| abstract |
The present invention provides a polypeptide comprising MCP1 optionally fused to an immunoglobulin by a linker. Also contemplated are methods of using the polypeptide to treat a medical disorder. The invention disclosed herein is directed to targeting chemokine receptors by desensitizing the receptors using systemic administration of chemokine ligands, transporting and activating receptor-bearing cells to sites of inflammation Due to the surprising discovery that it would block exposure to signals such as interferon gamma. In the exemplary examples discussed herein, CCR2 was used as a chemokine receptor and MCP1 was used as a chemokine ligand. To extend the serum half-life of the MCP1 chemokine, an immunoglobulin fusion protein was designed by tagging MCP1 with an immunoglobulin constant region (derived from the hinge to CH3 region). |