Patent ID: 6692922
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: A61K,C07K,G01N

Abstract:
A method of identifying an agent which inhibits the binding of a mammalian MEC to a mammalian Câ€”C chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3) comprising:a) combining: i) an agent to be tested; ii) a composition comprising a mammalian CCR3 or a MEC-binding variant thereof; and iii) a mammalian MEC or a CCR3-binding variant thereof, under conditions suitable for binding of said MEC or CCR3-binding variant thereof to said CCR3 or MEC-binding variant thereof; and b) detecting or measuring the formation of a complex between said MEC or CCR3-binding variant thereof and said CCR3 or MEC-binding variant thereof, wherein inhibition of complex formation by the agent is indicative that the agent is an inhibitor, and wherein said mammalian CCR3 or MEC-binding variant thereof is selected from the group consisting of:A) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 90% amino acid sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:16 and binds MEC; and B) a MEC-binding fragment of A); and said mammalian MEC or CCR3-binding variant thereof is selected from the group consisting of:1) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 90% amino acid sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:2 and binds CCR3; and 2) a CCR3-binding fragment of 1).