73 results about "Interleukin 18" patented technology

Human interleukin-18 (IL-18) polypeptides and substitution mutants thereof were conjugated to water-soluble polymers at specific sites on the human IL-18 protein. These conjugated human IL-18 and substitution mutants thereof retain biological activity. These conjugated cytokines demonstrate enhanced and unexpected biological properties when compared to the corresponding unconjugated cytokines.

Antibodies that bind human interleukin-18 (hIL-18) are provided, in particular antibodies that bind epitope(s) of human IL-18. The antibodies can be, for example, entirely human antibodies, recombinant antibodies, or monoclonal antibodies. Preferred antibodies have high affinity for hIL-18 and neutralize hIL-18 activity in vitro and in vivo. An antibody of the invention can be a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding portion thereof. Method of making and method of using the antibodies of the invention are also provided. The antibodies, or antibody portions, of the invention are useful for detecting hIL-18 and for inhibiting hIL-18 activity, e.g., in a human subject suffering from a disorder in which hIL-18 activity is detrimental.

A Vγ9Vδ2 T cell proliferation agent includes at least a bisphosphonate, interleukin 2, and interleukin 18. Since IL-18 has properties that improve cell viability by inhibiting cell death, IL-18 is presumably capable of acting as a cofactor for the bisphosphonate so as to significantly increase the effect of Vγ9Vδ2 T cell proliferation by the bisphosphonate and the IL-2. This allows providing a Vγ9Vδ2 T cell proliferation agent capable of growing Vγ9Vδ2 T cells with a proliferated efficiency significantly high compared to conventional methods so that the proliferated Vγ9Vδ2 T cells have a high antitumor activity and high cytokine productivity.

Disclosed are artificially produced peptide capable of neutralizing the biological activities of IL-18, which comprises a part or the whole of the variable regions in anti interleukin 18 antibody, including single chain variable region fragments and humanized antibodies, a process of producing the peptide, and uses thereof. The peptide is useful as pharmaceutical to treat and prevent diseases such as autoimmune diseases and inflammatory diseases, where the biological activities of interleukin-18 are involved.

The present invention provides a composition and method of regulating the activity of regulatory T cells. The present invention relates to a composition containing an antigen recognized by CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells or an expression vector encoding such an antigen and a method of controlling an immune response from a mammal by administrating the composition to the mammal. Furthermore, the present invention provides effective means for suppressing a rejection reaction and a graft-versus-host reaction in transplantation and for prevention and treatment of an autoimmune disease or an allergic disease. Furthermore, an immunosuppression condition can be removed by the administration of Interferon-γ or a combination of Interleukin 12 and Interleukin 18. In other words, those cytokine actions and the sensitization with an SEREX antigen are suitably combined to artificially manipulate regulatory T cells, allowing the cells to be applied to an autoimmune disease, reactions accompanied with organ transplantation, allergic reaction, control of tumor immunity, and the like.

A human-derived human anti-human IL-18 antibody of the present invention is an antibody against human IL-18, the antibody including: an H-chain complementarity determining region consisting of (a) a polypeptide consisting of amino-acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS: 4 to 6, or (b) a polypeptide which is a mutant of the polypeptide (a) and which serves as the H-chain complementarity determining region; and an L-chain complementarity determining region against human interleukin-18 consisting of (c) a polypeptide consisting of amino-acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS: 10 to 12, or (d) a polypeptide which is a mutant of the polypeptide (c) and which serves as the L-chain complementarity determining region. This makes it possible to provide a human anti-human IL-18 antibody and a method for using the antibody.

The present invention relates to compositions relating a nucleic acid encoding an interleukin 18-inducible cytokine termed tumor necrosis factor-alpha inducing factor (TAIF) or interleukin-32 (IL-32). In particular, the present invention provides vectors for expressing proteins useful for treating autoimmune diseases and cancer, in part by regulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression.

The present invention provides human, humanized and / or chimeric antibodies as well as fragments, derivatives / conjugates and compositions thereof with a specific binding affinity for interleukin-18. The invention includes the use of these antibodies for diagnosing and treating diseases associated with increased IL-18 activity, the latter in the form of a pharmaceutical composition.

The invention provides mutants of IL-18 with lower affinity to IL-18BP than the wild type IL-18 molecule.

Human interleukin-18 (IL-18) polypeptides and substitution mutants thereof were conjugated to water-soluble polymers at specific sites on the human IL-18 protein. These conjugated human IL-18 and substitution mutants thereof retain biological activity. These conjugated cytokines demonstrate enhanced and unexpected biological properties when compared to the corresponding unconjugated cytokines.