Antibodies directed against modified beta2-microglobulin, processes for detecting modified beta2-microgloblin, and pharmaceutical preparations comprising such antibodies

摘要

The presence of modified 2-microglobulin (m2m) having the formula I IMAGE in which R1 is a 24-amino acid group having the sequence Ile-Gln-Arg-Thr-Pro-Lys-Ile-Gln-Val-Tyr-Ser-Arg-His-Pro- Ala-Glu-Asn-Gly-Lys-Ser-Asn-Phe-Leu-Asn, R2 is a 30-amino acid group having the sequence Tyr-Val-Ser-Gly-Phe-His- Pro-Ser-Asp-Ile-Glu-Val-Asp-Leu-Leu-Lys-Asn-Gly-Glu-Arg- Ile-Gly-Lys-Val-Glu-His-Ser-Asp-Leu-Ser, R3 is a 20-amino acid group having the sequence Trp-Ser-Phe-Tyr-Leu-Leu- Tyr-Tyr-Thr-Glu-Phe-Thr-Pro-Thr-Glu-Lys-Asp-Glu-Tyr-Ala, R4 is a 19-amino acid group having the sequence Arg-Val- Asn-His-Val-Thr-Leu-Ser-Gln-Pro-Lys-Ile-Val-Lys-Trp-Asp- Arg-Asp-Met, X is Phe, Phe-Ser, or Phe-Ser-Lys, preferably Phe, and Y is Asp, Lys-Asp or Ser-Lys-Asp, preferably Asp, in body fluids is a diagnostic and/or prognostic marker for the development of a number of disorders, such as various types of cancer and diseases which involve the immune system. Specific anti-m2m antibodies are used in a number of immunological methods for detecting and quantifying m2m. M2m, its precursor 2-microglobulin (2m) and specific anti-m2m antibodies have been found to have interesting pharmacological properties as biological response-modifying agents. IMAGE