Antibodies directed against pyroglutamate monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1 N1pE)

1. A method of inhibiting MCP-1 in a subject in need thereof comprising:

administering to the subject a composition comprising an antibody or an antigen binding fragment that selectively binds to a pyroglutamate-carrying amino-terminus of MCP-1 N1pE,

wherein

the antibody or antigen binding fragment has substantially no cross-reactivity with an epitope other than pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE; and

the subject has a disease or condition selected from the group consisting of:

a. a neurodegenerative disease;

b. a neurodegenerative disease selected from the group consisting of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease, neurodegeneration in Down Syndrome, Familial British Dementia, Familial Danish Dementia, and multiple sclerosis;

c. chronic or acute inflammation;

d. chronic or acute inflammation selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, restenosis, and pancreatitis;

e. fibrosis;

f. fibrosis selected from the group consisting of lung fibrosis, liver fibrosis, and renal fibrosis;

g. cancer;

h. cancer selected from the group consisting of hemangioendothelioma proliferation and gastric carcinoma;

i. a metabolic disease;

j. a metabolic disease selected from the group consisting of hypertension; and

k. an inflammatory disease selected from the group consisting of neuropathic pain, graft rejection/graft failure/graft vasculopathy, HIV infections/AIDS, gestosis, and tuberous sclerosis.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the disease or condition is selected from the group consisting of atheroschlerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, delayed hypersensitivity reactions, pancreatitis, Alzheimer's disease, lung fibrosis, renal fibrosis, gestosis, graft rejection, neuropathic pain, AIDS, and tumors.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the disease or condition is selected from the group consisting of atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, restenosis, and pancreatitis.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the disease or condition is selected from the group consisting of MCI and Alzheimer's disease.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen binding fragment:

(i) is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 35, 39, and 43;

(ii) has a light chain variable region that selectively binds to a pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE, wherein the antibody or the antigen binding fragment has substantially no cross-reactivity with an epitope other than the pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE;

(iii) has a light chain variable region encoded by the nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 33, 37, and 41 or has a light chain variable region having the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 38, and 43;

(iv) is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 33, 37, and 41;

(v) has an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 38, and 42;

(vi) has a heavy chain variable region that selectively binds to a pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE, wherein the antibody or the antigen binding fragment has substantially no cross-reactivity with an epitope other than the pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE;

(vii) has a heavy chain variable region encoded by the nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 35, 39, and 43 or has a heavy chain variable region having the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 36, 40, and 44;

(viii) is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 35, 39, and 43;

(ix) has an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 36, 40, and 44; or

(x) is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 7 to 32.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen binding fragment comprises:

(i) a light chain variable region of the antibody or the antigen binding fragment that selectively binds to a pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE, wherein the antibody or the antigen binding fragment has substantially no cross-reactivity with an epitope other than the pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE;

(ii) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 33, 37, and 41;

(iii) an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 38, and 42;

(iv) a heavy chain variable region of the antibody or the antigen binding fragment that selectively binds to a pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE, wherein the antibody or the antigen binding fragment has substantially no cross-reactivity with an epitope other than the pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1N1pE;

(v) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 35, 39, and 43; or

(vi) an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 36, 40, and 44.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof is encoded by a polynucleotide that selectively binds to a pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE, wherein the antibody or the antigen binding fragment has substantially no cross-reactivity with an epitope other than the pyroglutamate-carrying amino terminus of MCP-1 N1pE.