Claims
- 1. A structural peptide, recognized by antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core or nucleocapsid protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), wherein said peptide comprises a peptide sequence equivalent but not identical to SEQ ID NO: 2, or said peptide consists of the peptide sequence SEQ ID NO: 2, said peptide sequence comprising a tertiary structure consisting of at least a first peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix, a second peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix and a third joining peptide fragment linking the two α helices, these two α helices being substantially perpendicular to each other in space,
excluding (i) all protein or peptide compounds comprising or consisting of the N-terminal end of the p21 protein, this end being considered as starting at the amino acid at position 1 or the amino acid at position 2, and (ii) the sequence SEQ ID NO: 11 identified below, Gin Arg Lys Thr Lys Arg Asn Thr Asn Arg Arg Pro Gin Asp Val Lys Phe Pro Gly Gly Gly Gln Val Val Gly Gly Val Tyr Leu Leu Pro Arg.
- 2. A structural peptide according to claim 1, wherein the two α helices form an angle of 90°±10°.
- 3. A structural peptide according to claim 1, wherein the third fragment is chosen from loops and elbows.
- 4. A structural peptide according to claim 1, wherein the peptide sequence equivalent to SEQ ID NO: 2 is selected from the group consisting of sequences SEQ ID NO: 3 to SEQ ID NO: 10.
- 5. A structural peptide according to claim 1, wherein said peptide consists of a peptide sequence equivalent to SEQ ID NO: 2.
- 6. A structural peptide according to claim 1, wherein said peptide consists of the peptide sequence SEQ ID NO: 2.
- 7. An antigenic compound, recognized by antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), wherein said compound comprises a peptide according to claim 1.
- 8. An immunogenic compound, capable of inducing the production of antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), wherein said compound comprises a peptide according to claim 1.
- 9. A monoclonal or polyclonal antibody capable of being obtained by in vivo immunization of an animal or by in vitro immunization with the immunogenic compound according to claim 8.
- 10. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide according to claim 1.
- 11. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 10, wherein said peptide is an immunogenic compound capable of inducing the production of antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
- 12. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody according to claim 9.
- 13. A method of detecting and/or quantifying, in a sample, antibodies directed against the Core protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), comprising bringing said sample into contact with a peptide according to claim 1, and detecting the formation of an immune complex between said antibodies and said peptide.
- 14. A method of detecting and/or quantifying, in a sample, antigens of HCV, comprising bringing said sample into contact with antibodies according to claim 9, and detecting the formation of an immune complex between said antigens and said antibodies.
- 15. A method of detecting and/or quantifying, in a sample, all or part of the RNA of the hepatitis C virus, comprising bringing said sample into contact with a peptide according to claim 1, and detecting the formation of a complex between said RNA and said peptide.
- 16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said peptide is an immunogenic compound capable of inducing the production of antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
- 17. A complex comprising a peptide according to claim 1 and a molecular structure specifically bound to said peptide, said molecular structure being selected from the group consisting of peptide fragments, nucleotide fragments and chemical molecules.
- 18. A complex according to claim 17, said molecular structure being a nucleotide fragment or a chemical molecule.
- 19. A complex according to claim 17, wherein said chemical molecule is a functionalized aromatic compound.
- 20. A method for preventing and/or treating an infection with HCV, comprising administering a composition containing peptide according to claim 1 to a patient.
- 21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said peptide is an immunogenic compound capable of inducing the production of antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
- 22. A method for preventing and/or treating an infection with HCV, comprising administering a composition containing an antibody according to claim 9 to a patient.
- 23. A structural peptide, recognized by antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core or nucleocapsid protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), wherein said structural peptide comprises a peptide sequence of or equivalent to SEQ ID NO: 2, said peptide sequence comprising a tertiary structure consisting of at least a first peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix, a second peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix and a third joining peptide fragment linking the two α helices, these two α helices being substantially perpendicular to each other in space,
excluding all protein or peptide compounds comprising or consisting of the N-terminal end of the p21 protein, this end being considered as starting at the amino acid at position 1 or the amino acid at position 2, wherein said structural peptide contains no more than 35 amino acids.
- 24. A structural peptide according to claim 0.23, wherein said structural peptide contains no more than 30 amino acids.
- 25. A structural peptide according to claim 23, excluding all protein or peptide compounds comprising or consisting of SEQ ID NO: 11.
- 26. A structural peptide, recognized by antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core or nucleocapsid protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), wherein said peptide comprises a peptide sequence of or equivalent to SEQ ID NO: 2, said peptide sequence comprising a tertiary structure consisting of at least a first peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix, a second peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix and a third joining peptide fragment linking the two α helices, these two α helices being substantially perpendicular to each other in space,
excluding all protein or peptide compounds comprising or consisting of the N-terminal end of the p21 protein, this end being considered as starting at the amino acid at position 5.
- 27. A structural peptide according to claim 26, wherein at least the first 8 amino acids of the N-terminal end of the p21 protein are excluded.
- 28. A structural peptide according to claim 26, wherein at least the first 11 amino acids of the N-terminal end of the p21 protein are excluded.
- 29. A structural peptide according to claim 26, wherein the first 14 amino acids of the N-terminal end of the p21 protein are excluded.
- 30. A structural peptide according to claim 26, excluding all protein or peptide compounds comprising or consisting of SEQ ID NO: 11.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
97/02878 |
Mar 1997 |
FR |
|
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a Continuation-In-Part of International Application No. PCT/FR98/00442, filed Mar. 5, 1998. The entire disclosure of the prior application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09389756 |
Sep 1999 |
US |
Child |
10367677 |
Feb 2003 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/FR98/00442 |
Mar 1998 |
US |
Child |
10367677 |
Feb 2003 |
US |