Nucleic acid molecules encoding serum amyloid A isoforms from mammalian colostrum used to treat and prevent enteric infections

摘要

A Serum Amyloid A protein (SAA), isolated and purified from mammalian colostrum, is disclosed. The SAA has been isolated from colostrum of several mammalian species, including horse, cow and sheep. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the colostrum SAA, and antibodies immunologically specific for the colostrum SAA, are also disclosed. The colostrum associated SAA, particularly the highly conserved region, (TFLK), also has an ability to stimulate mucin 3 (MUC3) production. Thus colostrum associated SAA may be used to treat and prevent enteric infections or other mucin inhibited disease states, such as traveller's diarrhoea, infant diarrhoea, narcotising enterocolitis, urinary infections, and veterinary medicine for prevention of diarrhoea in herd animals. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of colostrum associated SAA peptide and a carrier to treat these and other diseases with similar pathology. Finally, other epithelial cell linings of mucosal surfaces such asnasopharynx, bladder etc., which produce mucins may also be treated with the pharmaceutical compositions described to stimulate mucin production to prevent or treat infections associated therewith.