Patent ID: 7314623
Filing Date: 2008-01-01
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K,C12N

Abstract:
1. A method for inhibiting or reducing differentiation of a Th precursor (Thp) cell or cell population into a Th2 cell or cell population, comprising contacting said Thp cell or cell population from a subject or sample of interest with an antagonist of IL-21 or IL-21R in an amount sufficient to inhibit or reduce the differentiation, wherein the inhibition or reduction of the differentiation is measured by comparing the level of Th2 cells in the contacted cell or cell population from the subject or sample of interest to the level of Th2 cells in a control subject or sample, and wherein the antagonist is selected from the group consisting of an anti-IL-21R antibody, an antigen-binding fragment of an anti-IL-21R antibody and a soluble IL-21R, wherein the soluble IL-21R comprises an extracellular domain of an IL-21R that is capable of binding IL-21 or a fragment thereof, and wherein the extracellular domain of the soluble IL-21R is at least 90% identical to amino acids 20-235 of SEQ ID NO:4.