Chimeric interleukin-6 soluble receptor/ligand protein, analogs thereof and usesthereof

摘要

A chimeric glycosylated soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL-6R)-interleukin-6 (IL-6) protein (sIL-6R/IL-6) and biologically active analogues are claimed which comprise a fusion protein product between all of the naturally occurring form of sIL-6R and all of the naturally occurring form of IL-6, the sIL-6/IL-6 and analogues being glycosylated in a similar fashion to the glycosylation of naturally occurring sIL-6R and IL-6. Also claimed are: (1) a DNA sequence encoding a chimeric sIL-6R/IL-6 protein and biologically active analogues as above; (2) a DNA vector comprising a DNA sequence encoding a chimeric sIL-6R/IL-6 protein and biologically active analogues as above, the vector being suitable for expression of the chimeric protein in mammalian cells; (3) transformed mammalian cells containing a DNA vector as in (2) which are capable of expressing the sIL-6R/IL-6 chimeric protein sequence carried by the vector and of fully processing the expressed protein and secreting it into the culture medium in which the cells are grown.