Alleviation of the allergenic potential of airborne and contact allergens by thioredoxin

US6555116B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Bob B. Buchanan · Berkeley, US
• Gregorio del Val · Corona, US
• Rosa Lozano · Madrid, ES
• Joshua H. Wong · South San Francisco, US
• Boihon C. Yee · Walnut Creek, US
• Oscar Frick · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 27, 1999
• Grant date: Apr 29, 2003
• Expiry date: Jan 27, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/182
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Thioredoxin, a small dithiol protein, is a specific reductant for allergenic proteins and particularly allergenic proteins present in pollen and animal and plant sources. All targeted proteins contain disulfide (S—S) bonds that are reduced to the sulfhydryl (SH) level by thioredoxin. The proteins are allergenically active and less digestible in the oxidized (S—S) state. When reduced (SH state), they lose their allergenicity and/or become more digestible. Thioredoxin achieved this reduction when activated (reduced) either by NADPH via NADP-thioredoxin reductase (physiological conditions) or by lipoic acid chemical reductant. Skin tests carried out with sensitized dogs showed that treatment of the pollens with reduced thioredoxin prior to injection eliminated or decreased the allergenicity of the pollen. Studies showed increased digestion of the pollen proteins by pepsin following reduction by thioredoxin. Pollen proteins that have been reduced by thioredoxin are effective and safe immunotherapeutic agents for decreasing or eliminating an animal's allergic reaction that would otherwise occur upon exposure to the non-reduced pollen protein.