University System of Maryland

Ruiliang Lu

Alessio Fasano

Stefanie N Vogel

Marcelo B Sztein

Karen Lammers

Michael K Tanner

Julie Brownley

The present invention provides antibacterial peptides isolated fromGG. Also provided are methods of treating an individual having a bacterial infection or at risk for developing a bacterial infection, comprising the steps of administering an antibacterial peptide of the invention to an individual having a bacterial infection or at risk for developing a bacterial infection.

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CXCR3 is identified as a physiological receptor for Gliadin. Assays for determining modulators of CXCR3 signaling are provided. Fragments of gliadin which function as inhibitors of CXCR3 signaling can be determined. Methods for treating diseases relating to gluten and/or autoimmunity by targeting CXCR3 are provided. Such diseases include celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, gluten allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, immune-mediated or type 1 diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, scleroderma, and autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Methods for screening for modulators of CXCR3 signaling

Methods of using Zot or zonulin as an antigen specific inhibitor of APC activity and lymphocyte proliferation, being primarily useful in the field of immunoregulation and immunotherapy as described. Specifically, Zot and zonulin inhibit antigen presenting cell-mediated antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation in a dose dependent manner. This effect is associated with the presence of a macrophage surface receptor to which Zot binds in a specific and saturable way. This down-regulation of the immune response is, at least in part, associated with a decreased uptake of antigen.

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Nottingham, MD, United States of America

Ruiliang Lu