The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 29, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 27, 1999
Bob B. Buchanan, Berkeley, CA (US);
Gregorio del Val, El Cerrito, CA (US);
Rosa M. Lozano, Madrid, ES;
Joshua H. Wong, South San Francisco, CA (US);
Boihon C. Yee, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
Oscar L. Frick, San Francisco, CA (US);
Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA (US);
Abstract
Thioredoxin, a small dithiol protein, is a specific reductant for allergenic proteins and particularly allergenic proteins present in pollen and animal and plant sources. All targeted proteins contain disulfide (S—S) bonds that are reduced to the sulfhydryl (SH) level by thioredoxin. The proteins are allergenically active and less digestible in the oxidized (S—S) state. When reduced (SH state), they lose their allergenicity and/or become more digestible. Thioredoxin achieved this reduction when activated (reduced) either by NADPH via NADP-thioredoxin reductase (physiological conditions) or by lipoic acid chemical reductant. Skin tests carried out with sensitized dogs showed that treatment of the pollens with reduced thioredoxin prior to injection eliminated or decreased the allergenicity of the pollen. Studies showed increased digestion of the pollen proteins by pepsin following reduction by thioredoxin. Pollen proteins that have been reduced by thioredoxin are effective and safe immunotherapeutic agents for decreasing or eliminating an animal's allergic reaction that would otherwise occur upon exposure to the non-reduced pollen protein.