EOSINOPHIL CATIONIC PROTEIN-BINDING PEPTIDES AND USES THEREOF IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS

摘要

The present invention relates to the selection, characterization and use of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP)-binding peptides in the immunological diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis and allergic/inflammatory diseases, in controlling inflammation and treating allergic and inflammatory diseases. In this context, the invention comprises 24 peptides developed from potentially recognizing recombinant human eosinophil cationic protein. One of said selected binding peptides was chosen as an example to be validated for the immunological diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in samples of esophageal mucus from pediatric patients carrying the disease.