DNA VACCINE CONTAINING SPECIFIC EPITOPE OF APOLIPOPROTEIN (a)
The present invention provides an agent for the treatment or prophylaxis of arteriosclerosis comprising an expression vector encoding a chimeric Hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence containing a specific epitope of apolipoprotein (a), wherein the amino acid sequence containing the specific epitope is inserted between the amino acid residues 80 and 81 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide.
1 . A method for treating or preventing a lipoprotein(a)-related disease in a mammal, comprising administering effective amount of an expression vector encoding an antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence comprising a specific epitope of apolipoprotein (a) in the mammal.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a neutralizing antibody against lipoprotein(a) is produced by administering the expression vector.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the neutralizing antibody suppresses deposition of lipoprotein(a) to a vascular tissue.
4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the neutralizing antibody decreases the amount of an inflammatory cytokine in a blood.
5 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the lipoprotein(a)-related disease is arteriosclerosis.
6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the lipoprotein(a)-related disease is arteriosclerosis.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the antigen polypeptide is a chimeric Hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence comprising a specific epitope of apolipoprotein (a), wherein the amino acid sequence comprising the specific epitope is inserted between the amino acid residues 80 and 81 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the lipoprotein(a)-related disease is arteriosclerosis.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis.
10 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the inserted amino acid sequence comprises the amino acid shown by SEQ ID NO: 1.
11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the inserted amino acid sequence further comprises one or more specific epitopes.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the further specific epitope is a specific epitope of apolipoprotein B.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the expression vector is administered plural times.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the expression vector is administered 2, 3 or 4 times.
15 . A method of inducing a neutralizing antibody against lipoprotein(a) in a mammal, comprising administering effective amount of an expression vector encoding an antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence comprising a specific epitope of apolipoprotein (a) in the mammal.
16 . An expression vector encoding a chimeric Hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence comprising a specific epitope of apolipoprotein (a), wherein the amino acid sequence comprising the specific epitope is inserted between the amino acid residues 80 and 81 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide.
17 . The expression vector according to claim 16 , wherein the inserted amino acid sequence comprises the amino acid shown by SEQ ID NO: 1.
18 . The expression vector according to claim 16 , wherein the inserted amino acid sequence further comprises one or more specific epitopes.