Antibodies to VLA-1

1. A composition comprising isolated nucleic acid sequences comprising (a) a coding sequence for a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof, and (b) a coding sequence for a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof, wherein the light chain and the heavy chain form an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof that binds VLA-1, and wherein the light chain and heavy chain are selected from one of the light chain and heavy chain pairs of the group consisting of:

(i) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, which has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:3,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, which has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:4;

(ii) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:49,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:42;

(iii) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:51,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:44;

(iv) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:54,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:42;

(v) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:58,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:68;

(vi) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:70,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:68;

(vii) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:66,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:42;

(ix) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:54,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:68;

(x) a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:47,

and a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain variable domain has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:68;

(xi) a light chain of an antibody produced by hybridoma mAQC2 (ATCC accession number PTA3273),

and a heavy chain of an antibody produced by hybridoma mAQC2 (ATCC accession number PTA3273);

(xii) a light chain of an antibody produced by cell line hAQC2 (ATCC accession number PTA3275),

and a heavy chain of an antibody produced by cell line hAQC2 (ATCC accession number PTA3275);

(xiii) a light chain of an antibody produced by cell line haAOC2 (ATCC accession number PTA3274),

and a heavy chain of an antibody produced by cell line haAQC2 (ATCC accession number PTA3274); and,

(xiv) a light chain of an antibody produced by cell line hsAOC2 (ATCC accession number PTA3356),

and a heavy chain of an antibody produced by cell line hsAQC2 (ATCC accession number PTA3356).

2. A vector comprising the nucleic acid sequences of claim 1 .

3. An isolated host cell comprising the vector of claim 2 .

4. Isolated nucleic acid sequences comprising (i) a coding sequence for a light chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose light chain complementary determining regions are defined by amino acid residues 24 to 33, 49 to 55, and 88 to 96 of SEQ ID NO:1; and (ii) a coding sequence for a heavy chain of an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, whose heavy chain complementary determining regions are defined by amino acid residues 31 to 35, 50 to 65, and 98 to 107 of SEQ ID NO:2.

5. The isolated nucleic acid sequences of claim 4 , wherein the sequence for the light chain and the sequence for the heavy chain are on two separate vectors.

6. The isolated nucleic acid sequences of claim 4 , wherein the anti-VLA-1 antibody comprises a light chain variable domain sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and a heavy chain variable domain sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.

7. The isolated nucleic acid sequences of claim 4 , wherein the anti-VLA-1 antibody, or antigen binding fragment thereof, is a humanized or chimeric antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof.

8. The isolated nucleic acid sequences of claim 4 , wherein the anti-VLA-1 antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises at least one of the following residues in its light chain: Q1, L4, P45, W46 and Y70 of SEQ ID NO:1; or at least one of the following residues in its heavy chain: D1, V12, S28, F29, A49, T96, and R97 of SEQ ID NO:2.

9. The isolated nucleic acid sequences of claim 4 , wherein the anti-VLA-1 antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain variable domain sequence defined by amino acid residues 1 to 106 of SEQ ID NO:3, and a heavy chain variable domain sequence defined by amino acid residues 1 to 118 of SEQ ID NO:4.

10. A vector comprising the nucleic acid sequences of claim 4 .

11. An isolated host cell comprising the vector of claim 10 .

12. A process for preparing an anti-VLA-1 antibody, or alpha1-binding fragment thereof, comprising (i) providing a first nucleic acid comprising a coding sequence for an antibody light chain, or fragment thereof, of claim 1 ; (ii) providing a second nucleic acid comprising a coding sequence for an antibody heavy chain, or fragment thereof, of claim 1 ; (iii) transfecting a host cell with the first and second nucleic acids; and (iv) culturing the transfected cell line to produce the anti-VLA-1 antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the first and second nucleic acids are on two separate vectors.

14. The process of claim 12 , wherein the light chain or fragment thereof comprises complementary determining regions defined by amino acid residues 24 to 33, 49 to 55, and 88 to 96 of SEQ ID NO:1, and wherein the heavy chain or fragment thereof comprises complementary determining regions defined by amino acid residues 31 to 35, 50 to 65, and 98 to 107 of SEQ ID NO:2.

15. The process of claim 12 , wherein the light or fragment thereof comprises a variable domain sequence defined by amino acid residues 1 to 106 of SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the heavy chain or fragment thereof comprises a variable domain sequence defined by amino acid residues 1 to 118 of SEQ ID NO:4.

16. The process of claim 12 , wherein the host cell is a mammalian cell.

17. The process of claim 12 , wherein the antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof is a humanized antibody or a chimeric antibody.