COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATMENT OF RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS

摘要

This invention teaches a novel treatment of patients infected with influenza virus in early stages of the disease, with liposomes called α-gal/SA liposomes, in order to decrease the infection period and decrease further complications by this disease. The treatment is based on inhalation of biodegradable liposomes that present two types of carbohydrate epitopes: α-Gal epitopes with the structure Galα1-3Galβ1-4(3)GlcNAc-R) and sialic acid (SA) epitopes. The treatment is based on the ability of influenza virus to bind to SA epitopes and on the binding of the natural anti-Gal antibody (the most abundant natural antibody in humans) to α-gal epitopes. Following inhalation of aerosolized α-gal/SA liposomes they land in the mucus lining the respiratory tract. The α-gal/SA liposomes bind influenza virus via SA epitopes interaction with hemagglutinin of the virus, thus they slow or prevent the progress of the influenza virus infection process. Binding of the natural anti-Gal antibody to α-gal epitopes on α-gal/SA liposomes causes complement mediated chemotactic recruitment of macrophages and dendritic cells which internalize via Fc/Fc receptor interaction the α-gal/SA liposomes and the influenza virus bound to them and destroy this virus. The recruited macrophages and dendritic cells further process the immunogenic peptides of the internalized virus, transported them to the regional lymph nodes and present these peptides for eliciting an effective protective immune response that ends the influenza virus infection in a period shorter than in untreated patients and prevents further complications in the respiratory system and in other parts of the body.

主权项

1. A method for treating respiratory diseases caused by an infectious microbial agent in an animal having endogenous natural antibody, comprising administering by inhalation of liposomes that present both binding receptors to said infectious agent and ligands to said natural antibody wherein:
a) said inhaled liposomes land in mucus and surfactant films coating the respiratory tract epithelium and bind said infectious agent by receptors to said infectious agent on said liposomes, b) inhalation of said liposomes is under conditions such that binding of infectious agent to corresponding receptor on said liposomes inhibits further infection of respiratory tract epithelium by said infectious agent, c) inhalation of said liposomes is under conditions such that binding of said natural antibody to said ligands on said inhaled liposomes induces recruitment of granulocytes, monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells into the respiratory tract of said animal, d) natural antibody bound to said inhaled liposomes induces internalization of said infectious agent bound to said liposomes into granulocytes, monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells, and e) said infectious agent infectious agent internalized into monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells is processed by these cells to become immunogenic peptides that are transported by these cells to lymph nodes and spleen under conditions that immunogenic peptides induce an effective, protective immune response against said infectious agent.