Title:  Methods for treating sensitivity to protein allergen using peptides which include a T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for the protein allergen

United States Patent:  6,335,019

Assignee:  Immulogic Pharmaceutical Corp. (Waltham, MA)

Filed:  June 5, 1995

Antigen E or Amb a I of ragweed pollen has been shown to be a family or families of proteins. cDNAs encoding Amb a I, the major human allergen of ragweed and Amb a II, peptides derived from Amb a I or Amb a II, antibodies against the peptides; and methods of treating individuals for sensitivity to ragweed are disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to allergenic proteins or peptides from ragweed, DNAs encoding all or a portion of such allergenic proteins or peptides; to compositions containing such an allergen(s) or portions of the allergen(s); and to methods of administering the allergen(s) or a portion thereof or a composition which includes the allergen(s) or portions thereof to reduce or prevent the adverse effects that exposure to the allergen normally has on ragweed-sensitive individuals (i.e., to desensitize individuals to the allergen or block the effects of the allergen). The present invention further relates to methods of diagnosing sensitivity to ragweed pollen.

It has now been shown that Antigen E or Amb a I is not a single protein but, rather, a family or families of proteins to which ragweed-sensitive individuals react. In particular, the present invention relates to DNA encoding an amino acid sequence or peptide present in allergenic proteins from ragweed pollen. It relates to DNA encoding all or a portion of the ragweed allergen Amb a I or Antigen E preparation which has been isolated. Such ragweed allergen preparations are heterogeneous in nature and may include, in additions to what is currently referred to as Amb a I or Antigen E, other ragweed components which are allergenic (i.e., cause the typical adverse effects observed in a ragweed-sensitive individual upon exposure to ragweed pollen). These may include, for example, what is referred to in the literature as Antigen K and referred to herein as Amb a II. The present invention also relates to DNAs encoding similar amino acid sequences (i.e., DNA encoding amino acid sequences of allergens) in types of ragweed other than short ragweed, such as giant ragweed and western ragweed.

Claim 1 of 10 Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating sensitivity to a protein allergen in an individual sensitive to the allergen, comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of at least one isolated peptide having an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence of a ragweed protein allergen, said peptide comprising at least one T cell epitope recognized by a T cell receptor specific for the ragweed protein allergen, wherein the ragweed protein allergen comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:72, 74, 76, and 78, and treating sensitivity to the ragweed protein allergen in an individual sensitive to the allergen.

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