METHODS AND COMPOUNDS FOR PREVENTING, TREATING AND DIAGNOSING AN INFLAMMATORY CONDITION

摘要

Provided is an antibody with a specificity to an epitope that is a region corresponding to amino acid positions 63-79 or 73-85 of the human protein S100A9. Provided is further an antibody with a specificity to an epitope that is a region corresponding to amino acid positions 55-71 of the human protein S100A8. Provided is further the use of such antibody in the treatment or diagnosis of an inflammatory disorder. Also provided is an in-vitro method of identifying a compound capable of inhibiting the formation of a complex between a peptide corresponding to one of the above epitopes of S100A9 or the above epitope of S100A8 and a TLR4 receptor, where a compound suspected to affect the complex formation is contacted with the peptide and the TLR4 receptor. Further provided is an in-vitro method of identifying a compound capable of increasing the stability of a complex between a S100A8 protein and a S100A9 protein, where the two proteins are contacted in the presence of a compound suspected to affect the complex formation.