Patent ID: 6207641
Filing Date: 2001-03-27
Classification: A61K,C07K

Abstract:
A pharmaceutical composition for inducing human IFN-.gamma., enhancing cytotoxicity of human killer cells or inducing formation of human killer cells, comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and as an effective ingredient, 0.000001 w/w % to 100 w/w % on a dry solid basis of a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:1, where amino acid residue 73 of SEQ ID NO:1, as represented by Xaa, is Ile or Thr, or a homologous polypeptide thereof, wherein the polypeptide and the homologous polypeptide thereof has the following physicochemical properties:(a) an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, where amino acid residue 73, as represented by Xaa, is Ile or Thr, and a homologous sequence thereof where one amino acid residue in SEQ ID NO:1 is replaced with a different amino acid, or one amino acid residue is added to or deleted from the N-terminus or the C-terminus of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said homologous polypeptide has substantially the same physicochemical properties and biological activity as the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:1;(b) Molecular weight 18,500.+-.3,000 daltons on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE);(c) Isoelectric point (pI) 4.9.+-.1.0 on chromatofocusing;(d) Biological activity Inducing IFN-.gamma. production by human immunocompetent cells; and(d) Acute toxicity Having an LD.sub.50 of at least about one mg/kg when tested in mice.