Description of Invention:
Macrophage stimulating protein (MSP), a relative of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), is a component of human and animal (mammalian) blood plasma which accelerates the movement and increases the activity of macrophages. Macrophages, when activated, cankill foreign microorganisms and tumor cells.
This invention describes the preparation of highly purified MSP and the production of antibodies to the purified MSP. These methods overcome the primary problem with natural MSP, i.e., that its concentration in the plasma is too low for purification by conventional techniques and for use as an effective therapeutic agent. The highly purified MSP and/or its antibodies can be used as a diagnostic and therapeutic agent and a basic research tool for diseases characterized by macrophage-mediated inflammation. The invention also describes a bioassay for the detection of antibodies to that bind MSP.
Inventors:
EJ Leonard (NCI) AH Skeel (NCI) T Yoshimura (NCI) E Appella (NCI) S Showalter (NCI) S Tanaka (NCI)
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-083-1990/0 --
U.S. Patent No. 5,219,991 issued 15 Jun 1993
U.S. Patent No. 5,527,685 issued 18 Jun 1996
Portfolios: Internal Medicine Cancer
Cancer -Other Internal Medicine-Diagnostics Internal Medicine-Therapeutics Internal Medicine-Other
For Additional Information Please Contact: Jasbir (Jesse) S. Kindra J.D.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: (301) 435-5559
Email: kindraj@mail.nih.gov
Fax: (301) 402-0220
