Immune-modulating peptide

1. A peptide comprising consisting of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 11 to 19, wherein the peptide has a —NH 2 group at the C-terminus.

2. The peptide according claim 1 wherein the peptide activates leukocytes and is in an isolated and substantially pure form.

3. The peptide according to claim 1 wherein the peptide has at least one of the following properties:

(a) inducing superoxide generation by human monocytes or neutrophils;

(b) inducing an intracellular calcium increase by human peripheral blood monocytes or neutrophils;

(c) binding to formyl peptide receptor or formyl peptide receptor-like 1;

(d) inducing chemotactic migration of human monocytes or neutrophils in vitro;

(e) inducing degranulation in formyl peptide receptor expressing cells or formyl peptide receptor-like 1 expressing cells;

(f) stimulating extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase phosphorylation via activation of formyl peptide receptor or formyl peptide receptor-like 1; and

(g) stimulating Akt phosphorylation via activation of formyl peptide receptor or formyl peptide receptor-like 1.

4. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide of claim 1 .

5. A method of treating a condition accompanied or caused by modification of the number or activation states of leukocytes comprising administering to a host in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of the peptide according to claim 1 .

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the condition is bacterial, mycoplasma, yeast, fungal, or viral infection.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein the condition is an inflammation.

8. A method of increasing the number or raising the activation state of leukocytes in a host comprising administering to a host in need of a greater number or higher activation state of leukocytes a therapeutically effective amount of the peptide according to claim 1 .

9. A method of inducing extracellular calcium increase in leukocytes in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising administering to said patient an amount of the peptide according to claim 1 in an amount effective to therapeutically or prophylactically achieve such induction.

10. A method of inducing superoxide generation by human monocytes or neutrophils in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising administering to said patient an amount of the peptide according to claim 1 in an amount effective to therapeutically or prophylactically achieve such induction.

11. A method of inducing chemotactic migration by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising administering to said patient an amount of the peptide according to claim 1 in an amount effective to therapeutically or prophylactically achieve such induction.

12. A method of inducing degranulation in formyl peptide receptor or formyl peptide receptor-like 1 expressing cells in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising administering to said patient an amount of the peptide according to claim 1 in an amount effective to therapeutically or prophylactically achieve such induction.

13. A method of inhibiting binding of WKYMVm to formyl peptide receptor in formyl peptide receptor expressing cells, in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising administering to said patient an amount of the peptide according to claim 1 in an amount effective to therapeutically or prophylactically achieve such inhibition.

14. A method of inhibiting binding of WKYMVm to a formyl peptide receptor-like 1 in formyl peptide receptor-like 1 expressing cells, in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising administering to said patient an amount of the peptide according to claim 1 in an amount effective to therapeutically or prophylactically achieve inhibition.

15. A method of stimulating extracellular signal regulated protein kinase in formyl peptide receptor or formyl peptide receptor-like 1 expressing cells in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising administering to said patient an amount of the peptide according to claim 1 in an amount effective to therapeutically or prophylactically achieve stimulation.

16. A method of stimulating Akt in formyl peptide receptor or formyl peptide receptor-like 1 expressing cells in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising administering to said patient an amount of the peptide according to claim 1 in an amount effective to therapeutically or prophylactically achieve stimulation.

17. The method according to claim 5 wherein said host is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

18. The method according to claim 8 wherein said host is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

19. The method according to claim 9 wherein said patient is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

20. The method according to claim 10 wherein said patient is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

21. The method according to claim 11 wherein said patient is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

22. The method according to claim 12 wherein said patient is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

23. The method according to claim 13 wherein said patient is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

24. The method according to claim 14 wherein said patient is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

25. The method according to claim 15 wherein said patient is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

26. The method according to claim 16 wherein said patient is afflicted with a disorder caused by infection, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme's arthritis, gout, sepsis syndrome, hyperthermia, ulcerative colitis, enterocolitis, osteoporosis, cytomegalovirus, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis, chronic non-infectious inflammation of the lung, sarcoidosis, smoker's lung, granuloma formation, fibrosis of the liver, fibrosis of the lung, transplant rejection, graft vs, host disease, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neoplastic diseases, asthma bronchiale, type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic B lymphocyte leukaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation, systemic sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, lung inflammation, hyper IgE syndrome, cancer metastasis, cancer growth, adoptive immune therapy, acquired respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, reperfusion syndrome, postsurgical inflammation, organ transplantation, or alopecia.

27. A peptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 12 to 19, wherein the peptide has a —NH 2 group at the C-terminus.

28. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide of claim 27 .