ANALOGS OF GLYCOPROTEIN HORMONES HAVING ALTERED IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS, EFFICACY AND/OR RECEPTOR SPECIFICITY

摘要

The invention relates to modified chorionic gonadotropin (CG) alpha, beta-heterodimeric polypeptides comprising a glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit polypeptide and a non-naturally occurring beta-subunit polypeptide. The modifications in the beta-subunit polypeptide involve the deletion, addition, or substitution of one or more amino acid residues. The modified heterodimeric polypeptides of the invention have different properties compared to native hCG. Certain alpha, beta-heterodimeric polypeptides bind to LH and FSH receptors and stimulate steroidogenesis in testicular and ovarian cells. Other alpha, beta-heterodimeric polypeptides bind to LH receptors but have lower efficacy than hCG to stimulate steroidogenesis in testicular and ovarian cells.