Methods of targeting agents to cells expressing the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor

• Main Authors: MOSTOV KEITH E, CHAPIN STEVEN J, RICHMAN-EISENSTAT JANICE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.07.2008
• Subjects: BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; CULTURE MEDIA; ENZYMOLOGY; FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIREDCHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERSFROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PEPTIDES; PHYSICS; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS ORMEDICINAL PREPARATIONS; SPIRITS; TESTING; VINEGAR; WINE

The invention provides compositions and methods for specific binding to a region of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) of a cell with the provisos that the ligand does not substantially bind to the most abundant form of the secretory component (SC) of pIgR present in an organ of interest of an animal of interest under physiological conditions, and does not bind to the pIgR stalk. In some embodiments, the ligand decreases cleavage of SC from the stalk by at least one-third. The ligands and methods of the invention can be used with both birds and mammals. In more preferred embodiments, the animal is a mammal. In the most preferred embodiment, the animal is a human. The ligand may be targeted into the cell or may undergo retrograde transcytosis and release at the basolateral side of the cell, and may comprise a biologically active composition.