigens of the diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9) containing the entire or partial amino acid sequence deduced from the above gag, pol or env gene sequences.

The object of the present invention is to provide antibodies for the diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9), prepared by using the above antigens.

The object of the present invention is to provide vaccines for the diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9) containing the above antigens as effective agents.

The object of the present invention is to provide diagnosing reagents for diabetes, which are prepared by using the above nucleotide sequences entirely and partially.

The object of the present invention is to provide diagnosing reagents for diabetes, which are prepared by using the entire or partial peptide sequences derived from Gag, Pol or Env protein.

The object of the present invention is to provide diagnosing reagents for diabetes, which are prepared by exploiting the above antibodies.

The object of the present invention is to provide a peptide and its derivative, which comprises the amino acid sequence containing the antigenic determinant or immuno-dominant domain deduced from the gene sequence of the diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9).

The object of the present invention is to provide diagnosing reagents for diabetes, which contain the above peptide as an effective agent.

The object of the present invention is to provide antibodies for the diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9), which are prepared by using the above peptide.

The object of the present invention is to provide vaccines for diseases related to the diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9), which contain the above peptide as an effective agent.

Claim 1 of 4 Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An isolated and purified diabetes-specific endogenous retrovirus (ERV-9) nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.

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