| abstract |
The present invention is directed to nucleic acids encoding vespid venom enzymes, or fragments thereof, recombinant vectors comprising such nucleic acids, and host cells containing the recombinant vectors. The invention is further directed to expression of such nucleic acids to produce recombinant vespid venom enzymes, or recombinant fragments, derivatives or analogs thereof. Such recombinant products are useful for diagnosis of allergy and for therapeutic treatment of allergy. In specific embodiments, the present invention provides nucleic acids encoding, and complete nucleotide and amino acids sequences for, vespid venom phospholipase, for example, Polistes annularis phospholipase A1, and vespid venom hyaluronidase, for example, Polistes annularis hyaluronidase. Moreover, agents and pharmaceutical compositions are disclosed which modulate the immune system's ability to attack an immunogen, along with methods of using such agents and pharmaceutical compositions to modulate immune response, or to treat immune system related diseases or disorders, or symptoms related thereto. |