Introduction

A principal goal in the development of immunotherapies is to achieve a safe and effective activation of the immune system. One of the early signals of T lymphocyte and Natural Killer cell activation is the induction in expression of the cell surface glycoprotein CD69. This protein is involved in lymphocyte proliferation and functions as a signaling-transmitting receptor in these cells. Being able to regulate the expression of CD69 would be one significant step toward the development of an immunotherapy which would have broad reaching applications from cancer to infectious disease.   

Description of Technology

This technology is a recombinant protein known as Barrogen, derived from a bovine intestinal microorganism.. It is a vaccine adjuvant that has demonstrated effectiveness in human immune cell activation in vitro, with the added benefit of this response not being associated with pro-inflammatory cytokine production. 

Key Benefits

• Activation of T-cells and NK cells: enhanced expression of CD69 suggests an activated immune response of T lymphocytes and Natural Killer cells which will provide heightened defense against a variety of diseases such as cancer and infectious disease when used in immunotherapy
• No association with pro-inflammatory cytokines-  cytokine levels are not elevated in response to human cells being treated with barrogen meaning potentially harmful inflammatory effects are not a concern

Applications

• Immunomodulation
• Vaccine adjuvant
• Protein therapy

Patent Status

U.S. patent 7,393,534

Inventors

Charles Aylsworth, David Juckett, Igor Zlatkin, Tatiana Zlatkin, John Judge, John Siu-Cheong Ho, Barnett Rosenberg

Tech ID

TEC2004-0006

Alternative contact due to temporary leave:

Nina (Isi) Davis, Technology Marketing Manager, email: davisnin@msu.edu, phone (direct): (517)884-1829.