Antibodies which bind an epitope comprising two different monomers of the P2X7 receptor

摘要

Disclosed is an antibody for binding to an epitope of a P2X7 receptor the epitope being formed of: - a first region in the form of a region of a first monomer of a P2X7 receptor; and - a second region in the form of a region of a second monomer of the receptor; wherein the first and second regions are formed in the receptor by cis isomerisation of a proline residue at a position equivalent to 210 of SEQ ID No: 1 of a monomer of the receptor; and wherein the first and second regions are arranged adjacent each other in the receptor thereby permitting binding of an antigen binding site of the antibody to the first and second regions forming the epitope. Further disclosed is a peptide including an N terminal region and a C terminal region, the N and C terminal regions each being defined by Nand C terminal residues, wherein: - the N terminal region includes a sequence of HNYTTRNIL (SEQ ID NO: 2) or fragment thereof of at least 4 residues; - the C terminal region includes a C terminal residue that is proline, alanine, or glycine; wherein the C terminal residue of the N terminal region is covalently linked to an N terminal residue of the C terminal region; wherein the C terminal residue of the C terminal region is connected to a further peptide by a linker having a length of about 10 to 30 angstroms; and wherein said further peptide consists of a sequence KTTNVSLYPGYNFRYAKYVKENNVEKRTLlKVFGIRFDILVFGTGGKFD or fragment thereof of at least 4 residues.