POLYPEPTIDE ANTAGONISTS OF HUMAN IL-23 RECEPTOR FOR TREATMENT OF AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

摘要

The present invention provides a novel class of polypeptides (REX binders), derived from an albumin-binding domain of the streptococcal protein G that inhibit binding of human IL-23 cytokine to its cognate IL-23 receptor. Blocking of interaction between p19/IL-23 subunit with the receptor leads to the suppresion of IL-23-dependent pro-inflammatory signaling pathway, resulting in an inhibitory effect on IL-23-stimulated Th-17 cell expansion. The invention further provides a DNA sequence encoding for such polypeptides and host cells containing such sequence. The polypeptides of the invention are useful as therapeutics and diagnostics.˙