Leland Stanford Junior University

Other

Alan M Krensky

Carol A Clayberger

Thomas J Schall

Roland Buelow

Mark M Davis

Robert L Modlin

Peter Nelson

Peter R Parham

Steffen Stenger

Benjamin D Ortiz

An M Song

Ya-Fen Chen

Jan Jongstra

Dennis Alan Hanson

Artificial antimicrobial peptides are obtained by alterations in alpha helical portions of a known antimicrobial protein, granulysin. The peptides obtained have significantly improved antimicrobial activity and lack the ability to lyse mammalian cells, which may be toxic to a host. The peptides may be designed according to certain guidelines, and may further be modified by the addition of altered residues and alterations in normal peptide secondary and tertiary structure, including modifications in quaternary (multimeric) structure.

Antimicrobial peptides

Peptide-like compounds and their variants having immunomodulating activity including the N-terminal acylated and/or C-terminal amidated or esterified forms thereof of up to 60 amino acids wherein the peptide-type compound comprises the formula:&#x3b1;&#x2212;&#x3b2;

Immunomodulating dimers

The T cell activation marker, granulysin, is demonstrated to be an effective antimicrobial agent. It is used in vitro and in vivo to reduce the population of viable cells in a microbial population. Of particular interest is the use of the active fragment of human granulysin, or modified forms thereof, to treat bacterial infections.

Use of granulysin as an antimicrobial agent

The present invention provides elements derived from a human RANTES promoter that induce expression of a heterologous coding sequence. The invention further provides expression vectors comprising the elements, and host cells comprising the expression vectors. The invention further provides methods of inducing the expression of a heterologous protein in a host.

Enhancer sequences for late T cell expressed genes

Immunomodulating compounds comprising d-isomers of amino acids

A novel zinc finger transcription factore (RFLAT-1) and polypeptides related thereto, as well as nucleic acid compositions encoding the same, are provided. The subject polypeptide and nucleic acid compositions find use in a variety of applications, including diagnostic and therapeutic agent screening applications, as well as in treatment therapies. Also provided are methods of treating disease conditions associated with RANTES function, e.g. inflammation, and the like.

RFLAT-1: a transcription factor that activates RANTES gene expression

Present invention based on the identification of the molecular interaction that forms the basis of the immunosuppressive activity of peptides comprising residues 71-80 of an MHC Class II protein (Class II peptides). Specifically the present invention discloses that Class II peptides bind to members of the PCNA family of proteins. Based on this observation, present invention provides methods for identifying agents that can be used to modulate immune system activity.

Interaction of MHC Class II proteins with members of the PCNA family of

Fragments from the polymorphic domains of Class I HLA antigen domains are used to modulate T-cell activity. The peptides are from the .alpha.1- or .alpha.2 domains, particularly of the HLA-A, and B antigens. The peptides may be conjugated to other compounds to be used in diagnosis and therapy. The peptides may block lysis, CTL proliferation or have other regulating effects.

Lymphocyte activity regulation by HLA peptides

Cytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte ('CTL') activity regulation by class I MHC

The present invention provides compositions comprising a peptide having between about 7 and about 20 amino acid residues, the peptide being capable of binding a CD8 molecule on a cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) precursor and inhibiting differentiation of the CTL precursor to a mature CTL. The peptides have amino acid sequences substantially homologous to a sequence in an .alpha.3 domain of a human Class I MHC molecule. The sequence from the .alpha.3 domain is preferably between residue 220 and residue 235. The peptides typically comprise the sequences DQTQDTE (SEQ. ID No. 1) or EDQTQDTELVETRP (SEQ. ID No. 2).

Methods of using CD8 binding domain peptides

Nucleic acids and peptides are provided which can be used for detecting the status of functional T-lymphocytes as to stimulation and the time of stimulation. The nucleic acids and peptides may be provided by cloning and expression using recombinant techniques. These diagnoses may be used to determine whether T-cells are functional and the degree to which a T-cell population has been stimulated.

Growing community of inventors

Stanford, CA, United States of America

Alan M Krensky